Bridgestone 60 just purchased

[wardie]

Just purchased Bridgestone 60 and picking up next week during Daytiona Bike Week. Seller says it starts but stalls out. I'm thinking since it's pre mix carb pilot jet probably plugged. This is my first Bridgestone and I'm excited. Any tips on checking things out on the bike would be appreciated.

[mqtsteve]

Wardie, welcome to the group!  Good luck with your 60.  The 50 sport, 60 sport, 90 standard/trail/mountain/sport share many parts.  Feel free to ask questions, there are many talented people here willing to help.  Good luck, have fun.  Steve

[Old BS Guy]

Wardie, Welcome! I purchased a survivor Sport 60 a few months back and had some similar issues. It really came down to properly cleaning the carb, and spending enough time dialing it in warm. In my case, a crank seal had been replaced by the original owner, but the carb was not well adjusted. Other things can be small, like the filters screens on the petcock tubes can become scaled over, or sludged from sitting, stiffling the supply on demand. Enjoy the bike!

...KP

[wardie]

pulled the carb and did a thorough cleaning. Found the pilot and main jet plugged as is mostly always the case. Love case induction easier to get to carb. I have one question. I know how to adjust the idle speed on top with the adjuster but when the carb is mounted and you're adjusting with rubber boot moved up how do you adjust air mixture screw? It's on the left side facing the case. If I take off the case cover and expose the carb venturi then I won't have a correct adjustment once the case cover put back on and carb breathes through long snorkel to air cleaner? First time working on Bridgestone so advise is greatly accepted. Wardie

[Old BS Guy]

If you haven't done so yet, go to the top selection bar on the page and select "manuals / articles", then select the service manuals , then the Clymer publication download with your bike in it. The procedure will be in there. You don't need to be concerned about the small difference the cover will make at idle. Any carb will change somewhat just do to temp and humidity, so the small amount of air it's pulling at idle won't be altered that much by the filter. No real vacuum or demand is put on the filter until the slide is raised. If you find a significant difference, you have other issues, like a restricted filter.

KP

[wardie]

manual says 21 ozs of 10w-30 motor oil. I have synthetic 10w-40 Mobil 1 -4t with clutch improvers and Valvoline 10w-40 specifically designed for motorcycles with wet clutches. Which one would be best?

Oil in the old days mixes 20:1 I have 40:1 new stuff that ok?

When adjusting the idle and idle mixture screw the manual doesn't say whether to remove the rubber boot and adjust from the top or remove the side cover and adjust through the side facing the exhaust pipe. Can anyone share their thoughts on which way is correct?

Last question spark plugs B-7  I only see new NGK plugs like B-7H or some other letter designation. Can anyone suggest a plug would prefer NGK if possible. Thanks Wardie

[disc_valve]

Hi,

On both my 50 Sport and 90 Deluxe, I've stuck with the recommended 20:1 oil mix, using basic mineral 2-stroke oil designed for older engines and lawn mowers, etc. Originally I tried reducing the oil content on my BS90 down to 32:1, but it started to object, so I reverted top the standard 20:1 mix. It smokes a bit, but at least the blue haze tells me it's getting lubrication and neither motor seems to coke up.

As for access to the mixture and idle screws you'll need to take off the alloy carb cover to access the mixture screw anyway, and lift the rubber carb cap for access to the idle speed screw. You do need small fingers to get at the idle screw, and if you're blessed with 4 sausages on each hand like me it can be a bit awkward. Lift the carb cap carefully and slide it up the cables, making sure you don't pull the throttle and choke cables up out of their adjustment stops. Tray to avoid too much distortion of the cap as after a few years the rubber cap starts  to perish and will split at the corners.

For Spark plugs, you need B7-S, 3/8" reach plugs. The B7-HS is a 1/2" reach and will protrude into the combustion chamber and may clout the piston. The 3/8 reach variety are hard to find at motorcycle shops, but they are used in boat outboard motors, so you could try your local boat suppliers. Alternatively, you can find them quite easily on eBay.

Graham 

[wardie]

Geez Graham I really appreciate the help. That up swept pipe is close to the carb cover. I wonder how good the adjustments will be exposing the venturi to open air same with carb rubber being off. Nothing is being pulled through air cleaner? It's not high performance so maybe it's a small difference.

[wardie]

I ordered the B7-s plugs at Advance Auto Parts.
I am putting the exhaust back on, changing trans oil and will put in 20:1 gas/oil mix and start her up! Let U know how it goes.

[wardie]

Okay put the carb back together, idle mixture screw 1 3/4th out bike won't start using choke. I put my hand over carb inlet blocking air and got her to start but would idle high for 10 seconds then stall. I could keep her running if I kept blocking the inlet of carb with thumb but eventually stalls. The carb is clean. I feel like it has good compression and it has great spark that only leaves fuel??

Any ideas anyone?  BTW I cleaned the baffle in exhaust pipe and re-installed.

[Old BS Guy]

My guess would be a possible crank seal if the bike has been sitting a long time. Set the idle screw so the slide is virtually all the way down. The higher the slide position, the more air at idle, and if you're already lean, it aggravates getting anything else to respond. You may have to blip the throttle to keep it running. Try going 1/2 to 3/4 out on the A/F screw and see if it makes any difference. Also, is the petcock screen unrestricted, and is the bowl vent clear? The bowl will be reluctant to fill if either are plugged. Will it stay running with the choke part way out? 
....KP

[slawsonb]

Plugged gas cap vent hole is another potential culprit to add to KP's recommendations. Try opening the petcock with the fuel line disconnected to see if you get continuous flow.
...bert

[wardie]

No the bike won't stay running with or without the choke on. I can put my hand on the float bowl and it's cold all the way signaling that I have fuel in the bowl. When I do get it to rev it doesn't "get on the pipe" at all very sluggish. I started the A/F mixture screw at 1 3/4 turns out like the manual says, so I'm not sure which way to go now? Good blue spark, clean air filter..the fuel just isn't coming up into crankcase and eventually cylinder head for combustion?

I've good good fuel flow from petcock and although the plugged gas cap can create a vacuum to stop fuel flow it usually takes a couple minutes to show a problem.

I've not worked with idle screws mounted on top of carb. You want me to turn the idle screw until the slide is completely down sealing off all air?

[Old BS Guy]

Your slide cut allows for some air. The more you add to the problem description, the more I believe you have a leaking crank seal. The crankcase leak reduces the ability to pull fuel due to a reduced vacuum signal. It's imperative to have a strong pulse in the carb throat to pull fuel from the pilot orifice.. Those seals get hard due to fuel vapor exposure and natural degradation over long periods when sitting. Your description of covering the carb throat changing the symptoms makes the most sense, since you'tr enhancing the vacuum signal.

....KP

[wardie]

Old BS Guy I met up with a guy whose done a thing or two on Bridgestones and he suggests removing carb and ultrasound clean it. I manually cleaned with carb cleaner etc. but he swears this is probably my problem. Just because I don't have good luck I am more inclined to think CC seals but the ultrasound is worth trying before doing the seals. Let U know what happens. Larry

[Old BS Guy]

Totally agree that you always do the easiest thing first. I typically  use aerosol cleaner with a small spray straw to tell immediately if a passage is plugged or not. If your main jet and needle jet will pass juice, and you can squirt it through the pilot jet and it's orifices, you have enough circuit to make a bike start and run.I always pressure fluid through all the low speed orifices, making sure I get something out of the air screw opening, air bleed in the intake horn, pilot jet orifice, and it's corresponding orifice in the throat. Essentially, throttle slide carbs all use the same principles. I always check my jets under an illuminated magnifier, shining a light through the opposite end. The ultrasonic cleaner is great if you have access to one. Good luck, & keep us posted!

......KP

[disc_valve]

There is one more thing to check. In bottom of the float bowl is the starter jet, which feeds fuel to the choke system. If that gets blocked, the choke system becomes ineffective and the motor is almost impossible to start from cold without putting a hand over the bellmouth to restrict the air going in.

You'll see a small brass tube sticking down from the main carb body, which fits into a deep circular hole in the float chamber. The starter jet lies at the bottom of that hole (it's not removable!). Try squirting some cleaner down the holee, and if that doesn't work try applying some air pressure (either from an air line or an air bed attachment on your foot pump). That will often dislodge any blockage.

If that isn't the problem, you're probably down to crank seals.

Graham

[Old BS Guy]

An omitted, but important detail. Thanks Graham.

...KP

[wardie]

EUREKA she's alive. I met a bike restorer this past weekend and he more than suggested I need to ultrasound clean the carb . He also suggested a cleaner that you don't need to dilute. Well the carb came out looking like new and I also made sure that non replaceable jet was clean. I put gas in, thumbed the choke over and one kick she started!

I was so excited I forgot about the way these shift and pushed down for first and heeled up for second which became fourth and she stalled. Got the owners manual out and found the shift pattern and we're good to go.

Pulls good don't think I need seals but PO gave me a seal set for the bike. Tail light works but headlight doesn't. PO gave me entire headlight assembly so I'll swap that out as well as install new seat cover and red fork covers all from the PO. A very nice guy to buy from.

I can't thank all of you enough for taking the time to point me in the right direction. Things are starting to look up!

[Old BS Guy]

Congrats, Wardie, and kudos to Graham. I apologize if any suggestions mislead you, but I go with my experience. Outstanding that it took off and runs so well. Very happy you've brought another back to life!

...KP