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1997 ER 500 restoration


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Yes both blanked off

 

Forgot to say using the choke doesnt make it run rich. I didnt touch the choke mechanism when cleaning

neither did I separate them. I only took off the float chambers and checked the condition of the diaphragms.

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Could be holes in the diaphragms causing the needles not to lift but you said you check them. If you're choke isn't making it richer maybe you're not getting enough petrol from the tank to the carb bowl. You could check your fuel level with some clear fuel hose connected to the drain on the bowl and open the drain screw and see if the fuel level is correct and if the level is maintained when the engine is running or does it drop

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Could be holes in the diaphragms causing the needles not to lift but you said you check them. If you're choke isn't making it richer maybe you're not getting enough petrol from the tank to the carb bowl. You could check your fuel level with some clear fuel hose connected to the drain on the bowl and open the drain screw and see if the fuel level is correct and if the level is maintained when the engine is running or does it drop

 

Just what I was doing before it got dark tonight. I have one drain plug free and turning the other is not wanting to come

out. Will get it out in the morning and go buy some Aerostart to hopefully keep it running above 3500rpm.

I tried to run it on brake cleaner but it didnt like it and stopped. Thanks john.

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Thanks all, I have taken the carbs off today and checked for blockages in the galleries, all seems ok. I have made up a solution of washing up liquid, washing powder, and a bio sachet. Set a steel container on a Coleman stove and nearly boiled the water for a good 20 mins with the carbs immersed.


Leaving them in the potion all night then clean with clean water and compressed air in the morning.

I synchronised the carbs as near as I could before fitting them to the bike, they look as close to perfect as I can get as this time.

Will report back tomorrow but to be honest I dont think ive done any good at all with the cleaning, I haven't found anything

to stop the bike running correctly.


The floats and valves are set ok the floats measure 17mm and are not sticking.

If the cleaning does not help tomorrow I will be putting it back in the container and will chalk fu*k on it. I will have to get on with more

important things. Thanks john.

 

I'll have it ! I really want another ER5 .

 

There is one on Ebay Bob spares/ repair today £350 close to you.

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Thanks all, I have taken the carbs off today and checked for blockages in the galleries, all seems ok. I have made up a solution of washing up liquid, washing powder, and a bio sachet. Set a steel container on a Coleman stove and nearly boiled the water for a good 20 mins with the carbs immersed.


Leaving them in the potion all night then clean with clean water and compressed air in the morning.

I synchronised the carbs as near as I could before fitting them to the bike, they look as close to perfect as I can get as this time.

Will report back tomorrow but to be honest I dont think ive done any good at all with the cleaning, I haven't found anything

to stop the bike running correctly.


The floats and valves are set ok the floats measure 17mm and are not sticking.

If the cleaning does not help tomorrow I will be putting it back in the container and will chalk fu*k on it. I will have to get on with more

important things. Thanks john.

 

I'll have it ! I really want another ER5 .

 

There is one on Ebay Bob spares/ repair today £350 close to you.

 

I couldn't see it . Got the link ?

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Could be holes in the diaphragms causing the needles not to lift but you said you check them. If you're choke isn't making it richer maybe you're not getting enough petrol from the tank to the carb bowl. You could check your fuel level with some clear fuel hose connected to the drain on the bowl and open the drain screw and see if the fuel level is correct and if the level is maintained when the engine is running or does it drop

 

A bit more done today, fuel level check done and both carb floats are a bit out of adjustment.

The fuel level is about 6mm above the float chamber flange. (about 6mm above the level it should be)

A vacuum test shows both carbs synchronised and reading 7.5inches of vacuum, on my gauge that reading is in the red and says

I have a leak somewhere.


I have taken off the carbs and put my palm over the inlet port on the engine and spun the starter,

There is plenty of vacuum on each cylinder, if I left it there long enough it would suck the blood out. :D

Apart from correcting the high fuel level issue I am just about beat with it if I am honest.

I do feel its still something simple that is staring me in the face.

I dont remember ever admitting defeat with anything mechanical like this in all my working years. (I have probably been very lucky)

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Could be holes in the diaphragms causing the needles not to lift but you said you check them. If you're choke isn't making it richer maybe you're not getting enough petrol from the tank to the carb bowl. You could check your fuel level with some clear fuel hose connected to the drain on the bowl and open the drain screw and see if the fuel level is correct and if the level is maintained when the engine is running or does it drop

 

A bit more done today, fuel level check done and both carb floats are a bit out of adjustment.

The fuel level is about 6mm above the float chamber flange. (about 6mm above the level it should be)

A vacuum test shows both carbs synchronised and reading 7.5inches of vacuum, on my gauge that reading is in the red and says

I have a leak somewhere.


I have taken off the carbs and put my palm over the inlet port on the engine and spun the starter,

There is plenty of vacuum on each cylinder, if I left it there long enough it would suck the blood out. :D

Apart from correcting the high fuel level issue I am just about beat with it if I am honest.

I do feel its still something simple that is staring me in the face.

I dont remember ever admitting defeat with anything mechanical like this in all my working years. (I have probably been very lucky)

 

Ignore anything written on a carb synchronization guage , it's just bullshit to make them look posh . As long as they read the same your balanced .

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Just in the house for a brew, I have managed to almost red line it by pulling on the choke and blipping the throttle

its still starved of fuel but a lot better than it was.

I am almost there with it now but dont want to rev it with weak mixture as it soon gets hot and the fan comes on.

I dont wnt to melt a piston after all the work I have done.

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  • 2 months later...

The bike has been lifted onto the storage racking in the workshop for a month or two. I have been making a camper from a Peugeot Expert but will have to get back to the bike next job. I am sure the carbs are at fault starving the engine of fuel. Looking for recommendations from members as to where I can send them for cleaning inside and out. Thanks John.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...
On 16/01/2020 at 18:20, fifthwheel said:

Had some time off the ER5 what with Christmas and new year, cutting up wood, shopping, turning lazy and buying a 2003 12000 miles Yamaha 600 Fazer :D

 

Bought it with a split headlight cowl, broken indicator, and front brake lever.

Ive just finished the jobs today and took her out for a test run. This is the first big bike

ive ridden since passing my test last September and must admit its like starting out all over again.

Most of last years riding experience has disappeared, I have no confidence cornering, feeling pissed off

if I am honest. I am hoping it all comes back this spring with a few more miles under my belt.

As a new rider I must say this bike is awesome, I can't see me needing anything better, newer,

or faster.

The clutch and front brake levers seem to be set too steep, I have to reach over the bars to get to them.

They seem to be in the right place and look very original with nothing bent it looks like the last owner was riding

the bike like that. I'm going to rotate the bars back towards me in the morning and see how we go.

The bike has been down the road but has sustained very little damage.

Will be back on the ER5 soon with more pics and progress.

I have ridden for many years, as i have got older (i'm 72) i stop riding around October time. Don't want to come off lol cause i don't bounce so well these days.

When i do start riding in the spring time i feel very 'wooden' on corners but it passes very quickly, about 5-10 mins of riding.

 

As for your pilot jets they can be a real pig to clean as they have very small holes. A friend of mine had a bike that had stood for over 15 years, we go it running but would not run good at low revs. Unknown to me he took it to a place who cleaned the pilot jets with single strands of house hold flex. To me that was wrong but it worked, the guy who did this said that the soft copper wire did not scratch the holes just cleaned them out.

 

As for the  slides not lifting it maybe that with the filter or rubber connectors taken out there maybe not enough vacuum to lift the slides.

 

You mentioned the amount of oil be 4L, also check the coolant as well. If by chance the seal on the engine to the water pump, be very careful to install it the right way round, the workshop manual does not show this very clearly, hope it's not that though.

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Thanks for the reply, I had not seen it until now. The bike is still resting but you have reminded me I put the bike away without antifreeze. I am bricking it now, I will check in the morning for frost damage. Thanks John.

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