all tuned up

emdude

Member
Local time
6:35 AM
Joined
Dec 6, 2008
Messages
48
Location
northern AZ, 1 mile high
Hi All:

I'm the one who started the "rich experience" thread some time ago when I got my MB on the road for the first time. As I said then, out of the box my engine was running extremely rich.

Well after some work I've now got it running as well as it ever will without either some component changes or engine balancing.

First off I removed ALL of the inner tube of the muffler. The small part that exits the muffler by an inch or so went inside the muffler several inches. This is now completely gone.

I had initially leaned out the carb by adding some a very small wire to the main jet. I described this also in an earlier post. This got me most of the way there.

I thought a bit about the idea one member suggested that filing down the lower part of the slide would do the trick but didn't think I could reliably do this myself.

So I went the solder and re-drill the main jet route. I soldered it shut and re-drilled it to 0.024". That's a real small drill and I had to do it with my dremmel of course. No normal drill can hold that small a bit.

After some test runs I ended up with the needle in the second leanest position. All the way down was just a bit too lean.

NOTE: I live at an altitude of 1 mile. The above worked for me but may be to lean at sea level.

Another thing I did was slightly lower the float level as this seemed a bit high to me. Basically now the "tickler" barely touches the float when used. But I also adjusted the float springs so that the two parts that the float contacts sit on the float perfectly FLAT and on center. I seemed to notice that on some bumpy roads the engine would seem to momentarily load up a bit. I attributed this to the float not working 100% as well as it could because as it rises the two springs tend to shift the floats position. Put another way, the float "tilts" when it rises against the springs. Not sure the prior is easily understood by my description. With the springs adjusted as described the float remains level when it hits the springs.

It runs great now!!!! The engine has pretty good power and NEVER four strokes. When I twist the throttle (WOT) it just winds up an never really quits. At some higher RPM the engine just keeps on pulling but I have to back off because it's clear that the engine WILL NOT live long at those vibration levels. It really vibrates bad and sounds like a bucket of nails at those engine speeds.

The only thing that could be done now to improve performance would be a balancing job and I'm really considering this.

I'd like a little more low end torque...I think we all would... but know this will only be had by either increased compression or possibly a read valve. Maybe a resonant intake could ad a little bit of low end loading. Could be a fun experiment.

I also replaced the stock ignition coil wire with some solid core stuff from NAPA but that didn't do anything for me. Turns out the one that came with engine was already solid core. What is nice though is that since the wire is so easily replaced (with a longer one) it makes it possible to easily relocate the CDI unit behind the engine as the Ridley folks do should I want to.

That little CDI is really pretty spiffy, and I know how they do it!!! Or at least I think I do. But that's a subject for electron heads.

Just though I'd share some of my experiences.
 
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