I just got my 98 xplorer down to my house (been at the parents for 2 years). anyways, i have not rode it for atleast 8 months and has been sitting and was not started in that time. Today i tired to start it and it ran a little until it just died, checked the plug and it was all black and oily. so i changed it and rode it for an hour or so. but as i started it up, i noticed that i have to keep the throttle pushed in a little to keep it going or it shuts off. but if i am riding it and its reving high, and i let off all the way its fine until it reving to an idle and shuts off.

my question is, do you think its the thottle cable (being streched out from age) or slide in the carb?

open to all ideas. I just want it to run right again. new carb is $330...not willing to spend.

 

carb needs cleaning. most likely the gas started to congeel in the carb and turn to varnish causing blockage.

 

ok, and there is 4007 miles on it also. and how do i go about to cleaning it?

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: 98xplorer

ok, and there is 4007 miles on it also. and how do i go about to cleaning it?</end quote></div>

you have to pull the carb off the bike and completely disassebmle it to clean all the jets and pasages. if you are not real faimlar w/ carbs, maybe get some who is to do it. spraying carb cleaner in it really doesnt do a good job. make sure theres no mouse nest or other crap in the air box or passages like exhaust, or vent lines.

 

hmmm, yeah i would have someone else look or clean it.

 

well i took the top of the carb off to peek inside a little and it looks clean, no nests of anything. know what the carb factory settings are for the big screw?

 

if you have so the cap and throttle slide is out of the carb you might as well keep going and pull the carb off the bike and clean it right by taking the bowl off(4 screws) and cleaning the rest of it real good to emlinate the dirty carb from the problem. keep track of how many turns the air screw is set at. that would be the small reg. screw on the side and the big screw w/ the spring is the idle setting.

 

get a rebuild kit?

 

i would first just clean it really good. a rebuild kits is new jets and needle and seat.

 

well as i am looking at taking it out, i take off the air filter housing top and air filter. I then see that i have access to that slide in the carb. So i put my finger on the slide and hit the throttle and notice that the slide moves with ease when i get passed that "dead spot". So do you think its the carb still? i just think its all in the throttle level.