Author Topic: TM125 jetting question  (Read 4923 times)

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Offline Graeme M

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TM125 jetting question
« on: October 11, 2007, 04:46:38 PM »
Anyone familiar with TM125 jetting that can advise? I am racing mine at the Dirt Track nats next weekend. It has been ported and from the feel of things the work is good. I have a Circle F pipe and a K+N filter, no cover on the airbox. Riding it it feels good, with a slight hesitation as it comes through the upper rev range which to me feels like a slightly lean condition. It revs out fine tho feels like it gets a little hot a bit too quick. Running Vortex 98 with Motul 800 at 30:1. Plug chop shows dry and dark grey - not tan, not black.

The current jetting is a 150 mains with the stock needle and clip, I think the stock mains is 140 or so. Feels a bit lean to me. To be safe with this fresh engine, what would be the best setup for starting the day at the nats? I believe this track is reasonably long and with a 5-speed box I'll assume we'll be getting wide open for a little while.

I am thinking one clip richer on the needle and a 160 mains. Any thoughts?


Offline Noel

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Re: TM125 jetting question
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2007, 07:01:00 PM »
Hi Graeme,
Not familiar with the TM, but grey sounds lean to me, as does the point you made about it reving to the Moon
How does it Idle the hesitation also sounds like a lean spot,
I think I would go even bigger on the Main jet and try some plug chops then come back down if you need to the clean up the mid with the needle
Have a look on the net for an article  by Eric Gorr
http://www.cyclewerksracing.com/Carb%20Tuuning.htm
I run the Honda rich to the point of blubbery, off pipe,
when I go to Clarence (in the mountains) I lean it of with Methanol,
HTH.
Cheers
Noel
« Last Edit: October 11, 2007, 07:10:17 PM by Noel »

Offline Noel

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Re: TM125 jetting question
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2007, 07:21:21 PM »
Also not sure about the Vortex have heard that it has detergent additives that are  good for keeping
four strokes clean???
Noel

Offline Lozza

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Re: TM125 jetting question
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2007, 08:34:52 PM »
Grey/White =death.
If it revs but does not pull it's lean.You will have to keep your eye on the ambient temp coming from the ACT and going to Wagga.I would be running BP98 @ 20:1.ULP does not really show plug colour as much as what old super or avgas will.I would pull the head off and check for colour/deto marks/erosion on the piston crown this is the only way to tell for certain.Tune it on the main your going to spend precious little time on the needle.I would be starting at 190 and going down.At least if it's rich it's easy to tell and does no damage, to lean on the other hand..................
Jesus only loves two strokes

Offline Graeme M

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Re: TM125 jetting question
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2007, 08:41:09 PM »
Noel, it runs fine down low, no blubber or flat spots. Lozza, it revs and pulls - I couldn't detect any weakness in the power delivery at all apart from the slight hesitation as it passed fully onto the main jet. Couldn't hear any detonation, but it did run a little hot.  But it sure wasn't being run WFO for more than a couple of seconds.

I think definitely too lean and maybe going even richer to start is the go. A 190 though, that's a long way up.
I think those old Mikuni jets go up in steps of 5, so a 190 is 8 steps up on what is in there now... Problem is I got no time to test it before the race, so I guess my few minutes practice will have to be enough to come up with a decent race setup!

Offline Freakshow

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Re: TM125 jetting question
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2007, 10:15:53 PM »
i spend six month pissing about with the 250tm on the flat track, where it went dead in the top end every time, and was told it was lean, the plug was as you say coloured, but niether here nor there, it turned out it never got on the pipe and therefore never got to show its true coluron the plug.

I was incorrectly using a #270 like in the yamaha 250 only to find out it was supposed to be #190 ?  Based on that i would be staying on the jet you have that works and taking a couple either side with you, when you get there in the practice session you will see how long you will need to be on full main and with it wide open on a flat track it will expose itself in no time, unlike a mx or back yard/road run.  I would do your runs on a richer needle clip so you change the overlap onto the main much latter, (incase that hole is just the overlap)

It takes about 30 secs to rejet, i would just leave it till you run it on the track, unless its a clear, white plug your not anywhere near lean yet and 2 laps wide open with a chop will give you every thing youll need when you are there.

From my experiance so far on these piston ports they seem to run rich anyway compared to the reed.  And dont forget to keep your oil mix measured ther same, more oil will lean out your mix, so keep it static if your chasing jets.  I think all will be revealled at wagga,  too rich and it will just die in the arse.  sit tight, chop at the track.
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Re: TM125 jetting question
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2007, 07:46:44 AM »
Gidday Graeme I run a 32mm mikuni on the Sickman with a 210 main jet on shell 100.

Offline Graeme M

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Re: TM125 jetting question
« Reply #7 on: October 12, 2007, 09:38:46 AM »
The TM is on the stock carb which is only a 26 I think. From all the above I think I'll start with a 170 and go from there. My gut feel is that it isn't too far off as is, and I suspect that around 160 will be good to go, so 170 should be a safe start. That's 4 steps up from what's there now and should be safe enough. Although the engine feels quick enough, I imagine it'll be too slow to be competitive against the tricker 125s but we'll see just how much slower on the day.

Offline DJRacing

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Re: TM125 jetting question
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2007, 03:11:47 PM »
Graeme, I had a similar problem with my YZ125G. A flat spot just before coming on to the main jet, and also the feeling of the motor getting hot quickly. I raised the needle as far as it could go and upped the main jet by a few sizes. I was also told by my mechanic (a vmx racer and good friend) to retard the ignition a bit to help with the heat.
 It is always easy to make the bike run rich and tune it from there than having to rebuild a siezed motor. As you have said that you have ported, larger pipe, freer breathing airfilter, but you have only gone up 1 size in the main jet. Go up allot more in main jet size and raise the needle as far as you can and see how it runs then (and not a quick run). It might be imbaressing having the smokiest/burbbliest bike on the track but it beats pushing a siezed bike back to the pits and having to watch everyone else having a fun days racing. Plus at least with a rich bike you have something to work with, but its back to the drawing board with a locked up bike.
If at first you dont succeed, give up and drink beer

Offline Noel

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Re: TM125 jetting question
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2007, 07:05:52 PM »
Yes ,
That is one of th reasons that I run rich at small throttle openings , insurance policy,
flat out down the straight then shut the throttle on a lean bike can end in tears.
Cheers
Noel