Carburetor Heater

[dakota_c69]

Anyone have a Carb heater on their Beta? Coming from a 4 stroke riding among a sea of Orange 2 Strokes a lot of guys run the carb heaters in the winter, where I just press the button and the EFI handles the rest. This year I have ridden the 300 RR a few times in the cold (-5C and lower) and had no issues unlike a couple of KTM 300s we rode with. Maybe the Beta doesn't require a heater for some reason...

[ricoyam]

Do guys actually have carb icing problems without heat or is it to assist in atomization.
I suspected I was having icing problems once. It was with my KTM 200 EXC, must've been 15 years ago or more. Out here in CA., no one knows much about carb icing. The only reason I know is that I'm a pilot. A friend also had it happen once off-roading with his Baja Bug.
Are carb heaters actually sold for motorcycles or are guys making them up for their own applications? Maybe water heated intake manifolds?

[dakota_c69]

There is actually a KTM carb heater part number - http://www.ktm-parts.com/55131003044.html - A hole is tapped into the carb and the heater screws into it. The element has a temp sensor that switches on when the ambient temps reach a trigger point. The KTMs actually are prewired to install this part.

The issue is powder snow and cold temps icing up the carbs. Description of the symptoms from a sufferer - "The snow would spray up, stick to the carb, semi-melt and then freeze into this ice covered mess on the carb. The bike would run rich, burn a ton of fuel, not idle and be a pain to keep running which is not a good thing in the winter."

[ricoyam]

Carb icing is actually what happens inside the carb. Because of venturi effect the air flowing through the carb cools dramatically. Combined with high humidity, water condenses and freezes in the venturi increasingly restricting airflow. Ice on the exterior of the carb may or may not be evident. No doubt though that external ice is not going to help a thing.

I thought about routing coolant to the carb or deflecting heat from the pipe toward the carb. Luckily in CA. It just doesn't get the wet and cold very often.

[dakota_c69]

Another couple of days riding in the cold and snow. Nothing negative to report yet...

https://instagram.com/p/BADgr2pFbLO/

Hopefully Betas are IMMUNE to the Canada Arctic Conditions!

[NZMarkb]

What are you doing riding in the snow
Light the fire, put your feet up and pour yourself a Rum

[dakota_c69]

Haha - Winter in Canada is LONG, I don't know if I can afford that much rum or firewood!

[NZMarkb]

That's fair enough
I can't afford the Rum and Firewood now and it's summer here

[Hyde]

Just rode a 3 hour ice endurance on 16' 250rr, at -5 & 25 mph winds, no carb heaters were needed.

[GMP]

Carb icing is actually what happens inside the carb. Because of venturi effect the air flowing through the carb cools dramatically. Combined with high humidity, water condenses and freezes in the venturi increasingly restricting airflow. Ice on the exterior of the carb may or may not be evident. No doubt though that external ice is not going to help a thing.

I thought about routing coolant to the carb or deflecting heat from the pipe toward the carb. Luckily in CA. It just doesn't get the wet and cold very often.

Yes but as Hyde verified at very cold temps the air is very dry so very little inspired moisture and no problems. You would think the worst case would be at or just below freezing with freezing rain (very damp), but have done that a few times with other Keihin carb bikes with no issues.