Suzuki Akira Used Way Too Much Fuel, But After Repair Doesn't Run Well

[ClareQuilty]

I have an old two stroke Suzuki Akira in great overall shape, that's been a lot of fun, and a fairly reliable bike for just 3,500 baht. However, I noticed that compared to my old Honda or Yamaha two strokes, it was using a totally unreasonable amount of fuel. I took it in to the mechanic and told him 'kin nam man yuk mak' and when I got it back the next day the bill was 280 baht. He seemed keen to warn me of something, speaking in Thai about 'something something blah blah economy', but as I couldn't understand I just left. The bike ran fantastic at first, but on the highway it experienced all kinds of problems between about 40 and 60.. basically it seems choked off, like at a certain point the throttle gets cut off.

So, I'm going to take it back, but I'm trying to figure out what he might've done. Any ideas? Maybe some kind of economy carburetor? Or 'jets' or whatever part(s) could cause a constriction? I'm all for reasonable economy (my Tenas are marvels of economy for 2-strokes), but it is unsafe to drive a bike that can't accelerate smoothly from 40-80.

[monty]

Hard to say what he's done, but can't be much considering the cost.

Maybe he just dropped the needle a few notches.

Not sure what carb is used on an Akira, but guess it's a basic one, so not that much can go wrong...

[ClareQuilty]

Hard to say what he's done, but can't be much considering the cost.

Maybe he just dropped the needle a few notches.

Not sure what carb is used on an Akira, but guess it's a basic one, so not that much can go wrong...

Well I'd say he definitely over charged if all he did was some adjusting. Dropped it off back there today and he asked me to leave it 24 hours to get it back to the way it was before, warning me it would probably go back to using a lot of gas.

[ClareQuilty]

Got the Akira back a couple days ago, it ran fantastic, back to using too much fuel but oh well at least it is driving well. However, today I noticed that after his carb-tinkering, a problem it had a month ago has returned - the fuel all leaks out when it is left sitting for a few days. He had previously fixed this problem very well and it hadn't leaked a bit in a few weeks, but I guess his disassembly and reassembly of the carburetor caused it to return. So, now its back with him again!

[Lickey]

He may have made a repair to the vacumn operated fuel tap that has gone wrong again, or raised the float level in the carb to give it more fuel, if this is the case the fuel could be escaping through what some call the overflow pipe in the float bowl, I look on this tube as air replacment for the fuel that is sucked out,

Ok, if its the fuel tap, the fuel will go into the engine, if its leaking onto the floor, try putting a piece of wood under the side stand, just to keep the bike more upright,

Let us know where the fuel is going, Cheers,,

[ClareQuilty]

He may have made a repair to the vacumn operated fuel tap that has gone wrong again, or raised the float level in the carb to give it more fuel, if this is the case the fuel could be escaping through what some call the overflow pipe in the float bowl, I look on this tube as air replacment for the fuel that is sucked out,

Ok, if its the fuel tap, the fuel will go into the engine, if its leaking onto the floor, try putting a piece of wood under the side stand, just to keep the bike more upright,

Let us know where the fuel is going, Cheers,,

Actually that's precisely what he asked me - was the fuel in a puddle under the bike. I couldn't remember however. In the end it came back fixed, though for another 100 baht. This guy always charges 100 baht for everything - very different from my other mechanics. Now that the bike's more or less in order I don't think I'll go back to him.

I actually don't know where he fuel was going, I can't remember if there was a puddle under the bike when ti was leaking.

[KRS1]

Got the Akira back a couple days ago, it ran fantastic, back to using too much fuel but oh well at least it is driving well. However, today I noticed that after his carb-tinkering, a problem it had a month ago has returned - the fuel all leaks out when it is left sitting for a few days. He had previously fixed this problem very well and it hadn't leaked a bit in a few weeks, but I guess his disassembly and reassembly of the carburetor caused it to return. So, now its back with him again!

if its leaking overnight more than likely its the carb float valve needle, not the long needle but the short chunky looking needle thats connected to the float at the hinge.When the float chamber is full the needle will close the hole, not allowing anymore fuel to go into the float bowl.It gets worn, then it gets replaced with the wrong size.

[Lickey]

Got the Akira back a couple days ago, it ran fantastic, back to using too much fuel but oh well at least it is driving well. However, today I noticed that after his carb-tinkering, a problem it had a month ago has returned - the fuel all leaks out when it is left sitting for a few days. He had previously fixed this problem very well and it hadn't leaked a bit in a few weeks, but I guess his disassembly and reassembly of the carburetor caused it to return. So, now its back with him again!

if its leaking overnight more than likely its the carb float valve needle, not the long needle but the short chunky looking needle thats connected to the float at the hinge.When the float chamber is full the needle will close the hole, not allowing anymore fuel to go into the float bowl.It gets worn, then it gets replaced with the wrong size.

Oh dear, yet another one who doesnt know anything about a vacum operated fuel tap, its been about 40 years these vacum taps were agreed that when the engine stops, the fuel would automatically shut off, So pray tell me KRs when was your last bike that had a tap to stop petrol?

On a kinder note, if your fuel tap has 2 pipes ,1 under and 1 in the side, it it a vac operated tap, if the diaphagm is holed/worn in the tap it will let fuel into the engine, but as in QC case, the fuel evaporated very quick,

[Lickey]

Qoute CQ, the fuel all leaks out when it is left sitting for a few days.

So krs is going to tell us how a 4inch long pipe with an inner diameter of about 1/8 is going to empty the tank in a few days, [if the vacum tap is working correctly]

Should be interesting, oh, without resorting to profanitys if you please...

[ClareQuilty]

more than likely all the fuel didnt leak out, and was an exaggeration. If it did then i was wrong.

Yeah, it all ran out - I had to go buy a whiskey bottle full of fuel to get it to the gas station. After.. I guess about 3-5 days.. can't remember exactly. Anyway now it seems to be holding.

[Lickey]

The carb float needle is NOT the last line of defence,

If the diaphram in the fuel tap is peforated even slighty, the fuel will run down the vacumn pipe into the inlet mahifold,

The small spring in the tap will still hold the diaphram shut to stop fuel going to the carb,

[ClareQuilty]

Finally took the bike to a different mechanic, and he has totally sorted out the fuel leak - however, the bike is considerably weaker. There seems to be a clear relationship between the leak and the bikes optimal running. Why would this be?

[Lickey]

Finally took the bike to a different mechanic, and he has totally sorted out the fuel leak - however, the bike is considerably weaker. There seems to be a clear relationship between the leak and the bikes optimal running. Why would this be?

So it probaly was the fuel tap leaking into the manifold, this would give it extra fuel, perhaps raise the carb needle on the throttle slide to richen it a bit, should run better,,

[ClareQuilty]

So it probaly was the fuel tap leaking into the manifold, this would give it extra fuel, perhaps raise the carb needle on the throttle slide to richen it a bit, should run better,,

How can I communicate 'make it run richer' to the mechanic? I know that 'run' is 'wing', right? So, I usually just say 'wing mai-dee'. But how to specify 'richer' I have no idea...