FZRSupport: the FZROnline Archive

Hi everyone, I am new to the motorcycling world as well as this forum, but really looking forward to getting to know both! I just recently bought a 1990 FZR 600. The bike has 23XXX miles on it and is in a good cosmetic condition but I am having some issues that I wanted to get advice on. So here it goes.

I bought it from someone who had garaged it and was not actively riding it. The issue that I am having with it are cold starts and idling. When it is cold (I am in California so it doesn't get really reallycold here) and I try to start it, it does not start without the choke on. Now I know that is normal but I have to use the ignition three to four times to get it started and each time its 7 to 10 seconds. After I get it started I let it run on choke for a few minutes to get the engine warm. I usually adjust the choke down half way to get the RPMs down to about 2000. Now if I turn the choke completely off, the bike slowly starts to loose rpms and idles really low around 1000 and slowly starts getting lower and lower until it stalls. So in order for it to stay on, I have to constantly give it a throttle. After it stalls, I can start it again very easily since its warm and don't require the choke anymore.

I had been reading this forum for the past few days and figured there was an issue with the carburetors and they needed cleaning. I found a mechanic on craigslist and worked out a deal with him to clean the carbs. He came, took them out and cleaned everything. The carburetor actually looked very clean to me and he also remarked that none of the jets and floats seemed dirty but he still cleaned everything with carb cleaner. After cleaning and putting everything together, we started the motorcycle again and let it warm up. He also adjusted the idle screw on the carb and after the adjustments, the bike seemed to idle without the choke and without me giving it a throttle. But the idling was not smooth. The rpms varied a little bit and the rpm pin wasnt completely smooth and steady, but at least the bike wasn't stalling. I paid the guy 80 bux from my cash strapped student budget and thought I was in a decent spot.

Now after a few hours, I started the bike again and realized that it was exactly like it used to be before. Starts only with choke and slowly stalls if the choke is off and I dont give it any throttle. .

I am guessing that it needs its carbs synced? The fact that the idle pin was not smooth and varied up and down slightly might be the timing difference in the butterflys?

I am not really good with tools and have not tinkered around with motorcycles before so dont really trust my abilities on the bike. I was wondering if you guys had any thoughts about what could be going on? I talked to a mechanic and he said he would charge me 200 bux to get it fixed but that is well beyond my current budget. Any advice or help from you guys would be greatly appreciated.

Yes it sounds like they need balancing. As they have all been stripped and cleaned, they now need synchronising with each other. This should help I think.

A,
Time to get your hands dirty and gain some knowledge it is your bike and it is time to get to know it .

The FZR's are warm blooded i.e they hate being cold and California is not as hot as where I am and I still have to use to the choke for the better part of ten minutes even after I have let it idle, I ride until the bike says ok I'm good, turn the choke down & off.

In the WIKI there is a how-to on making your own carb synch tool for next to nothing . There is also a complete carb strip & synch tutorial with good pics.


If you need support we are here to help, we, as Y-Geo like to say have all been Newbies , in his case it was 50+ years ago <BG> so go try it and ask if you get stuck

Thanks for the replies guys. Before I try to get into the carbs myself, I just wanted to know if that would be the right route? Or could something else be causing the issues? I would like to exhaust the easy options out first... Thanks!

A,
your reading led you to a good diagnosis the carbs.
The mechanic cleaned them and only half did the job i.e he did not synch them.
You worked that out just fine.If you want to go off at atangent and not complete the carb work by synching them you will not get adefinitive answer to the problem. Finish the carb work first and then IF you still have an issue you can rule out carbs.

Your Logic is not flawd but your self belief is, go do the synch tool making synch the carbs .
3 things will like be the outcome
1 the bike works correctly
2 you sense of achievement will be awesome
3 the bike may still have a problem but it certainly not likely to be the carbs

the alternative is to do nothing but procrastinate.


How do I know this because Y_Geo. gave me the same answer with mine when it was playing silly blighters and since he was 4.5K miles away I held my nuts and went brave, oh and my mechanical knowledge is how to pull teeth.

Nik,
you did your fair share of procrastinating too, so the answer is based on your own experience. I also seem to remember you wanted me to the wiring when I arrived whilst you emptied the ice cooler of my beers. Didn't work you did the work instead yup took longer than me but the important thing is you did the work I helped point out better ways & details BUT it worked after you had finished and now you are working on your old DT loom.

6 months ago you could not / would not do that now all you do is grin like a loon with achievement after achievement under your belt.

AR, listen to NIK, he is quoting from experience best teacher in the business= experience.