Engine Problems, Causes and Corrections
| 1. | Engine does not start or starts poorly | ||
| Cause | Remedy | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel tank empty | Fill tank | ||
| Fuel petcock closed | Open petcock | ||
| Throttle grip turned on too far when engine is cold | Close throttle grip | ||
| Air filter clogged | Clean air filter cartridge or replace it | ||
| Leaking or clogged fuel line | Stop leak in line or blow it out | ||
| Defective float needle | Replace needle valve | ||
| Clogged idling jet | Clean jet | ||
| Contaminated breaker points | Clean points | ||
| Loose or defective ignition cable | Check cable; replace af necessary | ||
| Wet spark plugs due to condensation or too much fuel | Clean spark plugs | ||
| Breaker contact gap or spark plug electrode incorrect | Correct gap | ||
| Sticky valve | Remove possible | should be performed | |
| carbon deposits | by an autorized | ||
| from valve | BMW dealer | ||
| Dead battery | Have battery charged in service station. | ||
| Caution! Charge battery only with + and - cables removed. | |||
| 2. | Engine starts, but idles irregularly | ||
| Carburetor set too rich or too lean | Readjust carburetor | ||
| Valve clearance insufficient | Readjust valve clearance | ||
| Leaky valve | Have valves ground | ||
| Leak between cylinder and head gasket or carburetor | Check cylinder and | should be performed | |
| carburetor connections | by an authorized | ||
| for leaks | BMW dealer | ||
| Low compression | Have valves ground | ||
| Check piston rings | |||
| or rebove cylinders | |||
| 3. | Hot engine idles irregularly Exhaust smokes | ||
| Float needle valve leaks, idle mixture set too rich | Repair valve; readjust idle mixture | ||
| 4. | Engine runs irregularly, stalls Occasionally | ||
| Spark plug electrode gap too wide | Readjust electrode gap | ||
| Oily or sooty spark plug | Clean or replace spark plugs | ||
| Cause | Remedy | ||
| Ignition cable wet or defective | Dry or replace cable | ||
| Spark plug cap shorted | Dry or replace plug cap | ||
| (recognizable by sooty burned spots) | |||
| Defective ignition system | Replace defective parts | ||
| Clogged carburetor jets | Clean jets | ||
| Clogged fuel line | Clean the fuel line | ||
| Condensed water in float bowl | Clean float bowl | ||
| 5. | Engine runs excessively hot, keeps running after ignition | ||
| is turned off | |||
| Fuel mixture too lean | Check and readjust carburetor, check jet selection | ||
| Timing off | Check and readjust ignition | ||
| Breaker contact gap off | Check and readjust points | ||
| Dirty engine cooling fins | Clean cooling fins | ||
| Spark plug heat value too low | Use specified spark plugs | ||
| 6. | Engine pinks under load | ||
| Fuel octane rating too low | Use name-brand fuel | ||
| Heavy oil carbon residues in combustion chamber | Clean pistons, for which cylinder head must be removed, | ||
| see your BMW dealer | |||
| Timing too far advanced | Correct timing | ||
| 7. | Starter does not work | ||
| Isolation of the gliding ring | Press down kick-starter | ||
| caused by cold wheather |
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