Dodgy tickover

[BooG]

New Odyssey battery arriving tomorrow. Hopefully might help my cold starting irregularity.
As I rode home yesterday, the bike had developed a dodgy tickover and would not idle without conking out. Where to start?? Points, valves, carbs, timing etc? Seemed to be running ok at higher speeds.

[nhmaf]

This problem with idling came on rather suddenly, or has it been a progressively deteriorating thing ?

First, I'd just check the condition of the spark plugs, as that is the quickest and easiest thing, and may tell you something (or may not).

It may be that something has gotten plugged up in one or both of your carb's idle jets, or it may be that you've an issue with the valve lash adjustment
closing up on the exhaust valves - these are two common causes for poor idle but acceptable high speed operation.   It seems easier for me to check the valve clearances first, but either one is possibly as likely.

[montmil]

New Odyssey battery arriving tomorrow. Hopefully might help my cold starting irregularity.
As I rode home yesterday, the bike had developed a dodgy tickover and would not idle without conking out. Where to start?? Points, valves, carbs, timing etc? Seemed to be running ok at higher speeds.

Wait for the new battery and try it again. Alternators charge the battery. The battery powers the ignition. There's a connection between your dying battery and the idle bumps.

Monte

[nhmaf]

Yes, Monte's point is a good one - at idle your alternator isn't putting out any  significant voltage to really charge up the battery to any significant degree, so if the battery has a serious problem it may be sucking the voltage down and making the voltage available to the ignition system marginal.  Do replace the battery first before checking the other items.

If that new battery is an AGM type - you should put it on a decent battery charger first for at least an hour before installing it.

[BooG]

The dodgy tickover, it transpires, is a result of one of the choke cables not returning the cold start mechanism to the off position. There seems to be free play in one cable. Maybe I'll take the whole lot apart and reset the cables in the lever mechanism. Anyone done that? Put the new battery in. Loverly!!

[Justin B.]

I had one of them do that on my '95 R100 and I had to take apart the "enricher" and clean it.  Seems there was a lot of carbon buildup preventing smooth operation and the return spring would not "pull" it open.  Clean and use a bit of silicone lube or Vaseline on the little O-ring and you should be good.