Fuelling problem - Babyblade.
 

Well, you may be seeing me in these parts of the forum more often now that I am on a bike!

My first issue to report and hopefully get some advice on is one of overfuelling. I know after getting the AA out earlier that I need a new battery and I won't ride the bike again until I have one. Got it started with the AA, put it on reserve and AA man followed me to petrol station. I filled up, switched it to ON and when I started......it fired up straight away. I then rode about 6 miles to the centre I did my training at as the instructors wanted to me to pop in when I had the Babyblade on the road.

Got it there, parked up, turned the lights off, hit the kill switch and turned the fuel tap to OFF. 20 minutes later, went to bike, flicked the kill switch to run, turned the fuel tap to on and tried to start....nothing. So, turned the fuel tap back to OFF and it almost started, but then nothing.

The mechanic there tried two bike battery chargers, neither worked, so got a giant of a charger out and with that.....he tried to start it blipping the throttle. I said quite a few times that it needed to burn the excess fuel out, so to NOT blip the throttle or use the choke. I then went and tried, turned the fuel to OFF and after a nice big backfire, it started up. Fuel to ON and I set off. I then decided to give it a really good run to get the battery charged up.....was on it for well over an hour doing some pretty big speeds and having a fair old blast on the roads around Kemble Airfield.

Got home, it sat for 30 mins and then......battery all but dead when trying to start.

So, I need a new battery I know...but what can I look at (read....."Stretchie" look at) to sort the over-fuelling out??

Re: Fuelling issues
 

Based on what you've written here, and knowing the work that has been done to the bike I'd at first say that the fueling is not a problem, but a symptom. A symptom of a duff reg rec and or battery.

From what I remember from my NC23 and applying it to the NC29 that you have; the petrol is fed by an electric pump, and I'd bet that the battery had enough to get it pumping, but not enough to fire it up. I would think that in attempting to start it at the training center they flooded the engine, hence the back fire.

Step one test the battery. Step two check the reg rec and the charging system as I understand this is a weak point of the NC29. I think that my NC23 reg rec (a known good one) will not fit, but I'll confirm. Following this its either a new battery, new reg rec or both.

Re: Fuelling issues
 

CV carbs, blipping throttle does nothing, only opens a butterfly valve.

Also there is plenty fuel just in the carb bowls to flood it, unless you have a separate problem which is a sticking float valve. Hence why turning fuel off helps.

Find out if it is a vacuum tap.


+1 about battery, check the charging before buying a new battery unless it's very obviously screwed.

Re: Fuelling issues
 

What defines a vacuum tap?

Re: Fuelling issues
 

And I just checked, the NC23 and NC29 reg recs are different part numbers and I have a strange feeling their connectors are different as I'm sure I've looked at this before.

Re: Fuelling issues
 

One which does not open unless there is vacuum present from engine running. Some have a prime position too.

Re: Fuelling issues
 

Can I have your meter back please (ooo-er) so I can check it...

Re: Fuelling issues
 

No you still have it.

Can I have my caliper winder tool back please?

Re: Fuelling issues
 

Like the SV? In that I can disconnect the tank without a fuel tap and not lose anything? Alternatively how would one tell?

Re: Fuelling issues
 

Is there a vacuum line going from inlet manifold to tap?