The Hodaka Club Forum

Clarence is making a valid point here. Unless you have been doing wide open throttle jetting runs, assuming the main jet is causing plug loading is only an assumption, and would not necessarily be right. It is quite possible to foul a plug without ever getting over half throttle. Search the Internet, or read the recommended jetting procedure, and you will find a graphic that shows how the various jets in the Mikuni overlap. Flow is restricted by the smallest orifice or most restrictive combination of parts. So while the main jet does supply fuel to the needle and needle jet, it isn't until the needle is lifted more or less out of the way that flow is ultimately limited by the main jet. Until you reach a throttle setting that allows the main to control flow, you could ride without a main jet at all, and still not necessarily foul a plug.

If your bike starts cold, at altitude, without the starter circuit, you either have the wrong pilot jet, or your starter circuit is bleeding fuel. If the starter circuit is bleeding fuel, no amount of jetting will fix your problem. When the starter circuit plunger is fully seated (choke off) there should be zero fuel passing through that circuit. You could have debris under the plunger, or the plunger rubber could be cracked, hard as a rock and unable to seal, missing entirely, or the plunger could be hanging up before seating. Any of these conditions would cause what you are experiencing, and none have anything to do with jets.

OK Jack. That makes sense to me. I’ll pull the choke and check the plunger again. I don’t recall it being bad, but I can’t say I remember if it was hard or not. If it is, I’ll change it out and try runnning it again to see what happens. Thanks! Victor

Well, I went back to work on the lights again today. Dropped the tank to make sure nothing had come unplugged from the regulator. Nope. I found one of the blue power wires disconnected and plugged it back in. Nope. And now, the left turn signal is not flashing!

It got dark so I had to stop. Need to get that overhead light installed now that the wiring is in place.

Boy, these things sure like to turn into multiple problems don’t they? Now I’m going to have to pull the battery box down and check to see if anything else came loose from the harness.

BTW Road Toad owners. Are the connection points for the wires coming out of the harness stored up under the seat through the circular hole in the frame, or are they stashed somewhere else? No previous point of reference, and I’d like to know where it normally is on the RT traditionally. Matt? Victor

If there is no power at the headlight connections, follow the dead wire or each dead wire backwards and check for voltage at each connection all the way back to the magneto, or the battery, depending on how the E-switch is set. It may be the only way to isolate the fault without relying on guess work.

Jack. First I have to pull the battery holder. I suspect a few things may have come loose there when remounting it last time. I’ll keep you posted what I find. But I’m not getting out to the garage as often now with the colder weather & the plumbing issues I’m recovering from. Thankfully, it’s just about all done now. It’s been a pain in the butt redoing the flagstone sidewalk for the 3rd time this year! :ugeek. Victor