How often

[deacon]

I hoped on my china girl bike for a trip to the home depot today. It started terrible. Took several blocks to get the misfires out of it. So here is a question for those of you who put a lot of miles on these things.

How often do you need to change the plugs and fuel filters. I don't use mine more then five to ten miles maybe four times a week. I can't imagine the plug being bad in that short of a time, but it runs like it is misfiring when cold. Once it heats up it seems to do better. I guess it could be the fuel filters. I have had the one in the tank clog on me already.

If it was the one in the tank with trash it would actually make sense the vibration of the bike could clear the trash away temporarily i guess.

Anyway anybody got any suggestions as to how often the plug needs to be changed on a bike that is run sparingly.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Have you replaced the plug and wire with a good one? Sometimes these plugs are bad right away, or withing a few miles.

 

[Venice Motor Bikes]

I second the "plug & wire" answer.

 

[Dave31]

I ran three years with the stock plug and wire. They are both still good and use them as spares.

 

[deacon]

I ran three years with the stock plug and wire. They are both still good and use them as spares.

Yes new wire a few weeks ago and a champion plug two months ago. It has been getting progressively worse. Just runs rough when cold. Today it was a bear to start. I'm expecting it to just die come cold weather if I don't do something. I will pull the plug to check it.

 

[Norman]

How much gap? I run my gap at 0.017 and not the 0.028 that the china? book says to. Your air filter getting nasty? as in full of oil. I wash my filter out with warn soapy water and then install it and ride it I don't let it dry first.What little water that the engine sucks in won't hurt a thing. I don't oil the filter either.

 

[deacon]

Thanks guys I'll check all that tomorrow

 

[Motoschwinn]

I installed a new NGK plug, new Accell wire and boot this past weekend. Not that I really needed to. It's was just that the boot and wire were getting really worn and nasty. That being said, WOW does it fire up quick now! PLUS the yellow wire looks cool too.

 

[VaporKing]

Deacon,

I had a simular problem: always started when cold, but hard to start when warm.

Did you inspect the jets on your carb yet? It's really easy to do. Norm's carb tear-down is very helpful. I just sprayed-out the jets with Gumout, and flushed/filled the tank and installed a good Briggs/Stratton inline fuel filter. If your fuel fileter keeps plugging-up, I would consider lining the the tank with sealer.

You should be able to see a perfect tunnel of light through each tube (jet). Only takes about 30-45 minutes to dissassemble, clean, and reassemble the carb. Being that it is so quick and easy to do, it can't hurt (unless you're worried about wrecking the carb). Otherwise, ThatsDax is sells carbs for $25with shipping.

Food for thought.

Sincerely,


VaporKing

 

[deacon]

I found the problem this morning. It would not start at all up and down the hood I pedaled. Then I stopped to check out the wires and then I glanced at the fuel filter. Empty.

I checked yes it was turned on. I had a full tank of fuel something I seldom do. I shook the tank and tapped on it and fuel began to flow. Crap in the tank again no doubt. I have a full tank and I'm just gonna keep tapping and beating on it till the tank is down a bit lower, then dump it and clean it out right this time.

This is the second time i will have done the same thing. Oh well

 

[spad4me]

Re: That happens to mine also.

Put in a brand of gas like chevron regular. after you clean the tank out. The fuel from a convience store sometimes does that to me.
Just enough to be annoying.

 

[deacon]

Oh yes worst of all is when you get water in the gas. I haven't done that in years but I did in the late seventies a lot. It got so bad I carried a quart of rubbing alcohol in the car.