seafoam in gas tank... did I goof?

3362 Views 41 Replies 14 Participants Last post by onesight1, Aug 10, 2013

onesight1

Discussion Starter · Jul 24, 2013

My bike has been having a rough idle ever since I bought it. Its my first carbed bike so i know nothing, its actually my first bike-period.

Before taking it to a shop for the rough idle (choke has to be on to ride, etc etc)
I decided to add seafoam to the gas tank. I filled up the tank (~5gallons) and added about 8 or 9oz of the stuff..... bike started to smoke from exhuast while revving ( all the normal stuff i've read) ... but i kept smelling burning oil.... and the motor seemed to have some slight smoke coming from somewhere down low, near the oil pan?

now after letting the bike run with the choke on for a while, i lessened the choke and eventually let it die. Bike wont turn on now, and the motor is still HOT. So im letting it cool.

what the fuck just happened

I am so stressed thinking I seized something and ruined the motor. Someone with insight please respond

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Whiplash

· #2 · Jul 24, 2013

You did what!? It's toast!

Just kidding!!

I've actually never used the stuff but was thinkin about running some through my XB

I have how ever heard of alot of guys using seafoam, if you did what the bottle said I'm sure it's fine

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onesight1

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 24, 2013

Whiplash said:
You did what!? It's toast!

Just kidding!! I've actually never used the stuff but was thinkin about running some through my XB

I have how ever heard of alot of guys using seafoam, if you did what the bottle said I'm sure it's fine

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LOL WOW..... my heart seriously dropped reading that first line. Can you imagine my frustration? first bike ever, and Im DYING to ride it before winter. I finally finish the build and mess it up.

I have a question... COULD it be battery related? I mean, I know the engine oveheated, but how come when I put the key in the ignition, turn it on (gauges light up), but when I go to actually hold the clutch in and press the start button i get NOTHING... no clicks, NOTHING.

battery is new.... what gives?

MikeGyver

· #4 · Jul 24, 2013

I'd only use what is recommended on the bottle. 1oz per gallon from memory.

Have you checked fuses? Check power to the starter. Try bump starting. Make sure kill switch is in the run position. Battery voltage while starter button is pressed.

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Wolfman

· #5 · Jul 24, 2013

that's a little much but it should be fine to use

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onesight1

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 24, 2013

MikeGyver said:
I'd only use what is recommended on the bottle. 1oz per gallon from memory.

Have you checked fuses? Check power to the starter. Try bump starting. Make sure kill switch is in the run position. Battery voltage while starter button is pressed.

I used ~ 2oz per, figure mine was bad, besides the bottle gave me two options that made me come to that conclusion.... urgh...

I checked fuses, all good.
I put the bike on the center stand and put it in a higher gear, and manually rotated the tire.... hard to move/rotate, but doable. This means the motor is NOT seized, right?

edit: gonna try bump starting.... had to youtube to see what it was lol... brb. If i dont come back something went wrong and I fell, lol

Wolfman

· #7 · Jul 24, 2013

check to make sure your connections are tight

sounds like you have a loose battery connection to me

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onesight1

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 25, 2013

Wolfman said:
check to make sure your connections are tight

sounds like you have a loose battery connection to me

SO i was getting ready to take it out into the road to bump start it....but before I made it out of garage...

while in gear and clutch pulled, I tried to start it and it turned on. I shut it off, put it back in neutral and did it again, and it did..... also revs much better with the choke off... WTF, did this seafoam shit really work?

motor still feels hot. I ran out of time to look at it, I'm going to work ... I'll be on researching what the hell just happened all night lol.

Im going to check my connections tomorrow as well... i cant explain what happened. ( not that it means anything, since im a moron anyways )

Whiplash

· #9 · Jul 25, 2013

+1 to what wolfman and mike said, sounds like a connection issue

...and sorry bout the near heart failure but I couldn't resist

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jed.only

· #10 · Jul 25, 2013

+1 on connection. you were fighting this earlier in the build, n0? pushing it up a hill? also, try putting a fan infront of the bike if youre going to idle and rev stationary for a period of time.

ive used atf in the tank before for the same reason you used seafoam.

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94yzf75fighter

· #11 · Jul 25, 2013

Sea foam is good stuff

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deathmetaldan

· #12 · Jul 25, 2013

you have a bike with an air cooled engine... just sitting there idleing will make the engine hot, its when stuff starts glowing red that you have a problem.

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shinyribs

· #13 · Jul 25, 2013

onesight1 said:
Before taking it to a shop for the rough idle (choke has to be on to ride, etc etc)

Text book vacuum leak and/or plugged pilot jet. What bike is this?

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jed.only

· #14 · Jul 25, 2013

1st gen bandit 6 iirc

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mike.gann

· #15 · Jul 25, 2013

time to clean the carbs, my guess

onesight1

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 25, 2013

deathmetaldan said:
you have a bike with an air cooled engine... just sitting there idleing will make the engine hot, its when stuff starts glowing red that you have a problem.

I realized that last night.. i was thinking idling for that long whil in choke (3K) RPMS constant made it get hot. Duh.... this is why I have a project bike and not a new one, b/c I want to be able to figure this simple stuff out and learn more about bikes lol.

anyways, I think I found out why It wouldnt turn back on.... NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH!

I noticed it while I was takingit around the block, it wouldnt light up at the stop light. I was googling how to replace it bc it sucks not having one, and realized people were saying its important b/c your bike will turn off when you put kickstand down, regardless of nuetral. I tested to see if mine turned off when I put kickstand down and it does.

that explains why It wouldnt turn on at all with the kickstand down last night.

I have no idea how to replace this or where it is.

edit: neurtral light flickers, and works at times.... its a connectivity issue, i hope I can salvage. Any advice on where this thing is located? im guessing by the transmission?

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onesight1

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 25, 2013

jed.only said:
1st gen bandit 6 iirc

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2002 i think is second gen

jed.only

· #18 · Jul 25, 2013

It is. I didn't remember what year yours was. I knew someone recently was building a 99 like mine. Obviously it was someone else.

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trav3000

· #19 · Jul 26, 2013

onesight1 said:
edit: neurtral light flickers, and works at times.... its a connectivity issue, i hope I can salvage. Any advice on where this thing is located? im guessing by the transmission?

A worn clutch, or related parts, might cause the light to flicker like that.

onesight1

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jul 27, 2013

shinyribs said:
Text book vacuum leak and/or plugged pilot jet. What bike is this?

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Well, the bike wont start at all, I killed the battery trying to get it to start (usually never is THIS hard)

It started up JUST fine a hours ago, just bogged/died due to choke not adjusted right. I let the battery charge overnight and gave it a shot today. It wants to turn on, but wont stay on. I tried bump started it in second gear, no go.

I removed the plugs to inspect them and things seem alright, a little black but nothing too nasty

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