04 ec 300 Jetting

[lordfeyr]

First let me start by saying I am a total NEWB.

Ive only been riding a handful of times and motorcycles in general are new to me. So far I love it, and the gasgas is great!!!

I posted in the engine thread that I am having cold start issues and am wondering if maybe some jetting work needs to be done. I think the previous ownder may have done some playing around with it but I have no idea what was done.

Tonight I will be pulling the carb off to give it a good clean and will post here what is in there are far as jets and slide etc... Do these parts litterally have the size stamped into them?

What are some baselines I should be looking for to ease starting, give a smooth powerband without too much of a hit be? Also ive never messed with any of the screws.... Which one is idle and which is air? Which direction to turn to make adjustments go in which direction? Will adjusting either help with starting?

Right now when I pull my plug its wet and dark brown or almost black so I guess this is too rich and I need to lean it out a bit.



Some Random Info

04 ec 300
FMF Fatty
Turbine Core 2
Southern California Desert Trail Riding Mainly with Small Hills, Sand, Rocks etc...

Elevations - Average Around 3000ft
Johnson Valley - 2300 - 4600 elevation
El Mirage Dry Lake - 2800 - 3800 elevation


Temperature Extremes - Winter Teens Summer Over 100

 

[lordfeyr]

Updated...


N1EF Needle set to second spot from the top of the carb
170 Main
40 Pilot
7 slide


Now another question regarding the pilot. There is a center hole where the flat head screw driver goes. That should go straight through correct? When I hold it to the light I cannot see through it so this leads me to believe its clogged?

I also noticed at the bottom edges of the pilot jet there are small holes around the jet, I can see light through those.

Right now I have the pilot soaking in carb cleaner. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to see through it.


Any ideas on where else to go from here?

Keeping in mind my elevations for riding and riding style. I also forgot to mention that I run a 32:1 mix.

 

[Diddel]

Go crazy with the compressed air then go from there.

 

[iancp5]

Updated...


N1EF Needle set to second spot from the top of the carb
170 Main
40 Pilot
7 slide


Now another question regarding the pilot. There is a center hole where the flat head screw driver goes. That should go straight through correct? When I hold it to the light I cannot see through it so this leads me to believe its clogged?

I also noticed at the bottom edges of the pilot jet there are small holes around the jet, I can see light through those.

Right now I have the pilot soaking in carb cleaner. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to see through it.


Any ideas on where else to go from here?

Keeping in mind my elevations for riding and riding style. I also forgot to mention that I run a 32:1 mix.

That would be weak on the main for sea level but may be ok for your elevation. In the back of the GG manuals it often gives a correction factor for heights and temps. Someone who lives at your height will doubtless be along soon. Not sure what you're saying on the pilot. There's a slot to screw it in and out (gently) but the hole for fuel should be round. Yes I think they are cross drilled sorry can't be bothered to go to garage to check!

I think 32:1 is too much oil for modern high quality synthetics. GG recommend 50:1 - it'll run cleaner. Many use 40:1 because they consider it wears less and produces more power. I run 50:1 without issue.

 

[lordfeyr]

Is the pilot jet drilled straight through and cross drilled?


The slid that you put a screwdriver into to remove and install the jet has a hole right in the center of the jet, on the other end there is a corresponding hole but I cannot see light straight through.

I know this is no comparrison but my boys pw50 had a clogged pilot jet and you could see straight though that one.

This leads me to believe that it may be clogged.


I have it soaking in carb cleaner right now and I will be blowing it out tonight when I get home to see if it opens up. Im hoping this was my issue.

The bike did start much easier before. I am also going to clean the plug and try again. I will also buy new ones in case that doesnt work.

Any more tips are greatly appreciated.

 

[lordfeyr]

Looks like my pilot was clogged. I got home and took a quick look and could see some light. Took some air, carb cleaner, and a small wire and bingo I can now see a small pin hole through the jet.

I put everything back together but decided to clean the air filter and and it fell apart in my hands, so I wont be starting it until I find a replacement.

 

[iancp5]

Looks like my pilot was clogged. I got home and took a quick look and could see some light. Took some air, carb cleaner, and a small wire and bingo I can now see a small pin hole through the jet.

I put everything back together but decided to clean the air filter and and it fell apart in my hands, so I wont be starting it until I find a replacement.

You'll probably get away with it but you need to be very careful poking wire in jets. They're very soft and easily damaged - but sometimes there's not much option. Jets are pretty cheap (from a carb specialist) and sometimes it's just easier to buy new ones. You're sure that they're perfect then.

You can start it without the air filter in a clean environment but a bad idea otherwise, certainly never ride it. It wont run right without it though.

 

[lordfeyr]

Thanks. I actually used a soft copper wire so it shouldnt do any damage to the brass jet.

I just need to to run good this weekend then I will be dialing in the jetting.

 

[stay_upright]

For the pilot it's unusual for them to clog, fuel/oil can sit in there though so you can't see through it, all you need to do it blow through it and you should see the light! If you don't after blowing through it they you have a problem.

If your plug is a cheap (standard) type I'd proably clean it with fine sandpaper or a small file, you only need to clean the bit on the centre and ground electrode to allow the spark to fire OK - otherwise you're going to be putting new plugs every time you fire the engine until you have sorted your jetting out. Plugs burn carbon etc off them once they get upto operating temperature so are self cleaning in that respect but you need to be riding at 40mph or more for that to happen - until then keep cleaning them. To make it easier you could start out with a new plug and see whet happend to that then clean it as required till your bike is sorted.

I find most fouled plugs are fouled at idle so you need to lean it out there, I would check the float height and then next lean out the idle air screw (on the side of the carb) if you run out of adjustment there and it hasn't sorted the problem you need to try a smaller pilot jet and repeat the procedure.

 

[lordfeyr]

Thanks for the response. Now when you said to lean out the air screw you mean the spring loaded one correct? The brass screw is the mixture screw right?

My next trip I will be taking a few extra plugs, different jets etc.... to get everything dialed in.

She started alot easier this go around with a clean plug and having cleared the pilot jet.

This bike when I picked it up had been inverted and wrecked. Also when I cleaned the air filter a few days ago it fell apart. I am wondering if one of these two things managed to get a grain of sand into the carb...

 

[HuskyDude]

I hope you get your jets figured out. And as far as the air filter goes. If it is damages in any way don't waste you time and buy a new one. For the price I always have two. It is a lot easier cleaning two filters at once. And having a spare air filter around is not a bad thing either.

 

[lordfeyr]

I picked up a pre-oiled notoil filter for a CR250 and it worked good.

I plan on ordering gas/gas specific filters to keep around since I dont really want to deal with the notoil cleaning etc...

Here are a couple pics of a new plug with a good ride on sunday. I went to Boulder Hills in Boulder City Nevada. Good times!

Might be hard to tell but the plug is black and just slightly wet.

Using the jetting I posted earlier I adjusted the idle a bit higher and adjusted the mixture screw about half a turn out. Right now its sitting at 2 turns out.

Does this look good to you guys or should I be aiming for that tan/brown color? Maybe taking my pilot down another size to a 38?

 

[iancp5]

Unless you do a proper plug chop the colour doesn't mean much unless it comes out lean or really wet. A bike will often need to be set rich at idle so it will pull well when opening the throttle. I always found a 38 pilot best at sea level so in theory you might even be able to run a 35 but it is better to be a tad rich than a tad lean. Take a step at a time. I wouldn't worry if it was coming out a bit black but not wet at idle. Best way is to get a few jets and try them just be real careful going lean on the main or needle - step at a time and do proper plug chops. Last thing you want is lean at revs and high throttle openings. If you can consult the jet database on here get a feel for what people are using at your altitude, also check the correction factors for altitude from known good setups at sea level. The standard UK (sea level 20 deg C) is 38P, 178M & N1EF needle on 2 or 3. But I found better is 40P, 180M, CCK needle on 2 or 3.