asharin Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Hi,My Virago 125 is currently not running right, so I thought I'd ask for some advice as I am about as mechanically minded as a fish It's extremely hard to start, even with the choke. When it runs it will often stall when idling. Once out riding sometimes it will be fine, and run perfectly, other times it loses power and bogs down..then it'll regain power for a few secs, then bog down again.Was quite embarrassing being stuck at 35mph on the A35 yesterday...It started doing this after being unused for a week when we were away on holiday. At first I thought it might be the battery, so I took it out, recharged it to be sure, stuck it back in...no change.Took out the plugs..one was a bit brown the other black...cleaned them up. No change. I also thought it might be the choke jamming open as sometimes fiddling with the choke made it work alright (I only have half a choke cable mind you) but as it was running fine yesterday and now it's not and I haven't touched the choke I guess not :/So, I ask for your help, in complete idiot terms because really I have no idea...I did consider that maybe the carb needs a clean but as I have no idea how to even start taking a carb apart I need help --edit: Also it's using much more fuel than it normal. I'd guess half again as much as it normally does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Is this bike twin carb? If one plug is brown (OK) and the other black (running rich) it could be that the choke mechanism to one carb is sticking. The bogging down while running could be fuel starvation....but this don't tie up with your increased consumption. Is the air filter OK....ie has it been replaced recently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asharin Posted September 16, 2011 Author Share Posted September 16, 2011 Single carb but twin cylinder. Not changed the air filter lately, I'll have a look at it tomorrow, left the bike at my mums today as it was to frustrating to ride it home slowly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I'd give the bike a good service if it's not been done recently. Replace the plugs and also check if there is an inline fuel filter from the tank to the carbs (or possibly on the tap ) in case this is partially blocked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asharin Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share Posted September 17, 2011 Fiddling around, I noticed that if I squeezed the pipe that goes from the fuel pump to the inlet rubbers the bike runs fine...so sounds like an overfuelling issue? Could it be a knackered fuel pump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Fiddling around, I noticed that if I squeezed the pipe that goes from the fuel pump to the inlet rubbers the bike runs fine...so sounds like an overfuelling issue? Could it be a knackered fuel pump? I'm not 100% sure but I'd be suprised if your bike has a fuel pump.....but I could be wrong. So I'm really not sure which pipe it is that you are squeezing. If it goes to the inlet manifolds then it is probably some kind of emission thing or maybe even vacuum to the fuel tap. Anyway, if you pinch this tube and the bike runs OK it sounds like it is drawing air in where it shouldn't. Overfuelling would flood the carb....which would not necessarily result in running rich as the mixture is governed by the jets in the carb.Sorry chap...but I am really not familiar with this bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mealexme Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Fiddling around, I noticed that if I squeezed the pipe that goes from the fuel pump to the inlet rubbers the bike runs fine...so sounds like an overfuelling issue? Could it be a knackered fuel pump? I'm not 100% sure but I'd be suprised if your bike has a fuel pump.....but I could be wrong. So I'm really not sure which pipe it is that you are squeezing. If it goes to the inlet manifolds then it is probably some kind of emission thing or maybe even vacuum to the fuel tap. Anyway, if you pinch this tube and the bike runs OK it sounds like it is drawing air in where it shouldn't. Overfuelling would flood the carb....which would not necessarily result in running rich as the mixture is governed by the jets in the carb.Sorry chap...but I am really not familiar with this bike. side note - dont all bikes have fuel pumps then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I thought that the only bikes that had fuel pumps were Fuel Injected ones as the injection system needs fuel to be pressurized to spray through the injector ports. My last bike Trophy900 and Bonniebirds Bonneville certainly haven't got fuel pumps. But don't quote me on this...... Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 does sound to me like it could be drawing in air from that pipe which is the vacuum pipe to the fuel tap to open the tap when the bike is running if the carb was getting too much fuel it would just come out the over flow and you would know about it by a puddle of petrol on the floor and if it hits anything rather hot you will probably see some flames too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hodgy Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Most Hondas have electric fuel pumps, whether carbs or fi, alot Kawasakis do too, but carbed Suzukis seem to use gravity and a vacuum operated tap, Triumphs just have a manually operated tap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asharin Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share Posted September 17, 2011 Would an air leak cause it to use a lot more fuel than normal too, and stink of petrol?I'll probably have to get it fixed at a garage anyway, I really haven't a clue and too busy with work and moving house to fix myself even if I did.Just hope I don't get raped on the fee, as I'm about broke lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin the Bear Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Contact your local VSOC. Virago Star Owners Club. just google it. Very nice people with a wealth of knowledge. Turn up at a meeting with your bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asharin Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 Not a bad idea Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asharin Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 The Virago lives again!I was correct in my original theory...it was the choked jammed on. I replaced the choke cable and unjammed it, but it still had issues..was rather annoyed.Then I had a brainwave, it's been running rich for a while due to choke jam...so plugs might be fouled.Pulled them out and sure enough, black as the ace of spades. New ones in today and she lives again!Of course I hadn't cleaned the old ones properly before anyway or I might have realised, now I know how to do it right if it happens again I can clean them up...or just insert the spares I got today as I bought 4 pplus so I would have a spare set heh.Anyway I am happy again as I was fed up of cycling to work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Good news......thanks for reporting back. It's always nice to hear what fixed some of these problems.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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