Engine Bogs

[Nutterhead]

Hello All, I recently moved up from my GZ250 and my new bike is a 1986 Honda Shadow 500. The guy I bought it from just put after market pipes on the bike and it tends to bog down if you give it to much gas. I know this isn't a GZ question but you all have been really helpful in the past. He said the carbs just needed adjusted, is this true? If so can anyone walk me through how? I think I know I just don't want to mess anythng up. Thanks!
http://s2.postimage.org/1d7zpti3o/Bike2.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/1d7zpti3o/)

[blaine]

It sounds like you may get away with a idle mixture adjustment.I'm not sure where the screws are located on your model,but they should be in front of the float bowls.Adjust in or out,with engine at operating temperature to,get the smoothest idle.Worst case,you may need to install larger main jets,but I doubt it,unless they opened the air intake also.Nice looking bike by the way.I love the look of the older bikes.I had the same mirrors on my G.Z. Good luck!
:) :rawk:

[Nutterhead]

This may sound like the dumbest question ever but I am still learning here. I found a small screw like thing by my carburetor is this what you are referring to? I imagine there is one on each carb and I should turn them both the same amount?

[blaine]

This may sound like the dumbest question ever but I am still learning here. I found a small screw like thing by my carburetor is this what you are referring to? I imagine there is one on each carb and I should turn them both the same amount?
Yes,they should be about the same,Were ever the bike idles the best.If they are the proper screws,When you turn them in,the idle should start to be unever,turn them out slowly till the idle starts to roll,than about the middle of both extremes,where the idle is the smoothest.
:) :cool:

[geezer]

lol blain hopefully he isnt talking about his sync screws! anyway, its a single? if i were you i would open up the carb go two sizes up on mains, shim the needle hopefully there are slots on the needles if no your gonna have to find some washers and then up your pilot jet 1 size, set your mixture screw to 2 1/2 turns out. this is over the internet advice and i have no idea exactly what the bikes like but thats a bench mark bro

[blaine]

lol blain hopefully he isnt talking about his sync screws! anyway, its a single? if i were you i would open up the carb go two sizes up on mains, shim the needle hopefully there are slots on the needles if no your gonna have to find some washers and then up your pilot jet 1 size, set your mixture screw to 2 1/2 turns out. this is over the internet advice and i have no idea exactly what the bikes like but thats a bench mark bro
He is a she,and she is just learning,and wanting to do things on her own.
:)

[geezer]

what am i doing wrong? if the he/she wants to do things on her own why is she on gz250 forum? shouldnt she be doing things on her own? amd another thing thats got me is why is she asking for advice if she is wanting to do this on her own? well i guess ill leave the profesional advice to you blaine, the only one on this site that knows anything.

[blaine]

what am i doing wrong? if the he/she wants to do things on her own why is she on gz250 forum? shouldnt she be doing things on her own? amd another thing thats got me is why is she asking for advice if she is wanting to do this on her own? well i guess ill leave the profesional advice to you blaine, the only one on this site that knows anything.
I didn't say you were doing anything wrong.She is on this forum,because she started with a G.Z. and upgraded to the bike she has now.She was asking for some advice,so she could do the repair on her own.I was trying to answer her question,without confusing her or any beginner.What you stated is true if you done mods to the intake,but are usually not needed with a change of exhaust.
:skeptical: O_o

[Water Warrior 2]

Geezer.............Heather just asked for some one to point her in the right direction. Any problems or experience she shares will help members who upgrade in the future.

[Nutterhead]

Yeah I have no idea what Geezer is talking about ... I do want to learn how to do things on my own but we all need taught/help now and again ... I haven't made any adjustments yet ... I am kind of afriad I will mess it up ... I do not have the manual so I am currently looking for that before I mess with anything ...

[blaine]

Yeah I have no idea what Geezer is talking about ... I do want to learn how to do things on my own but we all need taught/help now and again ... I haven't made any adjustments yet ... I am kind of afriad I will mess it up ... I do not have the manual so I am currently looking for that before I mess with anything ...
Do you have a shop close to you that can show you were the idle mixture screws are for sure,and than you can do the adjustments for yourself?
:??: :)

[jonathan180iq]

Maybe it's just my uneasiness of buying a bike that idles funny and a seller telling you it's something simple, but I smell a rat.

Just based on your description, it does sound like a bike that just needs an idle adjustment or larger main jet, given that he put new exhaust on there. However, if the previous owner was knowledgeable enough to swap out the exhaust, why didn't he go ahead and finish the job? Idle adjustments and jets are as easy as he lead on... so why didn't he do it?

Like I said, maybe it's just me being paranoid but I would be asking that question if it was my bike.

-Anyway, to deal with the issue: Your bike has twin carbs to feed the V-twin engine. Twin carbs are just as easy to work on as single, except you have to make sure that they are both operating properly if you want the engine to run right. The other issue is removal. Not rocket science. But it is more complicated, espeically for a rookie like yourself, because there are more parts involved and they rest at funny angles.

Unless you can find a detailed walkthough on a Honda Shadow forum somewhere, showing you how to remove and clean these things, then I would call your local Honda dealer. Ask them to install a low stage jet kit (about $80) and have the peace of mind that your bike will be ready to roll for a long time. If the Honda dealership wants to charge you something crazy for the work, just find a generic bike shop (probably not a chain store) and have them do it.

A buddy of mine has a Vulcan 750 that looks very similar to your bike. (In fact, just from the photo, I thought that's what you had.) He's had idling problems since he bought it and it's not because of intake or exhaust. We spent two weekends making that thing look like a brand new bike including removing and cleaning every piece of it you can imagine. He still had idle issues and turned out it was just a by product of an old worn-out carb. So, it's probably time to go head and have the carb rebuilt. I mean, the bike is an '86. (Don't let the word "rebuilt" scare you. All they do is put new seals in it, a couple of o-rings and all new jets.)

Hope this helps.
Good luck with your new ride.
If you want to try the poor-man's method, just pour some carb cleaner in the tank and ride until it you have to fill up again and see if that does anything to help :)

[geezer]

mess with any part of the intake or exhaust and you have to jet carb to make it run right, thats just common sence right? anyway good luck miss

[jonathan180iq]

There are a few exhaust systems that were designed with the sole purpose of making noise without increasing flow. (Think Cobra F1 & others) In those cases, you don't have to change anything at all. Just slap them on and ride. It also depends on the nature of the particular bike. But speaking generally, you are correct.