T500 sort of cafe, sort of not, mix and match build

Retro, Wild, Cafe, etc. The stuff only your imagination can come up with.

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Goldnrust
On the street
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 3:11 pm
Country: UK
Suzuki 2-Strokes: T500 RGV250

Re: T500 sort of cafe, sort of not, mix and match build

Post by Goldnrust »

Thanks for the heads up Geoff.

I'll reduce the advance before I take out for for a run then! I figured I was being safe by backing the timing off from stock, obviously I wasn't being safe enough :lol:
Zunspec4
Expert racer
Posts: 1087
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:37 am
Country: UK
Suzuki 2-Strokes: T500R, SV1000S, TS125, Seeley T500
Location: Trowbridge UK

Re: T500 sort of cafe, sort of not, mix and match build

Post by Zunspec4 »

Hi Goldnrust,

When I got my road T500 running I just used the std. timing as per the workshop manual and I have not had any issues (running Premium Unleaded). You have made a few engine tweaks so play it safe and start conservatively and go from there. I do recommend taking it to a dyno for set-up but..........

1. You need a dyno operator
2. You need a dyno operator who knows classic 2-strokes

Not always easy to find, but worth looking for.

Cheers Geoff
Goldnrust
On the street
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 3:11 pm
Country: UK
Suzuki 2-Strokes: T500 RGV250

Re: T500 sort of cafe, sort of not, mix and match build

Post by Goldnrust »

Yeah, I'm aware that you need to find the 'right' dyno to trust with a 2 stroke as so many just aren't used to them. I think I'm a fair way from being ready for a dyno though...

My registration arrived a couple of days ago, and I've since been out and done a few shake down runs. The bike is clearly running like a dog. It would start and ride, but it was very very lumpy and not responding to any changes I was making in the idle mixture very well. I could ride the bike about at low speed, I obviously had made it to and from the MOT, but opening the throttle much past 1/2 and it was almost like the bike just cut out.

I noticed I was that I was having some problems with it flooding the left cylinder, and one morning when I came to the bike the carb had overflowed and poured a whole bunch of fuel into the crank case on that side.

When I stripped the offending carb I found that the float had partially filled with petrol, and therefore no longer floated properly. The internet came to the rescue and I was able to find the crack, empty the fuel from the float and then solder the crack closed. I carefully weighed the float, comparing it to my right float, and filed a bit of brass away from the mounting to counteract any weight I had added with solder.

With that sorted, unsurprisingly the bike ran a bit better! Now it responded to the idle mixture changes better. Also asking for 3/4 throttle it now 4 strokes, so clearly rich. I guess previously with the left carb essentially flooding it was too rich to even 4 stroke, hence it just dying if I opening the throttle.

The final incident of my shake down so far is that one of my exhaust silencers fell off! The screws holding it the exhaust must have worked loose. I was concerned that as my pipes were pretty loud, that my DIY silences weren't doing much. Having ridden the bike home with a silencer missing I can say they are definitely working! My god was it loud! :lol: :lol:

I've swapped screw for rivets which should hopefully hold the silences on more reliably. I've also ordered a couple of smaller main jet options. I'd gone up from the 150 standard to 182.5 as a guess to start with based my mods. As that turned out to be very very rich I've ordered a 172.5 and a 165, and will experiment and go from there.
Zunspec4
Expert racer
Posts: 1087
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:37 am
Country: UK
Suzuki 2-Strokes: T500R, SV1000S, TS125, Seeley T500
Location: Trowbridge UK

Re: T500 sort of cafe, sort of not, mix and match build

Post by Zunspec4 »

Hi Goldnrust,

You will get there, sorting the damn carburation is a question of many changes and the hassle of removing and reinstalling :D .

Not sure where in the UK you are but I have been taking my race bike to Dyno Tech, Basingstoke. The operator knows what he is doing with 2-strokes.

Cheers Geoff
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