"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
12/20/2018 at 10:59 • Filed to: Two Wheels Good, wrenching
0
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"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
12/20/2018 at 10:59 • Filed to: Two Wheels Good, wrenching | 0
| 7 |
Last night I replaced the fuel lines, carburetor, and fuel filter on the CF Moto. I literally had to carve the old fuel line off the fuel tank. This morning I discovered something horrifying...
This is the intake tube. That’s not rust, that’s some sort of...material, that the engine was sucking up.
Let’s check the inside of the intake tube.
What the...It smells like gas mixed with seafoam? Its consistency is also thicker than oil.
Let’s check the airbox itself.
If you zoom in you can see the source of the particulates. I’m not sure if that’s a part of the air filter or not but it has a layer of something that’s actively disintegrating.
I know some starting fluid got into the airbox as I was prepping the scooter for its first start in who knows how many years, but that can’t have been the catalyst...can it??? Where did that oily substance come from? I accidentally wet the air filter of the Gambler scooter with fuel and it didn’t become...THIS.
I drained the tank and the fuel is clean. Sadly this means the poor previous carb had to drink that nasty gummy fuel plus whatever the heck is in the air filter. The rust in the OG fuel filter appears to have been isolated. Still, it contaminated my fresh fuel.
After looking at the airbox I performed another oil change to make sure the engine didn’t implode. Oil is clean. I also checked the coolant, clean.
So I have no idea where that crap in the airbox came from. The worst part is that I don’t remember what the air filter looked like when I got the scoot. I know for a fact the tube wasn’t that destroyed inside.
On another note, I freed the front brake of the Goldwing and got it started. I can now wheel it away to safety. On my to-do list for the Wing is to replace the turn indicator relay and replace the brake light fuse.
Urambo Tauro
> Mercedes Streeter
12/20/2018 at 11:24 |
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Did starting fluid get on the air filter? I wonder if it could have dissolved some of the adhesive.
CaptDale - is secretly British
> Mercedes Streeter
12/20/2018 at 11:38 |
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Most bike vent engine vapors into the intake as part of emissions to “burn” the oil vapors. Means you get oil hitting mustiure in the air giving you milkshake in the intake. Add the addition of charcoal canisters for fuel vapor return lines as well and you get a lovely fuel, oil, and water mixture.
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Mercedes Streeter
> CaptDale - is secretly British
12/20/2018 at 11:44 |
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Some self-studying reveals that a common problem with Helix scoots was that if you filled the oil all the way to the recommended specs, the crankcase vent would shoot oil into the airbox. Mix oil with moisture (since I ride in the snow) and...milkshake, I guess? Studying my clone, the crankcase vent was another thing CF Moto shamelessly copied. *sigh*
Looks like the solution Helix owners have found was simply not filling up the oil all the way. Apparently this trick gives you a higher top speed, as well.
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Mercedes Streeter
> Urambo Tauro
12/20/2018 at 11:47 |
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I would assume just a little. CaptDale also makes a great point about venting excess oil into the airbox. Oil + moisture from riding in rain/snow + starting fluid = a mighty big mess?
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Urambo Tauro
> Mercedes Streeter
12/20/2018 at 11:52 |
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Maybe. D epends on how the intake tubing is plumbed, I guess.
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Mercedes Streeter
> Urambo Tauro
12/20/2018 at 13:43 |
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I think what I’ll do is reroute the crank breather. I’ll give it its own filter then close off the hole in the air box.
Pickup_man
> Mercedes Streeter
12/20/2018 at 14:04 |
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Or remove the hose running to the air box, and vent the crankcase externally.