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Help Needed

Hi, Guys;
Well I got the 'Grey Lady' back from the mechanic, and while I do have front brakes now, the handlebars are still not straight, and she used about 3.5 gallons of gas for a trip of about 60 miles. There is obviously still a problem with carbeuration. For reasons that I do not want to go into here, I do not want to take the bike back to him, I need to find someone that knows what they're doing, even if that means a trip to, and an overnight stay, in Texas. The dealer is obviously not an option. Do any of you know of someone that would be able to get the old girl put right? Of course, I would be willing to pay for their services. Any and all advice and opinions would be accepted!!

Ride Safe & Sane;
Hank, The Grey Lady, & 'Lil'Putt'

Re: Help Needed

Hank S.
Hi, Guys;
Well I got the 'Grey Lady' back from the mechanic, and while I do have front brakes now, the handlebars are still not straight, and she used about 3.5 gallons of gas for a trip of about 60 miles. There is obviously still a problem with carbeuration. For reasons that I do not want to go into here, I do not want to take the bike back to him, I need to find someone that knows what they're doing, even if that means a trip to, and an overnight stay, in Texas. The dealer is obviously not an option. Do any of you know of someone that would be able to get the old girl put right? Of course, I would be willing to pay for their services. Any and all advice and opinions would be accepted!!

Ride Safe & Sane;
Hank, The Grey Lady, & 'Lil'Putt'


Have you considered taking the carbs off and sending them to Carl Leo for rebuild?

Re: Help Needed

What Pathfinder said.
DeepSea might chime in since he's done the "send it to Carl" thing.

Re: Help Needed

Gentlemen;
I'm afraid that the 'take 'em off and ship them to Carl Leo' method is not available to me for several reasons, the first being that I do not have the workspace (no garage) or the knowledge to properly remove them or to reinstall them when they get back. Also, the normal outside temperature here (see my post a few days ago) at this time of year is not conductive to outdoor work of any kind. I was hoping to find a trustworthy individual or dealer in either NM or Texas where I could take the bike to get the work done. Again, I will entertain any ideas or suggestions! Thanks and ride safe!

Ride Safe & Sane;
Hank, Lil'Putt, & 'the Grey Lady'

Re: Help Needed

This isn't a "stop by and wait while it gets fixed" situation. Maybe you can ride it to the repair shop but you will need transportation back home and then to the shop once it gets fixed. Do you have access to a trailer and something to pull it with?

Re: Help Needed

Hi, Pathfinder;
I kinda figured that it would take more than one or two days to repair, I was hoping to hole up in a local hotel and wait for the work to be done. As a last resort, I could hook up a u-haul trailer to my truck and haul it out there, but I'm guessing that might wind up being more expensive, depending on how long the job takes. It is a viable option, though. Thanks!

Ride Safe & Sane;
Hank, Lil'Putt, & 'the Grey Lady'

Re: Help Needed

If the carburetors need rebuilding, no shop is going to have the parts. They'll have to order them and that could take days.

Is there a shop you trust to at least remove and replace the carbs? That way you could have Carl do them.

Re: Help Needed

Hi, Pathfinder;
The gentleman that worked on my bike last week said he rebuilt the carbs (at least, he charged me for a rebuild kit.) I was hoping they would not have to be rebuilt again. I could get an oem rebuild kit from an outfit like bikebandit, and take it out there when I take the bike out. If I take the bike to a local dealer, they are going to charge me 300.00 to r&r the carbs, and if I'm going to spend that much, I might as well have them do the work (they quoted me $390.00 for labor on a carb rebuild.)
My mechanic said that he did not change the jetting, and I do not have enough technical knowledge to know what else can cause that kind of a problem. There was evidence of leakage from the right outside carb, but when I ran it today, the carb did not leak.
Unfortunately, Mr Leo (as much as I respect him) is not an option for me right now. I'm out of ideas. Do you have any others? Thanks for your help.

Ride Safe & Sane;
Hank, Lil'Putt, & the Grey Lady

Re: Help Needed

Lots of things could be wrong. Carbs are the big problem. You might go on the AVA with this problem for more poss answers. Also call, email "ekap, chris near KC or lusind?" on the AVA for their help. All 3 are pretty good, ekap(Eugene)is very good. Carl Leo is the best for rebuilds. I don't know anyone in this area that can do the rebuild and turn around time is about 7-10 days from the time you them off. If you have storage buildings in your town, they work well for garages.

Re: Help Needed

If the carbs were properly rebuilt, they should not be leaking. It's possible that some parts that are not included in a standard rebuild kit also need to be replaced or there is some sort of physical defect in the carbs. If I recall correctly, you had a problem with a leaky carb after a rebuild a few years ago.

I agree with DeepSea regarding getting some advice from some of the AVA people. If the leak has stopped, it might be a good idea to take it for a ride o recheck fuel consumption.You need to determine whether it's really using a lot of fuel or if it's leaking out. How does it run otherwise? does it act like it's running rich? Check the air filter and make the choke isn't stuck in the on position. Most motorcycle chokes don't restrict anything, they add additional fuel to the mixture. I agree with DeepSea that turn-around time on a carb rebuild is likely to be 7-10 days or more.

I know a guy in Blanco that I'm sure could do the work but you'd have to leave it with him for a couple of weeks.

Re: Help Needed

Possibility might be a vacuum leak where the carb boots attach to engine cylinders. Best way to check for leaks is to spray WD40 on the boots and if the engine revs up, you have a leak. If you do, tighten the clamps on the boots. Just an idea.

Re: Help Needed

DeepSea
Possibility might be a vacuum leak where the carb boots attach to engine cylinders. Best way to check for leaks is to spray WD40 on the boots and if the engine revs up, you have a leak. If you do, tighten the clamps on the boots. Just an idea.


It's possible that the carb outlets aren't properly seated into the boots. If you're not careful, it's easy to get one side and mash the other side over instead of getting the outlet inside.

Re: Help Needed

Dave is correct. When installing carbs on a XII, you have to may sure all the boots are correctly sealed and springs are attached or it will run poorly.

Re: Help Needed

Gentlemen;
Thanks for the advice. I'll check this out as soon as it's warm enough to go outside without arctic gear on I am considering giving the local dealer a try, I know some people there, and have bought a couple of bikes from them. I talked to the service manager the other day, and he is willing to work on the 'lady'. All I need to do now is come up with the money. Again, thanks for your help. I will post updates when I have more info.

Ride Safe & Sane;
Hank, Lil'Putt, & 'the Grey Lady'.

Hopin' to see you all in the Spring!!