[destroyingangl]

Hello all. I am a noob here and was wondering if I can get some advice/suggestions on a used TW I just purchased. I got it a few weeks ago from a private seller. It is a 2003 TW200 with about 2300 miles on it. When I test drove it, it was fine but it seemed a little sluggish so I talked to the owner and he agreed to have the carb cleaned before I bought it since he had left the gas on all winter and I figured it was gummed up. It was cleaned,the oil changed, a new plug, and cleaned air filter and I picked it up and brought it home. When I first got it home, it didn't want to go when I gave it throttle. It really only ran normally when the choke was on and as soon as I took it off and gave it gas, it stalled. If I babied the throttle and it warmed up, it would eventually go fine. I rode it around, maybe 30 miles worth, over the past two weekends and went out yesterday to give it a go and it was acting real different. I was still having the baby the throttle but when it finally got going, it had no power at all. It would only roll on flat ground and the slightest incline was too much for it. I didn't ride it and parked it. I took off the plug to have a look and it looks like it is running lean, but I am not sure. There were a few white/yellow spots on the plug. I also did the lazy man's carb clean but the thing was clean. The engine will rev up, just no power. I am hoping it is just a carb problem and maybe I have wasted a post, but I wanted to see if anyone else has any ideas as to what my problem could be or anything I should check. I was really looking forward to finally owning an dual sport but now find myself just looking at it. Thanks for any help.

 

[qwerty]

First, find out the name of the mechanic who did the carb work and never go there.

Second, doesn't seem like the carb was cleaned at all.

Third, maybe the carb was not assembled properly.

Fourth, post your location so a nearby Tdubber who isn't afraid of a li'l ol' carburator can show you how to set up a carb correctly.

Fifth, rejet the carb.

Finally, dump the old gas and fill up with fresh 87 (R+M)/2 octane, preferably with no ethanol.

 

[destroyingangl]

First, find out the name of the mechanic who did the carb work and never go there.

Second, doesn't seem like the carb was cleaned at all.

Third, maybe the carb was not assembled properly.

Fourth, post your location so a nearby Tdubber who isn't afraid of a li'l ol' carburator can show you how to set up a carb correctly.

Fifth, rejet the carb.

Finally, dump the old gas and fill up with fresh 87 (R+M)/2 octane, preferably with no ethanol.

Thanks Qwerty. I am in Eureka, Utah, if that helps. However, I took the carb off today and took it to a friend along with the printouts of the supplemental manual posted on this forum and we took it apart. It wasn't incredibly dirty but there was some gunk in the carb and on the main jet so that may have been the cause. We cleaned the whole thing out and checked the floats and put it all back together. Haven't been able to test it yet since I also plan to drain the gas in the event it is old (the guy said he had it drained and filled with 91 octane but I am starting to doubt everything that he has said at this point) and also install a fuel filter since it doesn't have one. I figure while it is apart, do as much as I can to keep the carb clean in the future. Thanks for your response by the way, I realized that I was probably over worrying and since I am not incredibly mechanically minded, I always assume the worse.

 

[qwerty]

TWs do have fuel filters--stuck on the end of the petcock pickups.

 

[ryderg]

I had a similar issue with my bike when I bought it. Rebuilt the carb with no improvement. It was the CDI unit. You may want to get it checked.

 

[destroyingangl]

I had a similar issue with my bike when I bought it. Rebuilt the carb with no improvement. It was the CDI unit. You may want to get it checked.

Well, if the bike doesn't run normal after I put the carb back on I may just take it to a repair shop and have them check the CDI unit. I see they are about $160.



Qwerty, I wasn't aware there was a fuel filter on the bike already. It looked like the fuel went straight from the petcock to the carb but if there is one already, how do you take it out and clean it?

 

[qwerty]

Remove the petcock from the tank, the filters are supposed to be stuck on the petcock. Little white mesh tube looking things.



Try checking the resistances across the CDI wires per the instructions in the shop manual before spending for a new one. Might as well check all the electrical component resistances while you are at it. Page 9 of the '01_and_newer_supplement has the specs. I can email the .pdf version of the supplement if you can't find a free download here. Procedures are on pages 71-74 of the TW200_servie_Manual. I suppose you can figure out where to find a free download.

 

[destroyingangl]

Remove the petcock from the tank, the filters are supposed to be stuck on the petcock. Little white mesh tube looking things.



Try checking the resistances across the CDI wires per the instructions in the shop manual before spending for a new one. Might as well check all the electrical component resistances while you are at it. Page 9 of the '01_and_newer_supplement has the specs. I can email the .pdf version of the supplement if you can't find a free download here. Procedures are on pages 71-74 of the TW200_servie_Manual. I suppose you can figure out where to find a free download.

Thanks again Qwerty. I replaced the spark plug and put the carb back on today but still no power. The bike will at least idle at this point where before it just died, which was encouraging but when I got on it there was no umph. The plug that was in there was a non-resistance style d8 so that may have had something to do with the spark. Another trusty maintenance item that was supposed to be done right before I picked it up. I downloaded those manuals which I really appreciate being posted here. The bike will roll along slowly when in gear but as soon as you hit the gas it revs up with no extra speed or power. Very frustrating. I will check the resistance on the electronics this weekend I hope.

 

[qwerty]

If the engine speed increases and the bike does not accelerate, the clutch is slipping.

 

[destroyingangl]

If the engine speed increases and the bike does not accelerate, the clutch is slipping.

Qwerty,



Now that I have the right plug the engine seems to be running fine. No hesitation on the throttle, fast response and sounds like I should be cruising along, but just no thrust. I will check the clutch spring first thing tonight when I get home since that seems to be a common problem. The bike only has 2300 miles on it so I am hoping it is most likely just a clutch adjustment issue at this point. Seems like a lot of people on here don't have their clutch spring problem noticeable until a few hundred or thousand miles down the road. The more I think back on the problem, I rode the bike on Friday morning and it went along ok but at times seemed to have periodic, short losses of power. Maybe my clutch was starting to slip at that point and now is finally slipping all of the time. By the time I am done with these tweaks, I will certainly know my bike much better.

Thanks for all of your replies. On every thread I read, you seem to be a common source of knowledge. I love owning a bike with such a dedicated following.

 

[destroyingangl]

She lives! I got home from work, looked at her on my way in the house and realized the dreaded clutch spring was not installed as it is supposed to be. I put it on, loosened the clutch a little since it was real tight, started her up, and away I went. A 3 minute fix. I didn't even care it was 30 degrees outside with a cold stiff wind, I rode for 10 minutes through that terrible weather as a victory lap (albeit a small one). Thanks to everyone who responded to my weak and desperate cries for help. My first long ride will be this weekend, so long as it stops snowing every other day.

 

[qwerty]

She lives! I got home from work, looked at her on my way in the house and realized the dreaded clutch spring was not installed as it is supposed to be. I put it on, loosened the clutch a little since it was real tight, started her up, and away I went. A 3 minute fix. I didn't even care it was 30 degrees outside with a cold stiff wind, I rode for 10 minutes through that terrible weather as a victory lap (albeit a small one). Thanks to everyone who responded to my weak and desperate cries for help. My first long ride will be this weekend, so long as it stops snowing every other day.

So, you found out that TWs are the most fun a man can have sitting down without a woman on his lap?