[Bone T]

I was pulling the air filter pipe off of the carb and I heard a snapping noise and once pipe removed I see this hanging loose. It looks broken but I can't work out where it comes from or what it plug into. Can anyone shed any light on this. I'm stumped. Thanks

 

[RobM]

I don't recognize it right away, but it's been a while.

I will be messing with my carb again very soon. I'll let you know if I can shed light on it.

What year is your bike?

 

[Bone T]

I don't recognize it right away, but it's been a while.

I will be messing with my carb again very soon. I'll let you know if I can shed light on it.

What year is your bike?

It's a 2004. I have just worked out where this should go and it was broken, which was why I had difficulty in working out where it went. Luckily there is another plug like this on the carb. From limited info I can find I think it's a carb heater and something us models don't have, but may be wrong. Anyway the brass bit I the end of plug shouldn't be there it had broken off so I glued it back and hope it works whatever it is.

 

[RobM]

Interesting. I think I do recall some mention of a carb heater option way back when these bikes first came out.

I'll keep an eye out when I dig back in. Let me know what happens when you fire it back up. Best of luck!

 

[RobM]

Yes! Now that I think about it I do recall some discussions on the old VOL where the bike engine could stall due to carb icing, like airplanes experience during gradual descent at low throttle.

 

[Capt Cruiser]

When you say you "glued" it, I hope you mean "soldered" it with a torch and solder.

Not sure glue and brass will hold up in the long run.

 

[Bone T]

When you say you "glued" it, I hope you mean "soldered" it with a torch and solder.

Not sure glue and brass will hold up in the long run.

I did actually glue it with epoxy. I didn't solder as it has a plastic sleeve where it goes into the bolt thingy so no way of getting in there and soldering. didnt glue where metal should be touching metal just around the outer edge

 

[Bone T]

I did actually glue it with epoxy. I didn't solder as it has a plastic sleeve where it goes into the bolt thingy so no way of getting in there and soldering.

I would prefer to get a new one but not knowing what it is called makes it difficult to search for

 

[RobM]

If it's a carb heater you might not really need it.

As I recall, you just have to let the bike sit a few minutes after it stalls due to icing (which happened rarely). After the ice melts it fires right back up. It's not the same problem on the ground as it is up in the air.

 

[Bone T]

If it's a carb heater you might not really need it.

As I recall, you just have to let the bike sit a few minutes after it stalls due to icing (which happened rarely). After the ice melts it fires right back up. It's not the same problem on the ground as it is up in the air.

Cool i'll see how it goes. Can't actually start the bike at the moment I think I have a stuck choke so once all sorted and running I'll see if its all good. To be fare its kept in a shed and I don't intend riding if its cold anyway.

 

[RobM]

Carb icing requires the right temperature and due point, somewhere close to about 70 degrees F. Even then it only happens during steady descent and low throttle or idle like when a plane is coming down for landing. Pilots always pull the carb heater knob for landing. It can affect engine performance if you try to rev it. If they don't remember to push the carb heat knob back in during a touch-and-go, they might not clear the trees! (I know because I forgot one time)

 

[RobM]

Not sure how carb heaters work on a motorcycle, but on a motorcycle it's just one more thing that can go wrong that isn't really needed IMO.

 

[SSquire]

Airplane carburetors can ice in any phase of flight. Some planes call for the use of carb heat on landing, some also on takeoff, just in case (those phases of flight are in close proximity to the ground so there is no altitude for recovery). The Piper I flew mostly never required it, because of where the carb was mounted. A good habit when flying in conditions where icing may occur is to turn it on for a minute every so often, just in case there's any buildup.

Here is a more in-depth description from AOPA: Carburetor Icing

I rode my Volusia in all kinds of conditions and never had any icing.

 

[Bone T]

Thanks for the replies very insightful. Just pulled the choke cable out and broke the plunger now. When does it end!!! Fix one thing then another problem.

 

[RobM]

Just pulled the choke cable out and broke the plunger now.

Sorry to hear that. That will keep it from starting for sure.

 

[RobM]

Thx for the carb ice correction, SSquire, you are right and now I remember getting that answer right on the test way back when.

 

[SSquire]

Thx for the carb ice correction, SSquire, you are right and now I remember getting that answer right on the test way back when.

Sure thing.
I got it right on the test, then had a WINGS session with someone who, eventually, got it right in the air after an rather intense and unplanned landing. That's what drove it home.

 

[RobM]

My close encounter with the trees right during touch and go sure drove it home. I never forgot to push that carb heat knob during touch-and-go again!

That was during solo practice in the Piper "Traumahawk". Fun plane but sure kept me on my toes!

 

[SSquire]

"More power!"
"I'm giving her all she's got Captain!"

(We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread)

 

[Dirty Broke & Sloppy]

When you say you "glued" it, I hope you mean "soldered" it with a torch and solder.

Not sure glue and brass will hold up in the long run.

Not even with a Fresh New bottle of Elmer's ?? 🤣😂