Exciter bog

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Exciter8789

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Feb 17, 2011
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50
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sw nh
Any ideas on an 87 Exciter that won't go over 3200rpm. It starts well, idles at 1500 but won't go over 3200. It may have a partially blocked exhaust. It was blocked some when I started it and smoke came from the joints for a couple minutes but then it seemed like it was cleared out (all smoke coming out exhaust). Would running on one cylinder cause this? How can I determine if I am running of both cylinders?
CDI? Air box? TORS?

I think it usually engages at around 3500 to 4000 so I don't think it is a clutch issue.

Has new plugs

Thank you
Travis
 
Exciter8789 said:
Any ideas on an 87 Exciter that won't go over 3200rpm. It starts well, idles at 1500 but won't go over 3200. It may have a partially blocked exhaust. It was blocked some when I started it and smoke came from the joints for a couple minutes but then it seemed like it was cleared out (all smoke coming out exhaust). Would running on one cylinder cause this? How can I determine if I am running of both cylinders?
CDI? Air box? TORS?

I think it usually engages at around 3500 to 4000 so I don't think it is a clutch issue.

Has new plugs

Thank you
Travis
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If you only had one working cylinder, and it had good compression, you would still be able to get around 7000 RPM, and 50KM/h. I know, I had a cylinder that was ovaled and it was doing exactly that. It's amazing how well that sled goes even on one cylinder!

Maybe a mouse got in your exhaust and made it's home in there? Try taking the pipe off and shooting some compressed air in there to see if anything comes out!? Like grass or twigs?

And an easy trick to see if you're running on two cylinders is to take the air box off, and put your hand in front of either carb, you will feel it sucking, and the engine noise will change. That way you know the engine is taking in air in whichever cylinder you blocked off with your hand. You could also take off a spark plug cap, and see if the sled runs on one cylinder, then try the other. Careful not to get a shock.

Cleaning the clutches with compressed air, and cleaning the carbs will probably make a world of difference too.

Good luck and let us know how you make out!
 
[QUOTE=stanagesnip - And an easy trick to see if you're running on two cylinders is to take the air box off, and put your hand in front of either carb, you will feel it sucking, and the engine noise will change. That way you know the engine is taking in air in whichever cylinder you blocked off with your hand. You could also take off a spark plug cap, and see if the sled runs on one cylinder, then try the other. Careful not to get a shock.


A dead cylinder will still pump air whether it's operational or not.

I would also not recommend pulling plug wires to determine if a cylinder is firing. It's a good way to burn a coil. The voltage produced wants to discharge somewhere and will often find a place through the coil housing.

Lightly touch the exhaust pipe near the cylinder in question to determine if it's making heat.
 
snomofo said:
stanagesnip - Lightly touch the exhaust pipe near the cylinder in question to determine if it's making heat.[/QUOTE said:
What he said.

Or, AFTER you shut it off. Pull both plug caps and feel the spark plugs. The one not running will be substantially colder than the other.
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Click to expand...
 
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Hi guys,
thanks for the info. I don't have many tools but I should be able to put my hand on the exhaust!!! Do the symptoms point to one cylinder? I was wondering if it was electrical. I suppose the carbs would be a good guess also.
 
If one cylinder is cold(or alot colder than the other) then it is not running on that cylinder. Then you need to troubleshoot why. Could be spark or could be fuel related. Do both cylinders seem to have the same amount of compression? If you don't have a compression gauge pull both plugs and put your thumb over one of the holes and pull the rope, should be enough to knock your thumb off the hole. Do it to both sides, they should "feel" about the same. You really need a compression gauge to tell acurately but this way you can at least rule out a hole in the piston, etc.
 
I put the exhuast from my 89 on it and it ran great. Started great, revved on the stand great (no snow here yet). Now I seem to be back to a problem I at the end of last season. It seems like it is flooding. Basically if it doesn't start on the first or second pull then I know I am in for a lot of pulling. It took the plugs out and pulled and had vapor coming out of the left hole. Pulled it 20 times and still had vapor coming out. I am thinking that I might have a lot of fuel in the crank case. How do I shut the fuel off. On my 89 there is a knob right above ignition. How do I get fuel out of the crank case. Can I shut the fuel off, lift the back end and get it to come out the exhuast? Unfortunatley for me I might as well be looking at a space shuttle when I look at the carburetors.
 
Forgot to mention that during the between starting and running fine to the current problem I had the rear end up on a stand. If it is a diaphram, vacuum line or choke problem would having therear end lifted make it worse?
 
I just took the exhaust off and dumped about a cup of fuel out of it. I'm working outside in the dark and I dumped it before thinking about it but it seemed like it was gas AND oil. Does this provide any hints? Would that lead more towards a choke problem? Still trying to figure out how to shut the fuel off.
 
dont you have a shut off switch by the key,oil is injected into the gas line before the pump so you would have both,could have a stuck float in the carb bowl,should pull the carbs but i suppose you could try rappin on it with a wrench,if when its runnin is there gas flowin out the overflows?my old srx would fill the entire motor with gas if i left it jacked up like that,but ran fine otherwise,at least find the shutoff valve,to get gas out pull plugs,hold it wide open and pull 30 or 40 times
 
Thanks for the response. Can't find a fuel shut off. I have an 88 and an 89 and they both have shut offs. I read some where to use vise grips to pinch the line. I may try that but I don't know how old the lines are and I don't want to crack the line. It looks like the line goes through the gas tank fill area. I could maybe add a shut off in there.
 
I had that problem last season, close the shut off valve everytime you shut it off and don´t open it until it fires up again, that solves the problem temporary. It could be like dsc says earlier or worn needle wents. (the needle wents are expensive).
 
Sounds like a stuck float or bad needle and seat.

And some mice must have built a nest in your original exhaust.
 
should have seen the rats nest that was in my psi pipe,they can plug it good,some exciters have a shutoff mounted on the steering gate right behind the coolant cap.
 
I took the heat shield or whatever it is, off the exhuast and it looks a previous owner had a rats nest in there. There is about a 6" x 6" chunk that had been removed a welded back on. I think I will try the same thing. I'm not sure that I know what I am looking at but I think I can follow the fuel line from near the tank all the way to the pump and I don't see any shut off. Adding a shut off seems like something even I could do!
 
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