After riding the other day,my bike (2003 sp500) started running real sluggish. it wont go oer 15mph.It also does it in neutral. when I pull the choke out it runs better...Im no mechanic but it seems like a carb problem.Ive read some of the forums and heard alot about needles and seats and jets and all that..it greek to me..is taking the carb apart the first thing i should do?and is it an easy job ...thanks for any help

 

Sounds like a diaphram issue. If it doesn't move properly the air/fuel mixture gets all jazzed up. Doc

 

also make sure the filter isnt plugged, air or fuel.

 

You mean that it was running fine one moment and the next moment it wouldn't go above 15 mph? If you pulled the choke out (when the engine is warm) and it ran better, that meant that it was running lean or starving for fuel.

Did you try pulling the choke out while riding as well as at idle? And did it run better both times?

Having a lean condition AND a diaphram issue is not likely.

I'd say that maybe your main jet is clogged. Try draining the float bowl to get rid of any crud that might be in there. If that doesn't work, you can tear into the carb, easier to do with the carb off the bike. It's not a simple job, but doable if you have some wrenching ability. Just be careful not to kink the throttle or choke cable and if you take the float bowl off, be careful not to damage the float (don't try to move it by hand or play with it).

Get a service manual if you can. Also, there's a lot of information on various websites that you can find on CV carburetors that might help you understand how it all works.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the replys everyone. I do think its maybe clogged (the main jet) because its definately starving for fuel,when Im riding and pull the choke out it picks up fine....Im gonna go see if i can figure out how to drain the float bowl ...Ill let ya know, thanks again

 

You might check the needle in the slide too. Remove the air box and look in the back of the carb. Push up on the slide with your finger and make sure the needle raises with the slide. I have seen a handfull where the clip comes off the needle and the needle drops into the needle jet not allowing any fuel flow.

 

Well I got it running good again thanks to yalls help.I took the carb off and was gonna soak it overnight but i noticed a small piece of trash by the float ,Im not sure what its called but theres a small metal tube in the middle of the float with a hole in the top of it and thats where the trash was. I took it out with a needle and put everything back together and its running great now.....Sorry for the poor explaination but this is new to me and Im not sure what all that little **** in there is called...thanks again David

 

Glad it's running normally now! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]