Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum
Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet Electra & AVL => Topic started by: armando_chavez on November 10, 2013, 12:58:26 am
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so today i went to go for a ride and i could not for the love of god start the bike. it would attempt to start and immediately shut off. it would start and at most last 2 seconds before dying. I know my battery is a tad weak, but that hasnt been a problem before, when kick starting. it has also been getting cold here in nj. its been getting to 40s and ive noticed harder starting since its been getting cold. am i too lean maybe?
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Yes, i think you need to richen it up. Heavy cold air requires we adjust the carbs. Adjust your air screw richer and increase the idle. I believe you're using the TM32 and dont know what you have in there. Others on this forum put in larger needle and main jets for these colder months. Im still using the BS29 CV carb, but i've gone up to from a 117.5 to a 122.5 main, and turned the mixture screw nearly a full turn richer (i did this at around 50 degrees). The starting circuit depends on your air screw and pilot jet (seems that a 30 is just about right for your carb).
Batteries are also less efficient in the cold. You didnt say how your starting. If your using the ES, its critical for the sprag that you keep that voltage up, otherwise in a lean condition and low battery, the sprag will die.
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You do need a good battery to fire the plug.
Even if you kick start.
A battery tender, or something like it, is a good investment.
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It seems almost every bike in the world doesn't like to start cold. ;D I understand it can be frustrating, but it's just in the nature of the beast with carbed motorcycles. As stated, you need to richen up your carb, whether by replacing jets or tweeking the air screw. And FYI if it's cold enough to make your bike not want to start, even if you get it started, chances are it's still running in a lean condition that can damage your engine. So make sure you play with the carb and get it tuned right for the temp/weather before going out on too far of a ride.
Scottie
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And FYI if it's cold enough to make your bike not want to start, even if you get it started, chances are it's still running in a lean condition that can damage your engine.
Good point that I haven't considered as the bike gets put away by Mid Dec and the battery pulled...
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very cool, thank you all for the advise. I will get a new battery tomorrow and open up the carb tomorrow i cant remember what jets i have. i do remember that ace told me what jets to use and they worked so i never changed them. i KS btw. does anyone know where i can get a good tm32 flange mount?
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Flange: I know if 2 options.
1. Drop ace an email. He has the alloy flanges (they are being made up currently; I'm getting one of these).
2. Get the mikuni rubber flange for the VM 32. You can find it on a number of different websites. Powersports in Amazon has them, or Streadfast. Our hosts may also have them.
Good luck.
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how much better is the alloy than the rubber?
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damn i wish i could be riding lol. I sat on my ass all day after work, should have adjusted the carb....
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i found my old post in a groups forum and my jets are as follows;
TM-32
200-Main
30- Pilot
P6- needle jet
stock needle third groove
so does anyone know what jets i should change because of the colder weather. it really wont start.