Suzuki TS185 maintenance

[F5 Dave]

See part 8, teh float jet seat. I have had to replace the O-ring there before.

[Matariki]

See part 8, teh float jet seat. I have had to replace the O-ring there before.

Iv'e checked it, it doesn't look broken or cracked or anything like that.

[Matariki]

Good news, I got the carb working properly again. Its not leaking any more. I had placed the pin in correctly the first time I opened it up, so I'm not sure what could of happened that caused to the floats to stick. But I took apart again and redid it and this time measured the positioning of the float as according to the manual. The next job I'm looking at doing is changing the gearbox oil, and maybe cleaning out the exhaust pipe. The TS is still smoking when I start it up, but at least the smoke is clean now (clear).

So far I've been enjoying the process of getting to know how my motorcycle works. And Its nice to know that I can independently (for the most part - where would I be without this forum?) do my own maintenance and save money.

Thanks guys for responding to my questions, its much appreciated.

[FJRider]

Good news ...

Thanks guys for responding to my questions, its much appreciated.

Great to hear. And KB does have it's uses.

Older two-strokes often have the exhaust carboned up. Too bad ... and it can affect the engine performance.

Various methods can be used to clean it out. From cutting it in half (lengthwise) and scraping it off .... to filling and soaking the inside with various solvents then rinsing (then repeating a few times).

Remember ... the "stuff" inside the exhaust will be baked on ... so it can (will) take a bit to "remove" it.

[ktm84mxc]

Easiest way to clean a 2 smokes xhaust fire an oxy torch down the inside of the chamber and when alight just feed it oxygen , best to do it outside as they tend to smoke a bit.

[Ocean1]

Good news, I got the carb working properly again.

Excellent.

The next job I'm looking at doing is changing the gearbox oil, and maybe cleaning out the exhaust pipe. The TS is still smoking when I start it up, but at least the smoke is clean now (clear).

Gearbox oil change is pretty simple. The smoke on start-up doesn't mean the exhaust needs cleaning, it's just the oil condensing out of the exhaust gases onto the cold pipe and then smoking as it heats up again. From memory the baffles are held in by a screw in the side? If so you can take that out and have a look and a bit of a poke around inside. If you do want to clean it out there's two ways, both dangerous if you don't know what your doing.

The first uses oxy acetalyene, although a propane torch will work. You need the pipe off and you simply light the torch up, adjust it to oxy-rich and bung it up the engine end of the pipe. After a short while there'll be black smoke, have the vacuum cleaner handy with the hose on the blow end, when the black smoke get good and thick take the gas set out and shove the vacuum cleaner hose into the pipe, (blowing). Keep going until the black smoke stops or until the neighbours call the cops. This way stuffs up the paint, sobe prepared to sand the pipe back and repaint it when you've finished.

The other way uses caustic soda, (drain cleaner), the best way I've found is to stick a cork into the engine end of the pipe, pour half a cup of dry caustic soda into the other end and then add warm water, slowly, until it's full. Note: hot water and caustic react violently, and people have had it explode in their faces before now. After a couple of hrs leaned up against the gargre wall in the sun carefully pour it out onto the weed patch and then flush with the garden hose. After draining it well pour in a cup of vinegar to neutralise the CS, rattle that around for a couple of minutes, pour it out and rinse again. There'll still be some carbon in there but it tends to break up and get blown out during the next ride or two.

Ain't bikes fun.

[F5 Dave]

Good on ya for sticking with it.

Caustic if you must use it should be handled with gloves & goggles.

Most of the cleaning will be limited to the muffler, taken apart & burnt off with a torch, or maybe soaked in a small vessel with some caustic may be the easiest. Replacement muffler lagging is available from the shop or Torpedo7 website.

[Matariki]

Question About Carburetor

Although the Carburetor is working fine now, I need to readjust the idle speed on the TS. My manual states that this can be done by adjusting the throttle stop screw (my manual doesn't really explain how to do this). The manual recommends the TS at idle to be running at 1300 ± 150 rpm (again, I don't fully understand what this means either). 1300 rpm seems a little low and my TS falters out at 1300 rpm, even when the engine has been running for a few minutes.

[Matariki]

Gearbox oil change is pretty simple. The smoke on start-up doesn't mean the exhaust needs cleaning, it's just the oil condensing out of the exhaust gases onto the cold pipe and then smoking as it heats up again.

Right, that makes sense. The smoke isn't dirty, there is allot of it when the TS starts up, but I take it thats normal. There isn't much smoke once the TS is warmed up (except when changing gears while I'm riding).

[FJRider]

Right, that makes sense. The smoke isn't dirty, there is allot of it when the TS starts up, but I take it thats normal. There isn't much smoke once the TS is warmed up (except when changing gears while I'm riding).

The day to worry is when a two-stroke doesn't smoke.

Smoke is ok ... just not enough to foul the plug is good.

[F5 Dave]

There isn't much smoke once the TS is warmed up (except when changing gears while I'm riding).

sounds fine.

[F5 Dave]

Question About Carburetor

Although the Carburetor is working fine now, I need to readjust the idle speed on the TS. My manual states that this can be done by adjusting the throttle stop screw (my manual doesn't really explain how to do this). The manual recommends the TS at idle to be running at 1300 ± 150 rpm (again, I don't fully understand what this means either). 1300 rpm seems a little low and my TS falters out at 1300 rpm, even when the engine has been running for a few minutes.

So have you found the screw? There should be two flat head screws on the Left side of the bike on the carb.

one will be lower & more to the rear. that is the idle mixture. One twiddles this in & out say no more than a full turn either direction from where it is now until the idle is highest/smoothest, although often it isn't that noticeable so return it to where it was if no improvement.

If one did find the bike falter when taking off or cracking the throttle on, then turning this screw in some more might help.

The other screw is higher & to the middle of the carb. That is the idle speed & just limits how far the throttle closes off the main airflow. turn it in should raise the idle, out lower it. Give it a try until you find a place it will idle ok, at least for a short while. 2 strokes often don't like just idling all day & night like a 4 stroke, so don't lose any sleep over it, but should idle long enough that it can be civil at intersections.

[Matariki]

So have you found the screw? There should be two flat head screws on the Left side of the bike on the carb.

one will be lower & more to the rear. that is the idle mixture. One twiddles this in & out say no more than a full turn either direction from where it is now until the idle is highest/smoothest, although often it isn't that noticeable so return it to where it was if no improvement.

If one did find the bike falter when taking off or cracking the throttle on, then turning this screw in some more might help.

The other screw is higher & to the middle of the carb. That is the idle speed & just limits how far the throttle closes off the main airflow. turn it in should raise the idle, out lower it. Give it a try until you find a place it will idle ok, at least for a short while. 2 strokes often don't like just idling all day & night like a 4 stroke, so don't lose any sleep over it, but should idle long enough that it can be civil at intersections.

My bike has the one screw above the throttle stop screw. The bike at the moment doesn't idle, I have to keep my hand on the throttle otherwise the engine falters. It falters out at 1500 rpm.
Does tightening the screws increase the idle or decrease it?

[FJRider]

My bike has the one screw above the throttle stop screw. The bike at the moment doesn't idle, I have to keep my hand on the throttle otherwise the engine falters. It falters out at 1500 rpm.
Does tightening the screws increase the idle or decrease it?

Increases it. Try a half turn at a time with the engine running. Set idle speed at such it is steady without you holding the throttle on.

[Matariki]

Increases it. Try a half turn at a time with the engine running. Set idle speed at such it is steady without you holding the throttle on.

Should I do that with both screws?