Triumphrat

ChuckT120 · 07-04-2007

Had a bit of a strange one happen on the way home from work on Tuesday. After making a turn at a light and going about half a block, the engine back fired through one of the carbs and died, rolling almost to a stop. :wow: As it was rolling, I switched to reserve and dropped the clutch but just got engine braking and no start. I pulled in the clutch, and doing my best observed trials imitation, hit the starter and she fired right up with no hesitation and ran all the way to the next light, about three blocks further on, with an occasional light hesitation and a couple of back fires. All that cleared up at the next light and she ran normal to the next gas station where I topped the tank off with 2.5 gallons. She has been running fine for about 75 miles today, in the rain down here in the swamp. Details, 2004 T100, AIRed, NARKed, Canisterectomy, 200 miles on new plugs, Stock Pea Shooters. One other possibly related detail, about 500 miles ago, I pulled out the fuel valve while NARKing, cleaned out a bunch of very fine powder plugging the filter in the tank, fuel valve, and the hidden filter in the tee fitting feeding the carbs while re-jetting with the NARK supplied jets. Any thoughts, ideas, similar experiences?

sweatmachine · 07-04-2007

riding in the rain? Wet connectors, especially at the ignitor. Remove the seat, disconnect the ignitor and slather the connector w/ dielectric grease then reconnect.

badrufus · 07-04-2007

If you put 2.5 gals in, I'm guessing that it was right on the verge of needing to go to reserve. It's possible that the backfire through the carb was due to the leanness that occurs right when you need to switch, but that's just a guess. I've never had mine backfire when it needed to go to reserve, just the usual out of gas experience. Perhaps something about the cleaning out you did gave it some indigestion. Then again, do what Sweat said. Given the rain, it could be all electrical in origin, or a combination.

ChuckT120 · 07-04-2007

I water proofed the connections when I got the bike and the coating is still good. Tuesday, it was not raining down here. Today, I rode in the rain just to see if moisture might have been the culprit and the engine ran fine. When I have to go on reserve, it always takes 3.6 gallons or a little more so I don't think that it was lean running due to low fuel level that caused the back fire and the engine to quite. I should have also mentioned that I pulled both plugs and they were a nice very light tan color. When I burn the tank down, I plan to pull the fuel valve and check to see if there may be some more of the fine brown powder covering the screens again. That will happen this weekend. In the mean time, I guess I will have to watch and wait. I hate intermittent problems.

Geoff · 07-05-2007

This fine gunk you describe...I'm thinking enough of it got thru to foul up one of your carbs. A fuel system clean up with some sea-foam in the fuel afterwards may fix you up.
Also, check small inline filter at carb hose connection to the carbs, that could be dirty
G