choke problems on 1200 bandit


xt660isgood2

New member
Apologies in advance for not talking 07’s and not really knowing best place to post this?

I’m sure someone in the world will be able to resolve this problem.

1200 bandit: 1996 carbs obviously. I owned it for many years and then sold it to a mate around 7 years ago and it has been faultless all that time.

Over the last 2-3 years it’s been slowly getting worse to the point now (it’s a real pain)

Previously when all working well: full choke no throttle hit starter bike starts ok and ease choke lever back as revs pickup job done.

Now: Full choke, bike no way will start? And will only start with no choke and no
Throttle after many attempts and with gentle tickling of the throttle.
But after a minute or so of being warm, choke seems to work as it should?

Any advice much appreciated.
I have a similar thing going on with my strimmer (but that really is totally irrelevant)
 

Nuggets

Member
Can't speak for the strimmer problem (mines electric - the future of strimmers) but have you thought about whether the carbs need balancing? I read somewhere that cold starts are worse with unbalanced carbs. The only other thing i can think of given the symptoms is maybe the carb heater plugs are knackered? or thinking back to basics maybe a jet is blocked or air passage in the carbs (or one if them)?
 
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xt660isgood2

New member
Thanks for that nuggs.

I didn’t even know it had “carb heaters!”

I’ve just managed to find my old Haynes and there is a ref in there to carb heater wiring connectors.

As said I don’t own the bike anymore and matey works away all week so will have to
Wait till the weekend to check if he has the wiring (don’t think they all have it?)

I’ve found a ref on web about them, but it says you have to turn them on with a switch
Which I know it doesn’t have

If anyone else has any info on these heaters, would be much appreciated

(you can't beat a petrol strimmer... Can cut down oak trees with mine)
 

Ralph

New member
Dont worry about the heaters I have never seen any that did not turn on automatically and
they don't effect starting, they are to stop carb icing and that only affects the engine once
it is running. if the chokes are the kind that close a disc in the carb inlet they usually have
a little flap that acts as a relief valve if they have make sure that valve is working.
 

Nuggets

Member
As Ralph points out the carb heaters are principally to stop carb icing so probably not an issue, they may not even be fitted, just a thought that as it was a cold start issue then it might have some bearing! The fact it's happened over a long period might indicate carb balancing/choke position needs adjusting as it is out of adjustment, especially if tickling the throttle with no choke gets the bike started.

I would suspect maybe more the carb balancing or the choke might be sticking or out of adjustment (and so the butterfly may not be set open correctly by the choke).

I would check the butterfly's are actuated by the throttle (throttle off = butterfly's almost closed) if they operate freely on the throttle then the next thing to check is that they all partially open when you pull the choke open.
 


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