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Yamaha TZR125 mixture

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Mark

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May 3, 2004, 4:07:40 PM5/3/04
to
Hi all,

My son has a Yamaha TZR125 (G reg) and we are having a lot of trouble
making it run smoothly - in fact, when I just left it, it would not
start at all.

The problems started today when having ridden 10 miles, the bike just
stopped (after popping in the exhaust) and refused to start.

Trying to start it at home resulted in further backfiring in the
exhaust, which I thought was an indication of a lean mixture. Looking
at the plugs though, it is running rich as they are black and oily.
After cleaning, we tried basic tuning of the carb, but this led to a
position where we can no longer start the bike :( - the only
adjustments undertaken were the air and idle adjustments and they have
been put back into the original positions.

Any ideas of what we should try and details of how to adjust the carb
would be useful as I can find no information on the Mikuni website.

We've yet to get a manual for the bike, but I am sure that we can get
it running well without one - famous last words eh!

Any advice most appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark

Oldbloke

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May 4, 2004, 2:21:13 AM5/4/04
to
Mark wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> My son has a Yamaha TZR125 (G reg) and we are having a lot of trouble
> making it run smoothly - in fact, when I just left it, it would not
> start at all.

I believe that's a 2 stroke, if so they all do that sir.

> The problems started today when having ridden 10 miles, the bike just
> stopped (after popping in the exhaust) and refused to start.

See above.

> Trying to start it at home resulted in further backfiring in the
> exhaust, which I thought was an indication of a lean mixture. Looking
> at the plugs though, it is running rich as they are black and oily.
> After cleaning, we tried basic tuning of the carb, but this led to a
> position where we can no longer start the bike :( - the only
> adjustments undertaken were the air and idle adjustments and they have
> been put back into the original positions.

Did you recite the incantations from the Black Magic Book of 2 Stroke
Tuning, with the bike parked dead centre on a pentangle marked on the garage
floor in goat's blood? If not you haven't got a hope.

> Any ideas of what we should try and details of how to adjust the carb
> would be useful as I can find no information on the Mikuni website.

If you google for Mikuni one of the sites (the Australian one ISTR) allows
you to download a full Tuning Manual for the VM Carbs in pdf format. I
found this quite a good read, but not a quick fix.

> We've yet to get a manual for the bike, but I am sure that we can get
> it running well without one - famous last words eh!

Indeed, I am still trying to get optimal running from the TS since last
November, despite a HBOL and the VM tuning manual..

> Any advice most appreciated.

Paging Lozzo.

--
Dan L (Oldbloke)
My Bike 2000 Honda CB500
M'boy's Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X (Heavily fortified)

BOTAFOT #140, DIAABTCOD #26


Martian

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May 4, 2004, 5:11:49 AM5/4/04
to
Mark wrote:
[snip tale of woe]

I would suggest checking/doing the following:
1. Clean the air filter in petrol and then soak in two stroke oil and
replace.
2. Clean the carb (i.e. dismantle completely and then rebuild get new
gaskets)
3. check the oil pump setting (should be behind one of the engine covers)
4. check the compression.
5. Check the timing.
6. get a new plug
7. Get a manual, if you ask the local yamaha dealer you may be able to
get a copy of their workshop manual, if not Haynes BOL.

Its a two stroke, there isn't much else to them.

Have a look here:

http://www.google.co.uk

http://www.partspartners.com/html/tzr125.html

HTH


--
Martian:
"For a minute there, you bored me to death."
Bandit 600, TDR250 http://ukrm.net/BIKES/Yamaha/tdr250.html
martin dot smith nine zero three at ntlworld dot com

Mark

unread,
May 4, 2004, 7:47:04 AM5/4/04
to
Hi Oldbloke,

"Oldbloke" <dann...@yodanet.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:<c77cnc$h1eq$1...@ID-193566.news.uni-berlin.de>...


> Mark wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > My son has a Yamaha TZR125 (G reg) and we are having a lot of trouble
> > making it run smoothly - in fact, when I just left it, it would not
> > start at all.
>
> I believe that's a 2 stroke, if so they all do that sir.
>
> > The problems started today when having ridden 10 miles, the bike just
> > stopped (after popping in the exhaust) and refused to start.
>
> See above.
>
> > Trying to start it at home resulted in further backfiring in the
> > exhaust, which I thought was an indication of a lean mixture. Looking
> > at the plugs though, it is running rich as they are black and oily.
> > After cleaning, we tried basic tuning of the carb, but this led to a
> > position where we can no longer start the bike :( - the only
> > adjustments undertaken were the air and idle adjustments and they have
> > been put back into the original positions.
>
> Did you recite the incantations from the Black Magic Book of 2 Stroke
> Tuning, with the bike parked dead centre on a pentangle marked on the garage
> floor in goat's blood? If not you haven't got a hope.
>

Ah, damn. This is where I went wrong. You see, I don't have a garage
so I used the patio and goat's blood is in short supply so I used the
neighbours cat. Neither the wife or the neighbour are best pleased at
the moment!

> > Any ideas of what we should try and details of how to adjust the carb
> > would be useful as I can find no information on the Mikuni website.
>
> If you google for Mikuni one of the sites (the Australian one ISTR) allows
> you to download a full Tuning Manual for the VM Carbs in pdf format. I
> found this quite a good read, but not a quick fix.
>

Thanks, I looked at another Mikuni manual but it was totally
different. This one looks much better. I think that it is similar
enough and this manual (http://www.mikuni.com/pdf/vmmanual.pdf) gives
some nice detailed information.

> > We've yet to get a manual for the bike, but I am sure that we can get
> > it running well without one - famous last words eh!
>
> Indeed, I am still trying to get optimal running from the TS since last
> November, despite a HBOL and the VM tuning manual..
>

Well, if I can get it to run first I will be much happier. I am sure
that this manual will help.

> > Any advice most appreciated.
>
> Paging Lozzo.

Thanks again,
Mark

Whinging Courier

unread,
May 4, 2004, 11:23:54 AM5/4/04
to
In uk.rec.motorcycles, Mark said:

> Trying to start it at home resulted in further backfiring in the
> exhaust, which I thought was an indication of a lean mixture. Looking
> at the plugs though, it is running rich as they are black and oily.
> After cleaning, we tried basic tuning of the carb, but this led to a
> position where we can no longer start the bike :( - the only
> adjustments undertaken were the air and idle adjustments and they have
> been put back into the original positions.

Is the oil/petrol mix ok?

I had a similar thing happen to a DT125 many moons ago and the air
filter (K+N) was thick with 2-stroke oil.

--
Smile...tomorrow will be worse
CBR1000FL

Lozzo

unread,
May 4, 2004, 2:11:32 PM5/4/04
to
Oldbloke says...

> Mark wrote:

> > We've yet to get a manual for the bike, but I am sure that we can get
> > it running well without one - famous last words eh!

Get a manual, work from that. If you don't know what's what, you could
end up doing damage.



> Indeed, I am still trying to get optimal running from the TS since last
> November, despite a HBOL and the VM tuning manual..
>
> > Any advice most appreciated.
>
> Paging Lozzo.

I'm not much use with TZR125s, the man you need is....

....Paging Jack Hackett

--
Lozzo : The Speedyspic
YZF1000R (Big boy's Power-Valve)
BOTAFOT#57/70a, BOTAFOF#57, MIB#22, TCP#7,
ANORAK#9, DIAABTCOD#14, UKRMT5BB, IBW#013, MIRTTH#15a/16,
BotToS#8, GP#2, SBS#10, SH#3, DFV#14, BONY#9.
Url for ukrm newbies : http://www.ukrm.net/faq/ukrmscbt.html
http://www.glfuk.com/ for MJK Leathers and Daytona boots.
I wouldn't introduce any girlfriend of mine to ukrm, unless I was having
trouble dumping her

Dynamic

unread,
May 4, 2004, 6:00:43 PM5/4/04
to
Mark wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> My son has a Yamaha TZR125 (G reg) and we are having a lot of trouble
> making it run smoothly - in fact, when I just left it, it would not
> start at all.
>
> The problems started today when having ridden 10 miles, the bike just
> stopped (after popping in the exhaust) and refused to start.

<SNIP>

Have you checked the spark?

And not just the fact that it sparks, but that it is doing it correctly.

--
Dynamic - 'Faster than Spete'
TZR 125, VF 500(In bits), SG350, GSXR400 GK71F
MIRTTH#23 SH#5


Mark

unread,
May 5, 2004, 3:17:32 AM5/5/04
to
Martian <mar...@mars.com> wrote in message news:<40975E55...@mars.com>...

> Mark wrote:
> [snip tale of woe]
>
> I would suggest checking/doing the following:
> 1. Clean the air filter in petrol and then soak in two stroke oil and
> replace.
> 2. Clean the carb (i.e. dismantle completely and then rebuild get new
> gaskets)
> 3. check the oil pump setting (should be behind one of the engine covers)
> 4. check the compression.
> 5. Check the timing.
> 6. get a new plug
> 7. Get a manual, if you ask the local yamaha dealer you may be able to
> get a copy of their workshop manual, if not Haynes BOL.
>
> Its a two stroke, there isn't much else to them.
>
> Have a look here:
>
> http://www.google.co.uk
>
> http://www.partspartners.com/html/tzr125.html
>
> HTH

Many thanks to all.

I've done the filter and carbs and am slowly moving on to test the oil
pump, timing etc., but I really need to get a manual now before
testing these items.

The bike started again last night. When cold (and choke pushed in), it
runs really well at idle and throughout the range.

When it gets hot and choke pushed in it backfires through the exhaust
and fails to idle as well. If you pull the choke out it won't idle,
but it revs throughout the range with no problems. It's almost as
though the choke operates opposite to how I would expect.

It also looks like the carb used to have an auto-choke as there are
two interconnected pipes coming from the back of the choke housing.
I'll take a look tonight as to how the choke should work!

Many thanks,
Mark

Mark Pate

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May 5, 2004, 12:10:54 PM5/5/04
to
"Dynamic" <ph...@ward6056.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:c793qe$64o$1...@news5.svr.pol.co.uk...
Yep, there is a nice big fat spark. I want to check the timing, but the
damned bulb in my strobe light is dead - is there another way?

Mark


Mark Pate

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May 5, 2004, 12:13:04 PM5/5/04
to
"Whinging Courier" <markonusene...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:MPG.1b01c5e45...@news.individual.net...

Yet another thing that I need to check......why isn't there a manual on ebay
when you need one :(


steve auvache

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May 5, 2004, 12:12:38 PM5/5/04
to
Mark Pate wrote

>>
>Yep, there is a nice big fat spark. I want to check the timing, but the
>damned bulb in my strobe light is dead - is there another way?

You /can/ check the static timing with your ears, or by eye, or even by
touch. Far better to use a meter though.

--
steve auvache

Mark Pate

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May 5, 2004, 1:27:38 PM5/5/04
to
"steve auvache" <dont...@thecow.me.uk> wrote in message
news:BISC4BB2...@auvache.force9.co.uk...

Hi Steve,

Thanks, but how? AFAIK (as I have no manual), there are no points and the
coil is energised via a magnetic pickup (pulse coil?)...in this case, surely
the only way to check the timing is via a strobe - isn't it?

I've bid on a manual on ebay, so I hope to have one soon.

Damned bikes .... damned kids!

Cheers,
Mark


steve auvache

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May 5, 2004, 2:05:05 PM5/5/04
to
Mark Pate wrote
>> steve auvache
>
>Hi Steve,

A little early, even for me.

>
>Thanks, but how? AFAIK (as I have no manual), there are no points and the
>coil is energised via a magnetic pickup (pulse coil?)...in this case, surely
>the only way to check the timing is via a strobe - isn't it?

I don't know a thing about your bike but, and this works for all engines
I think, you can turn it over by hand and see when the spark goes.
This is called static timing, the basic set up. Either a vacuum or a
computer will adjust the dynamic timing, i.e. the one you see with the
strobe.

Although it is worth mentioning that timing tends not to go out of
adjustment of it's own free will, it usually requires interference from
man to do that. Concentrate your attention on the fuel/air issues.

--
steve auvache

Mark Pate

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May 5, 2004, 3:31:28 PM5/5/04
to
"steve auvache" <dont...@thecow.me.uk> wrote in message
news:f771kTDR...@auvache.force9.co.uk...

Thanks Steve,

I'm happy with static timing on a car engine, where you have points on the
distributer but "this" bike seems to rely on current generated by the
flywheel rotating past a magnetic pickup to generate the spark. The only way
to test the timing is probably via a strobe as you can't turn the flywheel
fast enough by hand to generate the spark and judge the position of the
piston at this point.

Please, someone, tell me if I am talking crap!

Cheers,
Mark


Dynamic

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May 5, 2004, 6:25:19 PM5/5/04
to

"Mark Pate" <ma...@the-pates.ukfsn.org> wrote:

<SNIP>


>
> Yet another thing that I need to check......why isn't there a manual on
ebay
> when you need one :(
>

If there is anything specific you need to know from the manual, I'll have a
quick flick through mine and e-mail you the appropriate details.

Mine is for the 87-93 models.

Mark

unread,
May 6, 2004, 2:46:29 AM5/6/04
to
"Dynamic" <ph...@ward6056.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message news:<c7bpkc$dgd$1...@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk>...

> "Mark Pate" <ma...@the-pates.ukfsn.org> wrote:
>
> <SNIP>
> >
> > Yet another thing that I need to check......why isn't there a manual on
> ebay
> > when you need one :(
> >
>
> If there is anything specific you need to know from the manual, I'll have a
> quick flick through mine and e-mail you the appropriate details.
>
> Mine is for the 87-93 models.

Hi,

Many thanks for the offer, the bike is 1990, so this is ideal. There
is loads that I need to know, but I guess that most of it is quite
detailed - I've put a bid on a manual, so I hope to have one in the
next few days.

If the manual specifies any way to statically test the timing, this
would be very useful.

It seems like the battery is not charging either. I guess that I need
to check for 14V at the battery whilst at 1/4 throttle or something
like that, but is there any way to test the rectifier if this is not
present?

My email address on this post is wrong (as I no longer use this ISP),
so please feel free to email me at ma...@the-pates.ukfsn.org

Many, many thanks,
Mark

Mark

unread,
May 6, 2004, 8:52:55 AM5/6/04
to
Ma...@mark-pate.uklinux.net (Mark) wrote in message
<SNIP>

> It seems like the battery is not charging either. I guess that I need
> to check for 14V at the battery whilst at 1/4 throttle or something
> like that, but is there any way to test the rectifier if this is not
> present?

Sorry for replying to my own post, but I have come across a rather
good faultfinding chart for charging issues -
http://www.electrexusa.com/Images/fault_finding.pdf - it may be useful
to someone else!

Cheers,
Mark

Grrr

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May 16, 2004, 3:01:05 PM5/16/04
to
months ago i posted here for advice on a tzr engine, after lots of faffing
about, it was the stator plate, chap who rewound it said he has done
loads,engine is still working in my kart, and before it didn't, cost me a
tenner to have done at a local motor rewinder,

hope this helps

Gary

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