How to check choke plungers?

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by 5hort5

I've taken pictures of everything by the way, more to help me put it all back together and put the bolts and screws for everything in separate freezer bags so I know what they came from and labelled cables as you can see from the pics. Not that I'm worried about being able to get it back together or anything

clever, the sort of thing I really should do!

[fizzwheel]

The choke plunger screws themselves are made of Suzuki's finest cheseium, and thus its incredibly easy to round the screw heads off.

My choke plunger screws were a complete b*stard to get out, I ended up cutting a big slot in them with a haxsaw blade and then putting a dirty great big flat blade screwdriver on the screws and they still would not budge.

In the end I gave the Screwdriver a few taps with a hammer and it loosened the corosion off and I was able to undo the screws. My plungers were so stuck that I could not move them by hand and had to gently pull on them with some long nose pliers so I could get them out of the carbs.

I would not recommend the taping with the hammer technique though. If you are going to do it gently tap the screwdriver on the screw heads, do not go beating the cr*p out of it with the biggest hammer you can find. Carbs are delicate you dont want to be subjecting them to alot of force / big shocks...

I only did it that way in the end after chatting to my dad and deciding it was the only option I had left...

Wow, absolutely blown away again! I don't understand how you people are so kind! First chance I get, I'm going to take my laptop with this page to the garage and get to it!

Do you have any examples/recommendations of what "penetrating oil"/"carb cleaner" are, or which I should go and buy? Would the lube I use on my chain work? Will the grease from my forehead fork?

My bike seems to not be having the same starting problems it did before any more, I really think it was just real cold-starting problems. The one thing still happening though, is as Im starting/warming up the bike, it will tick over and the revs will shoot up, but from there I can twist the throttle and have the choke fully on, but the revs just lower and lower, until the bike cuts out. I can start it again, and the choke being on seems to do nothing, but I can twist the throttle a few times to keep it up, and from here it either cuts out again, or the choke finally starts working.
And once it's warmed up (this all having happened a few times) it doesn't happen any more, and idles at 1.5k perfectly. Know what it could be?

Also, I live in Swindon, and you in Sheffield. However, there is a small chance that I will go to Uni there next year, so it would be nice to have an SV pro within contacting distance, if you don't mind, IF I go to Uni there!

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

The choke plunger screws themselves are made of Suzuki's finest cheseium, and thus its incredibly easy to round the screw heads off............................I only did it that way in the end after chatting to my dad and deciding it was the only option I had left...

Horror stories! You make me fear the prospect my mechanical adventure! Why are there not dozens of SV riders in Swindon to look over my shoulder!

[5hort5]

Originally Posted by allantheboss

The one thing still happening though, is as Im starting/warming up the bike, it will tick over and the revs will shoot up, but from there I can twist the throttle and have the choke fully on, but the revs just lower and lower, until the bike cuts out. I can start it again, and the choke being on seems to do nothing, but I can twist the throttle a few times to keep it up, and from here it either cuts out again, or the choke finally starts working.
And once it's warmed up (this all having happened a few times) it doesn't happen any more, and idles at 1.5k perfectly. Know what it could be?

WELL .... I had a very similar problem, as have a few. Firstly check in your fuel cap, is it nice and clean? look on the left side under the cap and you see a whole, this is to drain away water, if this is blocked on the pipe or the T piece under the tank then you'll have water in your fuel and it'll sit at the bottom of the tank and will drain into your carbs every now and again. best way to tell is to drain the carbs, drain the tank and check the pipe is clear by removing the ends and blowing down them. Worst case, like me you'll fix this problem only for your tank to rust through and then you'll need a new tank. There could be other things that are wrong but that's what mine was.

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by allantheboss

Wow, absolutely blown away again! I don't understand how you people are so kind! First chance I get, I'm going to take my laptop with this page to the garage and get to it!

Do you have any examples/recommendations of what "penetrating oil"/"carb cleaner" are, or which I should go and buy? Would the lube I use on my chain work? Will the grease from my forehead fork?

My bike seems to not be having the same starting problems it did before any more, I really think it was just real cold-starting problems. The one thing still happening though, is as Im starting/warming up the bike, it will tick over and the revs will shoot up, but from there I can twist the throttle and have the choke fully on, but the revs just lower and lower, until the bike cuts out. I can start it again, and the choke being on seems to do nothing, but I can twist the throttle a few times to keep it up, and from here it either cuts out again, or the choke finally starts working.
And once it's warmed up (this all having happened a few times) it doesn't happen any more, and idles at 1.5k perfectly. Know what it could be?

Also, I live in Swindon, and you in Sheffield. However, there is a small chance that I will go to Uni there next year, so it would be nice to have an SV pro within contacting distance, if you don't mind, IF I go to Uni there!

If you want an SV pro go to york/leeds I just know certain stuff from previous blunderous adventures

I use
wurth brake cleaner (it's the same recipe as carb cleaner so use it for both), and wurth penetrating lubricant, can't find the exact one online looks like they've changed the recipe/bottle and name! Wurth is expensive stuff but have just always used it. infact the one I use might be called 'multi purpose lubricant' but it's the one that gets used the most, and I just use wd40 to undo stubborn bolts (so as not to waste the expensive wurth stuff!) .
I used castrol L&m/bearing type grease in a splodge for packing the y cable splitter thing (bought from halfords) I actually ended up doing my plungers twice, second time I used the castrol grease on the plungers and never had to do it again (however it is a bit heavy so I may have been in the wrong doing this) and use halford copperslip grease for anti seize on the bolts (only picked halfords as it was available - £6 a tub!)
If you intend on working on the bike in the future I'd recommend buying all of the above. I use them regularly.
Can't think of anything chain lube would be could for other then ...well lubing chains - it's pretty clingy weird stuff.


Although from the sounds of stuff it doesn't actually sound like your carb plungers! doh, it could be (maybe they're stuck closed hence the starting issue?)but I would have thought if your plungers were stuck open the bike would misbehave once warm not act perfectly.

I'm not an imbecile, but my head is starting to hurt! Possibly due to having been up for 30 hours. So the hole might be blocked by a pipe or "t-piece"? If I just left it a while, wouldnt the water find it's way out eventually, saving me having to drain the carbs and tank?

And if not.. how would one go about draining the carbs and tank?

And thanks Dave!

[squirrel_hunter]

Originally Posted by allantheboss

Why are there not dozens of SV riders in Swindon to look over my shoulder!

There might not be dozens...

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by allantheboss

Horror stories! You make me fear the prospect my mechanical adventure! Why are there not dozens of SV riders in Swindon to look over my shoulder!

You just need to work through it in a methodical and organised manner. Having a decent set of the right sized tools ( screwdrivers, allen keys etc ) before you start and also a haynes manual is also incredibly useful.

Take your time and dont rush. If you get frustrated, then stop have a cup of tea, take a break from it. Its just time and patience, and not being afraid to ask for help / blundering in.

It took me 3 or 4 weekends over the space of 3 months before I got mine apart, I was lucky I had another bike to ride so I didnt need my SV so I could take the time to take it off the road and work through it in the manner above.

Once I had the plunger screws out, it was an easy job to repalce them with new ones, fit new springs and I also fitted a brand new choke cable and throttle cables whilst I had it all apart. My bike had been stood for a while and due to my own neglect alot of stuff seized up got stuck.

You may well find that your choke plunger screws are not seized like mine were, and it all comes apart nice and easily, but if you do find the screws resistant to turn be careful as I said above they round off very very easily, well in my experience anyway.

Sometimes discression is the better part of valour, and it just is alot simpler to take it to a garage and let them do it for you, assuming you have the cash for the repair bill, however if you attempt it yourself and make a mess of it, you might end up with an even bigger repair bill.

I'm not trying to put you off twirling your own spanners, but just be careful is all I am advising.