Am I supposed to stink like exhaust fumes when I'm done riding?

I've taken this 02 Pitbull out a few times just around the neighborhood to get used to it and out on the highway 3 times for a stretch of about a mile at a time and a little bit around a Wal Mart parking lot, and while I'm still figuring out, I've discovered that even when the engine is fully warmed up, sometimes when I'm coming to a stop it still wants to stall out even with the clutch lever fully pulled in and will be a little tricky to restart unless I pull up on the enrichener tab. It doesn't do it every time, but it will from time to time. I can blip the throttle when holding the start button and it just doesn't seem to want to start/run unless the tab is pulled up.

Anywho, that aside, am I supposed to stink like exhaust fumes whenever I'm done riding? I had an old Datsun 280ZX that made you stink when you were driving because the design of the rear end would suck fumes into the cab if there was any sort of pressure difference in the rear end. And I'm guessing it was the seal around the tail lights that would be just enough to let fumes get sucked into the car so you'd always stink like exhaust after you drove it. Is the carb maybe in need of a good retune or something from running rich or what? Not sure if this is normal or not.
 
Yeah you need to do a carb adjustment. S&S has some good videos on YouTube to get you through that process with no issues.
I've been watching some of them since last night. Do you think I should start from their starting point settings, or just adjust from where it's at since it does already run?
 

41bigdawg

Let the Big Dawg eat !
Start from the beginning and go thru the complete procedure. If you don't know what jets you have in it I would pull the bowl off and check to see, make sure they are clean and all of the proper parts and seals are in place.
 

Mickmorris

Well Known Member
Supporting Member
Yes follow 41bigdawgs advice. If you don’t know the last time the carb was cleaned it would be a good thing to do. Use this D5604999-3C93-48A8-B349-D71ADAE38AA0.jpeg
 

DynoDave

Guru
Agree with cleaning and going through the S&S carb tune procedure. Also, you might want to check your spark plugs to be sure they are clean and gapped correctly (always use anti-seize on threads). Many add a Pingel in-line filter to their fuel system. You might also check your clutch to see that it's adjusted correctly.
I always smelled like exhaust after riding my '02.
 
Ok I took the carb apart, sorta. I took the float bowl off and there is no sign of cruddy gunk in the bottom of the bowl from nasty gas and the main and pilot jets look good. The main is a .070 and the pilot is a .0295. I sprayed them out just for the heck of it, but there was no sign of crud anywhere in the jet. I don't know if those are stock size jets or not, but the only mods on the bike I know of is just a K&N filter instead of the factory paper one and the Kerker exhaust. I don't know if either of those would necessitate a jet change?

I did go ahead and clean the filter and letting it dry overnight before I oil it and put it back together, but I do have a few questions before I put everything back together:

Are the float bowl gaskets reusable? It's an S&S one and there weren't any tears or cracks I noticed.
Is the filter backing plate to carb gasket reusable? It looks like one of the metaly ones and looked to be good, just dirty.
Do I finger tighten the main jet into the emulsion tube until it seats or like halfway? It appeared to be about halfway screwed in when I removed the float bowl.
Blue Loctite on the 3 screws holding the backing plate to the carb? I didn't see any remnants of old Loctite on those.
On that crossover equalization tube thing that the backing plate bolts to, are the washers on the back end reusable? I only had to remove one to swing the backing plate out of the way and there's a thin metal washer between the crossover tube and the actual head surface.
On the carb there were 2 barbs with rubber nipples covering them up (I'll post pics), one was cracked pretty bad and the other had the tip just broken off and the line was uncovered. Is that ok?

P.S. When putting the backing plate on just now to make sure I don't lose parts, I noticed a hose barb covered up with a nipple on the back side of the plate near the front cylinder side of the inlet.Resized_20220605_114434.jpegResized_20220605_114449.jpegResized_20220605_115908.jpeg
 
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Mikeinjersey

Well-Known Member
If you smell like fuel after riding your most likely running too rich or leaving the enrichment up for too long. Also once the bike is warmed up there is no reason to pull the enrichment lever up again . The enrichment adds fuel, it does not act like a choke which impedes air.
When you pulled the bowl did you see a small blue doughnut ? It is the ejector nozzle o-ring and needs to be in place when you reinstall the bowl. If you don't see it someone may have lost it or just forgot to replace it. If the gaskets and washers you removed are not damaged you can reuse them. Your main should not be finger tight but also not torqued down like crazy either. Make sure a previous mechanic didn't cross thread or damage it. Replace the cracked rubber cap and I believe the middle pic is supposed to have an overflow hose so if the float gets stuck it doesn't pour fuel all over the hot motor. Use these files to help you see the parts and also how to adjust.
 

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Rottweiler

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Those rubber caps could be the problem. Check them every year or so. I'm not a carb expert believe me. I did clean mine this year. I wasn't as lucky getting the bowl off without messing up the gasket. I have a 2004 107 and my jets where .074 & 0.320 and was wondering if they were to big? If I ride slow or in town for a long time my plugs look black to rich. Bike loads up. Get out of town and bike runs much better.
 
I need to make an inventory of what lines are plugged so you guys can let me know which ones should be or shouldn't be and where they're supposed to connect to so I can make sure this thing is 100% right so I can enjoy it this summer. I have to stop at the parts store tomorrow for loctite for the backing plate screws, I can pick up a pack of rubber block off nipple things and replace ones that are supposed to be blocked off and connect ones that aren't to the proper location.
 

Rottweiler

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
In the middle picture the small black hose behind the rubber hose with the bolt. Does that just run down past the motor and stop? If so that is your overflow line.
 
The vacuum hose looking thing? I don't remember where it terminates but I thought it was a vacuum line. Had to unhook it to get some stuff out of the way.
 

mleach72

Well-Known Member
Ok I took the carb apart, sorta. I took the float bowl off and there is no sign of cruddy gunk in the bottom of the bowl from nasty gas and the main and pilot jets look good. The main is a .070 and the pilot is a .0295. I sprayed them out just for the heck of it, but there was no sign of crud anywhere in the jet. I don't know if those are stock size jets or not, but the only mods on the bike I know of is just a K&N filter instead of the factory paper one and the Kerker exhaust. I don't know if either of those would necessitate a jet change?

I did go ahead and clean the filter and letting it dry overnight before I oil it and put it back together, but I do have a few questions before I put everything back together:

Are the float bowl gaskets reusable? It's an S&S one and there weren't any tears or cracks I noticed.
Is the filter backing plate to carb gasket reusable? It looks like one of the metaly ones and looked to be good, just dirty.
Do I finger tighten the main jet into the emulsion tube until it seats or like halfway? It appeared to be about halfway screwed in when I removed the float bowl.
Blue Loctite on the 3 screws holding the backing plate to the carb? I didn't see any remnants of old Loctite on those.
On that crossover equalization tube thing that the backing plate bolts to, are the washers on the back end reusable? I only had to remove one to swing the backing plate out of the way and there's a thin metal washer between the crossover tube and the actual head surface.
On the carb there were 2 barbs with rubber nipples covering them up (I'll post pics), one was cracked pretty bad and the other had the tip just broken off and the line was uncovered. Is that ok?

P.S. When putting the backing plate on just now to make sure I don't lose parts, I noticed a hose barb covered up with a nipple on the back side of the plate near the front cylinder side of the inlet.
In the first 2 pictures, those barbs are screwed into the backing plate, not the carb. They are for breather lines, but aren't needed on your bike. They aren't causing an intake leak, but the one with the broken cap is allowing some unfiltered air to get into the engine. Thats a problem if you ride through a dusty area. The crankcase breather should attach to the backing plate near the top. Remove the backing plate and take out the 2 lower hose barbs. Replace them with pipe plugs or short bolts. Then you won't have to worry about the caps cracking or breaking. Check any caps on the carb and manifold to see if they need replaced.

Your jets seem a little small, but every bike is different. Use the tuning guide that Mikeinjersey posted. Also make sure the enrichner is able to close completely.
 

mleach72

Well-Known Member
Also, you may want check your exhaust gaskets. Your rear one might be leaking. Your leg is only a couple inches away. Exhaust fumes may be moving over your pant leg. That might be why you smell like exhaust after riding.
 
My bike has been converted to the crankcase oil thingy to go through a breather out the back of the bike instead if going back into the air filter. Is that where some of those unexplained rubber caps are for?
 

nvcollins

'08 Mastiff
Matt, just a passing thought. Check the rear exhaust port gasket and exhaust flange to make sure they are tight and not leaking. I'm currently restoring a '07 K9. The rear exhaust gasket was crushed and flange had come loose. The result was a burnt/melted battery cover.

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