Monday, November 17, 2014
How to Clean the Enricher on Your Sportster
Harley-Davidson calls them enrichers. Everybody else calls them chokes. When you pull out the knob under the left side of your gas tank you increase, or fatten, the percentage of gasoline in your carburetors gas-fuel mix. Pushing the knob in leans the fuel mixture. The knob is attached to a cable that attaches to an enricher valve inside the body of your carburetor. Maintaining and lubricating this cable is a standard procedure you should perform on your Sportster every 2,500 miles or every two months.
Instructions
- 1
Put the motorcycle in first gear. Turn off the engine, lean the motorcycle on the jiffy stand and let the engine go cold.
2Fully extend the enricher knob. Unhook the enricher cable from the clip under the gas tank near the horn. Wipe the exposed cable, knob and clip with a rag.
3Spray cable lubricant on the enricher cable and inside the enricher cable guide tube under the gas tank. Wipe up drips with the rag.
4Refasten the enricher cable to the clip near the horn. Pull and push the enricher knob in and out to distribute the lubricant along the full length of the enricher cable.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
How to Clean a Rusting Stainless Exhaust
The exhaust plays an important part in the overall function of a vehicle. It is responsible for moving and carrying away the gases that are created when the fuel and air are burned in the car. Keeping the exhaust on your vehicle clean can help car function and aesthetics. Rusty exhausts are a common issue and can become a serious issue if not attended to quickly; luckily this issue can be easily remedied at home. Stainless steel exhausts require some special treatment in order to avoid scratching the surface.
Instructions
- 1
Turn the vehicle off for at least an hour before working with the exhaust as this part of the car can be hot.
2Remove dust and grime from the exhaust first. Take a dry, soft cloth and rub the visible exhaust parts with it to remove as much debris as your can. Do not be too vigorous and work slowly; working too quickly can result in unsightly scratches. Dont use water at this point. Stainless steel can form water spots if the water is not wiped off quickly after application.
3Use water and a dry wipe if the dirt and grime is particularly stubborn. Use caution and work quickly to avoid staining. Use a soft cloth dipped in water to gently scrub the exhaust, then immediately wipe the surface dry with another clean soft cloth.
4Use mildly abrasive cleaners to remove more stubborn rust. A mix of apple cider and vinegar works well for those looking for an eco-friendly option. Dip one soft clean cloth in the mix, wipe it over the surface being careful not to scratch the steel, then immediately dry with another clean, soft and dry cloth.
5Spray a small amount of household cleaners that contain dilute acids onto a cloth for cleaning if there are still rust stains on the exhaust. Wipe the cloth over the exhaust and dry with a clean, soft and dry cloth immediately after application.
6Buy a stainless steel rust remover product if none of these methods work to remove the rust. Be sure that the rust remover is stainless steel safe. Rust removers can sometimes be too abrasive for stainless steel.
