The Hodaka Club Forum

I had a trouble free Bad Rock 2013 with the exception of two incidences of loading up on my stock 94 Wombat.

The first incident occurred when I started the bike to leave after a snack break at Ryan's Landing. Basically the bike it acted as if the throttle cable was disconnected. Somebody came up and said the bike had loaded up and told me to shut off the petcocks and hold the throttle wide open until it cleared.

Good advice, after about 30 seconds the engine revved up and ran normally. A few miles later the same thing happened while climbing a hill.

This hasn't happened before, or since. Is loading up temperature related? Or too much pressure in the fuel tank (cap venting?)?

Anyhow, it's a minor aggravation but I would like to know what the likely causes are.

Any and all Hodaka wisdom is humbly received and appreciated. Thanks!

"Loading up" is the phrase used to describe an over-abundance of raw, liquid fuel in the engine. That it happened to you at the top of Ryan's Grade and elsewhere on the trail (most likely climbing up the hill after the creek crossing just a mile or so after the rest break at the Smock Ranch) makes perfect sense.

"Loading up" in your case was caused by both high altitude and warm temperatures (and mayhaps even a bit of humidity) - combined with your "home" jetting. All those things atmospheric things being "higher" (altitude, temp and humidity) reduce the "air" (oxygen) available to the engine . . . but the carb still had the jetting which was good for somewhere lower than (I'm guessing here) about 1,000 feet of altitude. So the jetting was rich at 4,000(+) feet on a warm, humid (for Bad Rock country) day.

All that extra fuel can end up collecting in the engine and causing "loading up". Shutting off the fuel petcocks stops the delivery of fuel -- so the engine uses up the fuel which has collected in the engine and finally "cleans up". Then you turn on the fuel and away you go. However, any time you let the rpm's drop too much AND apply full throttle (or nearly so) . . . she'll "load up" again.

Check your main jet size right now . . . and get yourself set up to carry a main jet ONE size smaller with you this year (and the tools needed to change it). If you experience rich running as you get to the higher parts of the Bad Rock trail (and you WILL) . . . you'll be ready to make the appropriate adjustment.

Ed

Thanks Ed, you nailed that scenario right on the button! And by your description I think you pinpointed the location second load up incident. I remember the creek crossing now

The bike is usually ridden for 0 -1,000' elevation and runs at its home turf with no issues (after replacing an intermittently faulty and heat sensitive condenser that plagued my Bad Rock 2012).

Darrell