xt 600 cant keep it runing.....HELP!
 

So I bought a 1985 600 xt for a $100 cleaned the carb, got a new intake boot because i riped the left one taking the carb out and now it runs but i cant get it to stay runing...as soon as I give it any gas it just wants to bog and die but it will idle for a few secounds then dies anyways even if i dont touch the throttle.....Im stumped...seems to idle pretty smooth when it does run but its choked. Any ideas anyone? Im new here by the way...

sounds like a main jet problem - there are probably 3 jets in total in the carb, if the idle jet is good then it will idle fine, at partial throttle openings the idle jet is still part of the picture but once fully opened it is all on the main jet

So I guess I just need to go through the carb again?

have you checked any of the bits that wear (i.e. needle - look for the needle being ovalised, sorry, ovalized). It is unlikely that a main jet would change size so a good clean should fix it (carb cleaner). Clogged air filter could also cause the same symptoms - enough air gets through for low consumption, not enough to sustain high revs.

What carb does the bike have? A buggered accelerator pump as fitted to some models could also cause the bike to have problems during sudden throttle opening. But this would be short-lived

Fuel
 

This is normal behaviour for my Tenere when it is cold in winter. A real explanation I do not have for it.
I'd go for the following:
1. Turn out the idle screw about 2 turns and see if it improves. Try also 3 or 4 turns
2. Check that enough fuel ends up in the float bowl: put the end of the hose from the float bowl drain in a liter container, open drain screw, there should be approx. 20 liters per hour, or your container should fill up in 60/20 = 3 minutes.
If not, there is something blocked: filters in the tank (attached to cocks), or the sh*tty little filter on top of the float needle seat.

Give us the results, and we'll re-think.

Auke

check if your fuel hose ain't cracked....I used to have that problem on my XT600E and only had to change the fuel hose....

check your spark plugs are the right ones and be sure they have the right gap.

Also, to help start the bike you can put a small amount of fuel directly into the cylinder through the spark plug hole.:cool4:

Vando

Is the carb flooding ? - check your float, it might be stuck or punctured ,or the fuel valve may be faulty .

got it going
went through the carb again and after some messing around i got it to run, idle and got to ride it. thanks for all the help.
now for the fun stuff, what are the best options for performance such as pipe, cam, air filter ext...
any and all help appreciated.
thanks
George

Ok so maybe i didnt get it running..... Went to start it this morning and it just wants to backfire and spit back through the carb....also one of the tubes coming out of the carb, an overflow for the bowl spits fuel out every few minutes with the gas on...this to me means that either the needle isnt sealing the incoming fuel off or the float level is too high...im thinking that the float level is too high because when im able to ride it and ride it hard it runs fine, slow down, turn around and go hard again it runs fine...it seems like when i stop and let it idle when the fuel catches up in the bowl it starts back fireing again...seems to me that the level in the bowl is too high and basically flooding the engine and stalling it. the needle looks ok and isnt hardened or anything and seems to seal when i take it apart and try to blow carb cleander through it so i think that im going to try adjusting the float...what do you think? :confused1:

3 problems
 

You just might have 3 things wrong:
Float needle not closing when idling (1); at higher revs the vibrations make it close.
There is some blockage in in the fuel feed (2); when you ride it hard the fuel level in the bowl drops and makes the mix ok - check filters, also the one on the float needle seat. And too high float level (3), previous owner increased it to compensate for fault no. 2?

Auke

got it figured out
first there was too much trash in the fuel tank causing the needle to stick open making the carb overflow.
also i missed a jet when i cleaned the carb.
put it all back together and it runs fine now.
thanks for all the help.:thumbup1: