Bike in flames

[Ratti]

So what did I do wrong?

Have been having trouble getting bike going. Squirt of engine start in the air filiter and all good.
except for a while back when flames shot out and set one or two things on fire.

Fire put out before any damage done ( note is worth having fire extinguisher in shed ) Heck of a mess tho.

Once you have stopped laughing, can you offer sensible statement outlining what happend, how, and what to do so it never happens again.

Apologies if this isnt the right thread, Mod can you move it to the appropriate one?

[yachtie10]

when you say
"Squirt of engine start in the air filiter and all good"
do you mean in the filter or behind it
If it is going into the filter I would think that is wrong (where did the flames shoot out)
needs to go in after the filter IMO

[Paul in NZ]

Never spray that stuff onto the air filter.

In fact - if you need it, its a sign something else is wrong. Best get it sorted so you don't need it.

[slofox]

Engine Start utilizes ether, usually anyway. Very volatile. Very flammable - as you have learned. Don't overuse!

[quickbuck]

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Engine Start utilizes ether, usually anyway. Very volatile. Very flammable - as you have learned. Don't overuse!

A spark from ANYWHERE will be enough to light it up..... As Ratti may well have found out...

As Paul said, there is something else wrong....
May be you could put your starting technique up so we can see where you are going wrong?
In general:
Cold Start -
Full Choke, NO throttle.

[DangerousBastard]

Thats just a risk you take with ether. It's never happened to me.

Ether is really only good for putting tyres on.



Steve

[Ratti]

Im working on getting the problems ironed out. Starting is a biggie as he floods on full choke. I have another post going asking for informed opinion about starting issues.

SO you think don't use ether?

I was told to take out air filter, squirt a bit inside the filter then reassemble and fire it up. DB, may well be right and I got to heavy handed with the ether.

[Smifffy]

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Ether is really only good for putting tyres on.

~~~~~
The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon.
~~~~~

[Smifffy]

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Ether is really only good for putting tyres on.

~~~~~
The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon.
~~~~~

[Ratti]

er...I get the impression Im missing something here?

[quickbuck]

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Im working on getting the problems ironed out. Starting is a biggie as he floods on full choke. I have another post going asking for informed opinion about starting issues.

SO you think don't use ether?

I was told to take out air filter, squirt a bit inside the filter then reassemble and fire it up. DB, may well be right and I got to heavy handed with the ether.

Yup, sounds like you were getting a little heavy handed.... Remember you are starting a motorcycle, not a gas turbine... unless you are Jay Lenno...

Get the choke fixed. Shouldn't be flooding. I take it we are talking about the 1000?
Not sure if they actually have Enrichers in the carbs rather than chokes, but you need to get that sorted.

Yes, indeed, you should spray it AFTER the air filter....

[Smifffy]

Sorry - mention of ether reminds me of Fear & Loathing in las vegas (movie) and happy friday afternoons in the lab where I worked (misspent youf) before OSH went mad

[Ratti]

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Yup, sounds like you were getting a little heavy handed.... Remember you are starting a motorcycle, not a gas turbine... unless you are Jay Lenno...

Get the choke fixed. Shouldn't be flooding. I take it we are talking about the 1000?
Not sure if they actually have Enrichers in the carbs rather than chokes, but you need to get that sorted.

Yes, indeed, you should spray it AFTER the air filter....

Yes the Zthou. Even on half choke he still floods. SO thats something that can be altered? Don't laugh, my hubby was the mechanic not me

[pete376403]

Shouldn't be flooding unless the carbs have been messed with. Float levels would be a good place to start, and check the float valve tapers and seats while in there - after 27 years theyare probably due a bit of attention.

[Ratti]

Had the carbs pulled apart and checked while he was at Boyles a few weeks ago. If anything had needed replacing Mark would have done it at that time. I have a couple of workshop manuals here for him, and am trolling my way through the pix trying to understand what is going on.

it seems maybe the enriching system is the next thing to check.