XV 125 acceleration problem Help !

[BryanCooper]

Hi all,

I hope someone could help me, i put some fuel in from a superstore garage (Tesco) it was supposed to be suitable for all petrol engines (it was super unleaded BP stuff).

The results were fantastic..... From standing very poor power a push off with a foot helped, once on the move up to quarter turn on the throttle gave me some power anything over that the engine would loose power and strain.

So i drained the tank, and flushed the carb through with normal unleaded and refilled the tank with normal unleaded did an oil change (oil was thick black no metal filings). This resulted with power to pull away but still power loss when over half throttle turn. It sounds like as if changing gear half way through acceleration.

things i have done... Replaced Spark plugs, checked chain tension, checked Brake free movement front and rear,cleaned air filter, checked oil filter, adjusted idle screw (made no difference) checked throttle cable movement.

Is their something i have missed or a solution to this.

thanks

Bryan

[Morpheuz]

I know this is a few moths old, but any chance your running it on choke? I made that mistake and it wet my plugs, off choke is actually toward the middle of the handlebars toward the choke picture, and choke is toward wing mirror.

[BryanCooper]

Hi Morpheuz,

That maybe the problem as i have the choke lever over to the left, (its a UK bike) but if i move the lever over to the right it dies straight away. Another thing i noticed today was, if i tried to pull away from standing the bike stalled, but once it had movement it was like a continuous bump start. if it started to stall the forward movement kept it going. Also i noticed when i put my indicator on instead of the normal 1 second on/off it did about 10 pulses a second. I have put a lot of loving care into the bike, resprayed her, custom rear light and plate mount, chrome trim on the mud guards front and rear, low handle bars..... and all i want to do now is scrap her as i'm pulling my hair out trying to get her to run properly.

Cheers

Bryan

[Airhead]

has an indicator bulb blown Bryan?

[Morpheuz]

If you have the stock air filter, I wouldn't reccomend cleaning it, but rather replacing it.

The bike should start in summer completely off choke, but if not, give it half choke until its weened off when hot, then it should open up.

If you have changed your plugs, I'd check them again, if you've had it over to the left all the time the plugs may be coked up again.

Something electronicly is wrong, it needs an electrical engineer looking at it.

By looking at the oil filter, the oil must have drained out, did you add some more?

If its black or smells like petrol, or is watery, change it.

If we can get this bike at least running, we can tune it back to health.

Check all intake ducts, from the air filter sheild to the carb under the tank, any holes needs sorting, most likely with a new part.

EDIT: Just realised youve got a virago, thought it said XVS before, similar bike but not same, choke maybe different someone would have to chine in, but servicing wise would have to be interpreted to your bike, we all got airfilters and plugs

[Cynic]

Try draining the carb properly, sounds like eiter crap in the float bowl or water.

It sits on the bottom of the carb body till you open the throttle then it sucks it up and chokes the fuel off.

[Paulwhite]

yeah id say it sounds like the carb ........most likely a bit of water or dirt in there. give it a clean and blow the jets out

and the flashing (do you have an alarm / immobilizer?) could be a bulb out or your battery is running low.

[BryanCooper]

Hi Guys thanks for the advice, today i'm going to give her a right going over. As yesterday she was worse, she behaved like she was only firing on one cylinder as for response and power but was firing on both. Backfired a lot, and indicators were almost on constant as they flashed very fast. If i lowered the revs slightly and put the headlight on the engine pitch rose and fell with each on off of the indicator. i have been trying to find what the symptoms of a blown piston are as i have had a poor seal on the front exhaust gasket.

I will clean carb and check jets, check air filter, choke valve in the carb as 2 years ago it was seized and the choke cable was snapped so had no choke function. The spark plugs were in perfect condition a few days ago but will check them again. will also check fuel feed diaphragm ( the thing that stops fuel flooding if bike falls over) will check fuel / vacuum hoses for cracks.

And will post on here any findings and result. might unclip fuel hose and have a smoke if it does not run after this.

[Airhead]

its not just revving without any 'go' is it...ie clutch slipping?

[BryanCooper]

Hi Airhead,

Its behaving like clutch slip but when i apply brakes and full revs it jerks and stalls so not clutch slip, nice idea though.

Right... did carb clean, checked air filter and box all good so far.... checked fuel hoses and carb rubbers all good condition.

now electrics... front spark plug coated in black soot, cleaned it put it back in had engine run for a bit with alot of throttle balancing 20mins checked plugs again, rear one still clean, front one sooted again.. poss piston rings worn. wont know until i strip engine. Once i checked wiring clips i sprayed some WD40 type stuff.... and there was smoke, the two cream coloured wires that come from the regulator / rectifier were that hot that they burnt off the oil, the plastic terminal connector was too hot to hold for too long. So i think it could be the regulator/rectifier thats gone, which could possibly explain why my indicators flash so fast when engine on high revs ( all indicator bulbs are working). Am i in the right direction of fault ?

[Airhead]

yes i would say so Bryan