Fast Idle on choke = Red hot ?

[Captain Black]

Following on from my glowing red header on my 89 PD I have done a bit of swatting up via google etc.
A few comments on Pelican and other sites seem to Indicate that fast-ish Idling In the garage even for a very short time on choke makes for big heat.
Lot's of bikes seem to have this, so maybe the solution Is very simple, just start the bike and ride off and DONT just let the bike Idle when In the garage. I'm kind of ok with this as the motor sounds fine, I've checked the valve gaps (twice), and the compression seems the same on both cylinders.
The thing I find a bit odd is what happens If your ever needing to balance carb's and or do things that needs the engine running to set up and fine tune etc ?
Or maybe It's just having the choke on that causes the heat Issues at stand still ?
I'm gonna ride It tmrw and see how It goes. I was planning Europe on this bike but I'm thinking my heads are going to melt on route!!

 

[bumpmuncher]

Stop worrying and ride the bloody thing. Avoid letting it sit to warm up My method = start her up on full choke give her a couple of blips of the throttle and away you go gently on half choke for a couple of min then choke off for another couple of mins. then when fully warm thrash its nutts off

 

[MikeP]

The choke (as in a proper choke and not a fast-idle with fuel-injection) adds more air. That's what increases temperature.

I have a cheap electric fan on a stand (from Maplins) for when I need to have a boxer idling to do the carb/TB balance. It's enough.

 

[Steptoe]

.
The thing I find a bit odd is what happens If your ever needing to balance carb's and or do things that needs the engine running to set up and fine tune etc ?
Or maybe It's just having the choke on that causes the heat Issues at stand still ?
I'm gonna ride It tmrw and see how It goes. I was planning Europe on this bike but I'm thinking my heads are going to melt on route!!

The bike shouldn't overheat in the two minutes it takes to adjust the carbs.

I don't remember any airheads melting over the past 50 years in europe.

Stop worrying and ride the bloody thing. Avoid letting it sit to warm up My method = start her up on full choke give her a couple of blips of the throttle and away you go gently on half choke for a couple of min then choke off for another couple of mins. then when fully warm thrash its nutts off

Full choke for starting, then knock the choke lever back to the lever indent, the indent is for the riding off cold position.

 

[Benjamin M]

Mine starts without choke, should I be worried

 

[Smug]

Mine starts without choke, should I be worried

Probably running too rich. Never mind too rich is better than too weak.

 

[Captain Black]

Stop worrying and ride the bloody thing. Avoid letting it sit to warm up My method = start her up on full choke give her a couple of blips of the throttle and away you go gently on half choke for a couple of min then choke off for another couple of mins. then when fully warm thrash its nutts off

Have given It an Italiano tune up today through all the gear's flat out upto the red line. I was amazed the left piston flew almost 100 yards, before hitting a huge oak tree, and landing in a field of rapeseed.
I balanced the carbs a bit at my mates garage, and It seems fine so panic over and Eurohoon a go go on the PD again now

I just won't ride at night incase It starts glowing red, It does'nt do It during the day so I'll stick to daytime riding.

To those who took part In the huge scientific mega test for glowing nightime headers a huge thanks. And In no particular order the list was..................






...... me. lol

 

[Kenny]

You must be exhausted

 

[Steptoe]

You must be exhausted

Never mind, he'll be idle tomorrow.

 

[thornley]

Never mind, he'll be idle tomorrow.

And better balanced after it

 

[bumpmuncher]

Have given It an Italiano tune up today through all the gear's flat out upto the red line. I was amazed the left piston flew almost 100 yards, before hitting a huge oak tree, and landing in a field of rapeseed.
I balanced the carbs a bit at my mates garage, and It seems fine so panic over and Eurohoon a go go on the PD again now

I just won't ride at night incase It starts glowing red, It does'nt do It during the day so I'll stick to daytime riding.

To those who took part In the huge scientific mega test for glowing nightime headers a huge thanks. And In no particular order the list was..................





...... me. lol

sounds like you are sorted
60k and I am still waiting for an exhaust valve to drop off

 

[Captain Black]

I'm cured now.

Nothing worse than impending engine melt down and globulation problems.

Even If they did seem all In my head (left side).

I did 10 miles flat out at 6.5k rpm so I worked on the principal If It was going to blow this would happen In the here and now.
Put all my old bike gear on just Incase It seized and I crashed.

 

[bumpmuncher]

7250RPM for at least 20 mins should confirm the engines strengh and how quiet and smooth they can be

 

[Kenny]

7250RPM for at least 20 mins should confirm the engines strengh and how quiet and smooth they can be

.. especially done when stationary !

 

[Captain Black]

.. especially done when stationary !

In the garage..............In semi darkness!

 

[v8legend]

The choke (as in a proper choke and not a fast-idle with fuel-injection) adds more air. That's what increases temperature.

Are you sure? A choke, 'chokes' the air, and makes it run rich.

 

[Captain Black]

Are you sure? A choke, 'chokes' the air, and makes it run rich.

That's what I though choke = more fuel than air ?