idle problems 1985 lTD 1100

Hi Guys,

I just bought a 1985 LTD 1100 shaft for 500 bucks! In pretty decent shape. Cleaned it up and I'm ready to go, but I have carb issues:

1. Bike starts difficultly when cold with filter box attached. Sometimes not at all.
2. Starts with filter box off, no choke.
3. Won't idle. Will run only if I keep snapping the throttle. As soon as I let it idle I can hear it losing power and it no longer runs on all 4 carbs.
4. When engine gets hot and conks out, it won't start again at all. Have to leave it sit for 15-20 minutes.
5. Carbs are BS34's, main jets (2-3)127 inside, 122 outside(1-4), pilot screws 2 turns out, floaters @ 18.6 mm. Needle position @ 3rd groove from top. Carbs 2 and 3 run petcock valve, 1 and 4 connected to each other.
6. Sparkplugs black (too rich?).
7. Bike is stock with stock exhausts as well.

Please help... thanks

Hi Hopalong...welcome to KZR.
How long has the bike been sitting,and have You had the carbs off and apart?
You'll want to tear into them,to get them all cleaned out with some compressed air...then You'll know that they are clean.
You might even want to(need to) soak them,depending on how bad they look inside...any dried up fuel?...does it look like there's mollasses in them,etc.?

Hi there Sandy,

Had them apart. Took ALL jets out, in fact removed and cleaned ALL internal moving parts. That's why I'm so baffled! Can't imagine anything being blocked now. Blew out all holes with high pressure air.

Post edited by: hopalong, at: 2006/09/18 18:12

You say it conks out when it gets hot...valve adjustment?...sound like it could be an issue,Bud.
Any other history on the bike?

Nope, valves are OK. When I first got it I took the carbs apart and cleaned em up good. Ran the bike with stock exhausts with no dampers and no air box. Starting was a little rough but once it got going it ran fine and had a lot of power, except 2 and 3 were overflowing. I took them apart again and noticed that the o rings holding the floater pin tubes in place were worn out and even tho the floater came all the way up it would still leak gas. So I replaced these, put stock pipes on with the stock air box and voila here I am. Idling is the problem.

And You're sure the valves are within spec,for clearance?
I don't know the 1100's so I can't really help You there...I can only go with the basics...hmmm.
You should get the carb synched(synchronized)...do You have the ability to do that?
So when the bike starts to die out,are there any carbs leaking fuel at that point?(overflow)
I keep going back to valves,because You say it starts to conk out when it gets hot...hmmm...:S