Bandit Alley
MODEL SPECIFIC => SUZUKI BANDIT 250 & 400 => Topic started by: Sierra2 on January 15, 2006, 08:43:03 AM
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New Guy here....got an ugly problem with my bandit 400. I stored it in a garage with a gravel floor for a year. Sounds OK so far except the ground under neath was REALLY wet. I didn't notice until it was time to move and I took her off the centre stand and she sank up to the axles in "quicksand". As a result my carbs were completely fouled...all the brass was green, and the jets were plugged with corrosion. :banghead: I've stripped them and cleaned them. but I don't think they'll be the same. She's a 91 and completely stock, but I've been toying with the idea of re-jetting the carbs to get rid of the second gear flat spot, but I've heard its a bad idea. While I've got it a thousand pieces anyway, can anyone offer some suggestions on jetting, or mods, or cans, or carbs that night help (and are still available)
Thanks in advance
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:welcome:
Check around this forum and the 400 FAQ. There's lots of info here.
I'd recommend the Factory Pro (http://www.factorypro.com) jet kit to you. I have the one with the TI needles. I'm not sure if you can run that with the stock exhaust and air filter or not. I'll bet you can. Marc at Factory Pro is a ton of help if you have questions, too.
I'd also make double and triple sure you've got all the corrosion and everything out of those carbs. It doesn't take much to screw things up.
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You have a Canadian spec bike so you will NOT have to by a jet kit, raise the needles up one notch and enjoy. as for pipes and slipons they are getting harder to find but do come up one ebay from time to time. You already have 33mm carbs so you don't need that upgrade. If your bike is stock you can leave the stock 100 main in or move up to a 102.5 but i dought you will notice a differance. as for cleaning the crap out of the carbs use CRC gasket remover, spray all over let it sit on for a couple of minutes use a tooth brush to remove the toughest grime them rinse really well with hot water. Oh and wear rubber gloves. this stuff is pretty harsh on skin. your carbs will look like new inside and out.
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Welcome to the site. :beers:
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Thanks for the WELCOME
I just stumbled upon this forum a couple of days ago and already "You Guys" have given me more information than any of my local bike shops have been able to drum up in a year.
I've been lucky so far. This bike has been bulletproof, I've only had to do routine maintenance stuff since I bought it new in 93. I'm seeing now that parts are getting harder and harder to get.
Thanks again :sparkplug:
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my carbs were completely fouled...all the brass was green, and the jets were plugged with corrosion.
Welcome to the board!
I'm not really clear if your carbs are corroded on the outside and just clogged with varnish on the inside, or if they are actually corroded on the INSIDE as well? If you actually have corrosion, like powdery white aluminum oxide, INSIDE your carbs, then the jets will be the least of your problems. If you just have brown varnish deposits inside, that's not too tough to deal with.
Also, just to state the obvious, you will want to make sure your coils, wires and plug caps are completely dried out from all that moisture, especially if you still have the original wires.
Regards,
Steve
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It was more like the brass of the jets, and the exposed parts of the brass screws had begun to corrode. They were turning green, and getting a green waxy build up plugging the pilot jets. (like a penny when it goes green) There was a little aluminum oxide powder as well, but not so much. When I pulled the cover off and got it into the daylight I nearly cried.
Oh well this site has at least given me hope. I'm the only Bandit owner I know and wasn't sure if it was worth trying to restore her or move on.
I moved the bike to a new (dry) spot some time ago. It always seemed to have wire trouble if I washed it too close to the wires. Yes they are stock...was this common?? Are there wire/cap kits that will solve this problem??
Thanks again in Advance! :thanks:
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Welcome aboard, Sierra!
Sounds like your carbs are close to the condition mine were in when I bought her, minus the cacked sediment (sand) filling the float bowls. You should be able to get her running again with a little elbow grease and a lot of cleaning. You know what works good on carbs? Those cheap toothbrushes you can get at a drugstore! Just remember not to use them on your teeth after using gasoline and solovents on them. :lol:
If you can find them, small pipecleaners will work wonders on jets and passages. For the smaller ones, or if you can't find a pipecleaner, you can use a metal twisty tie with the paper covering removed (you know, they come with trash bags to tie them shut?). I suppose regular wire would work as well.
Let me guess which wires are causing you fits when wet, the one's under the seat? In particular, under the left hand sidecover? You could try pulling the connectors apart and applying lithium grease (I think thats it) around them, then reassembling. Other than that, just try not to get water up there and/or cover them with something before washing.
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Another source for small wires to clean carb passages is to untwist a piece of stranded copper wire and use the individual strands.
The HT wires are a pretty common problem. The plug caps and coils each have a threaded post that the wire turns onto, sort of like a wood screw that screws down the axis of the wire. The connection can get loose or corroded and cause problems. Even if they're not loose, 5 or 10 bucks to replace the crunchy old wires with new ones is good preventative maintenance, IMO.
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Any good aftermarket wires (should I ask :annoy: ) or should I try to replace them with stock stuff? Seems to me that the parts are getting harder and harder to get.
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Uh,
I don't really know about brands of wire, I just went to the local bike shop with my old stuff and they had the same diameter replacement stuff by the foot.
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Oh.......Well that makes too much sense.
I'll give that a try then! :roll:
Thanks Steve
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If you search around, this has been discussed here several times. I believe the wires are 7mm. Here in the US, a 6ft roll was well under $10 for me from Dennis Kirk.
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Thanks
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So I cleaned the carbs out. A little elbow grease and the corrosion came out pretty nicely. The next step is putting them back in. Found a mouse living in my air box! :rant2: Needless to say I need a new filter. (was tempted to fire it up and suck the little bastards into the combustion chamber....but my wife used to work for the SPCA....go figure)
Anyhow....any tips on getting the carbs to fit back onto the rubber intakes?
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Hit the rubber with WD40, wipe them clean, then spray them again and push them on! :beers:
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Yeah - what he ^^^ said. Obviously, make sure the clamps are open enough, too. There is a positive "pop" when they are all the way in. I find that putting the airbox back on the carbs is harder than putting the carbs back on the motor. WD40 works well there, too. Also, just put on the bottom half of the airbox so you can reach inside each intake to fit it on.
Good luck.
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Get someone to hold your front brake while you push. After you get the bike running those rubber pieces will soften up and putting the carbs on will be easy.
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Thanks I'll give it a go. I tried it dry (no WD40) and...... let's just say I made up a few new words. I don't have a heated shop so the rubber is a little inflexible! ( was down to - 27 C) ..( about - 20 for you farenhieght boys)
@#$#@$%@ bloody knuckles!
I can't wait until spring......... :banana:
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Well now I've adjusted the needle valve one notch, and cleaned out the carbs. Put it back together, but wasn't getting any fuel. Turned out after much frustration, that some sort of little critter chose my vaccum line to die in. His crusty little corpse completely plugged the line. Anyway I got that cleaned out, but she still won't start. Needless to say I'm a frigging expert now at pulling the carbs off and sticking them back on again. I'm getting spark, fuel, and it fires a little, but still no joy. I took it out of the cold and put in our heated dog kennel building....(much to my wifes dismay) I'm hoping the heat will dry up any moisture on the plug wires.
I don't know, maybe it's a stretch......
Any suggestions???
:bouncy: (I just like this one!!)
Pete
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If you're getting a fat spark on all plugs, moisture on plug wires is probably not the issue.
Have you tried a little starting fluid to get it lit initially?
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I thought about it....but past experience leads me to believe that that stuff causes more damage than good. It's been in the warm building for about 8 hrs now. I'll light it up and see. I might have to give in and bring it to the shop to see what they can do (besides take all my money!! :crybaby: )
Pete
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Pete - you've giving it enough time to fill the bowls, right? Without a prime position on the stock petcock, it you have to crank seemingly forever to get it to fire once the carbs have been drained.
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Maybe this is a difference between the US and Canadian market bikes, but my bike does have a prime position. It isn't marked, but if you go to the run position, then turn a quarter turn to reserve then try to turn another quarter turn, you will be stopped by a philips head screw on the petcock. Remove this screw and you will be able to turn the additional quarter turn to prime position.
Anyway, like Rob suggested, turn to prime and give the carb bowls time to fill.
I would also carefully check all the vacuum lines and the carb boots for leaks. Even a small leak could cause it to fire up a bit, then die.
Also Pete, as a word of encouragement, I wouldn't be too quick to give up and take it to the shop. You seem to be willing to do a bit of work on it, and in my experience these bikes are pretty reliable on the big things. It's little stuff like vacuum leaks or leaky carb o-rings etc. that screw up. If you have a bit of patience, you can probably sort it out yourself.
Besides, I live in Eastern Ontario like you, and you're not riding anytime soon anyway.
:stickpoke:
Regards,
Steve
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Good call Rob!
There is no "prime" position on the petcock. But after reading Steve's reply maybe there is!!
I did get it to fire and after ALOT of coaxing it ran for a minute or so but it seemed like it was only firing on 2 or 3 cylinders. A weak pulse but a pulse just the same.
I took a really hard look at the vaccum line last night and I don't think that's the problem. More likely that I missed some bit of grime in some hidden but important spot on the carbs somewhere.
Thanks for the encouragement Steve.......ya...ya...Spring ain't here yet.....but I intend on being able to ride :motorsmile: the instant the weather breaks!!
Thanks to you guys I think I'll stay away from the shop a little bit longer..... :beers:
Pete
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Hey Pete you have a Canadian bike and it has prime, turn the handle so it faces up
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I'm learning something everytime I turn on my computer..... :duh:
Thanks Thief!
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hey maybe we can get some of the Ontario guys together for a ride this summer ???? I'm up here in the GREAT WHITE NORTH but can travel
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I thought there was a simple mod to give the B4's with no prime position one... thought it was something as simple as removing a screw or something.
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Yeah - there's a screw just above the RES setting. Remove that and you can turn it straight up to prime (unmarked).
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hey maybe we can get some of the Ontario guys together for a ride this summer ???? I'm up here in the GREAT WHITE NORTH but can travel
I'd be into it. I'll travel pretty much anywhere from london to parry sound. I'm planning on going to the sport bike rally this year. I'll probably hit friday the 13th in October as well...
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Maybe I'm being optimistic but I plan on doing the Cabot Trail this summer. Maybe we can meet out there....and drink many beer. :beers:
I wasn't convinced that I got everything....so I pullled the carbs out again...and went through them with a fine tooth comb. Turns out I had missed a few venturies here and there. I put it all back together (AGAIN) and still she won't run. Then I pulled the plugs and found that she's sparking heavier on one side than the other. Even if I change plugs. So I'm off to check out the price of Plugs & wire tomorrow.
BTW you guys were right....alll I had to do was unscrew a phillips screw on the petcock and voila....I was able to put it on the prime setting.
Pete
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Well mark it on your calendar boys !! Last night I finally got the plugs changed (between work, and my family etc ...etc...) I turned the engine over and she fired right up like she'd been running fine all along! :banana: Did'nt let her run long though....gotta get some new oil in first.
THANKS ALL FOR YOUR HELP!!!
Pete
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Now don't you feel silly for not having found us long ago? :wink:
Glad you got her running. :banana: :beers: :bigok:
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Any time bro