Mech

Well if the weld is on the end of the shaft, you could probably grind it back a little/flush, then use a screwdriver to force the lever's clamping bit apart slightly, and by wriggling the lever, break the rest of the weld. That generally gets them off. The shaft is possibly damaged on it's splines though and may need replacing, but, some people reach for the welder far too quickly, and I've fixed old welded lever/shaft problems before. A small triangle file, and a new bolt and things might be reusable. Even if you do have to weld it back on again, if getting it off helps diagnose/fix the problem, that's all we need.

It could be that the oil you are using isn't tolerant of being used in older/worn motors. Some oils burn up just fine, some oils when they burn foul plugs.. You might try finding an oil recommended for older or worn motors.. The flasher oils generally have additives in them that foul plugs if they are burning oil.. Plain old mineral oils are better for old motors.

I couldn't make out the pictures too good.. Bad eyes.. And they wouldn't open in my linux machine.. But yeah, the color of any smoke would be a good indicator..

Ok.. Good to have you along then..

Yup.. a sharp tap..or several of them I always use the handle of a screwdriver endways.. nothing gets hurt using that.

Thanks Bruce. Those readings you said kept changing from good to bad, up a bit... That's probably the gauge you are using. Digital multimeters all refresh their display regularly, and some have a slow count rate, they often don't read fluctuating data correctly every time they refresh. If we want to read something like a pulse coil, it's better to use an old analogue gauge, with a needle.. You may not be able to spot the exact figure because the needle swings up way past it's mark due to inertia, but at least we can see it's getting a pulse. The other option is buy a flasher gauge with a higher "count" rate.. or a max record feature.. And Pebbles in the cdi.. haha.. never heard of that one before.. but whatever.. Good work.

It looks like it's burning oil probably.. If you have a propane burner or welder heat that plug till t stops burning clean, then put it in and start the motor. Warm the motor up and then start opening and closing the throttle, give it about a quarter or a bit less throttle so the revs come up to about three-four thousand revs, then let it off, then on again once it slows but before it gets right to idle. Keep doing that while you watch the exhaust. It will probably start smoking, and get worse and worse the longer you sit there cycling the revs up and down.. If it does, it will be the rings. The other common thing is the valve guide seals, they show up if you let it sit till it's cool, then start it and it will smoke for a minute or two .. If it's not oil burning, it must be burning way way too much fuel.. The carby needs checking over.

Haha.. They are pretty tolerant here.. The moderator's a helpful guy too.. It's a good site.

Well you're up to two already.. Keep going. There's an intro page somewhere...

Have you got a manual ? Top of the page "more" button, "ATV manuals", on the new page about half way down on the right choose honda...

A harder tap ? Or drain that carb to drop the float completely and then turn the gas back on again..

Good stuff.. Have fun.

Check it still has spark ?

I see you've made ten posts already... I thought that was enough..

I'd suspect the 195 is a measurement, either 1.95 mm or .195 of an inch.. I'd check the end-float and if it was near either of those measurements I'd accept it as the thickness..

Keep posting.. This might help in the meantime.. https://www.mickhone.com.au/partFinder/fiche/suzuki/1994/lt-f160/rear-wheel#next

At the top of the page there's a "more", button, click on that and choose atv manuals, then in a new page, over on the right and down a bit choose the make, then you might find a service manual.

I'd say take that big nut off and the axle will slide to the right.. Or there's another big nut on the other side under the brake drum, then it slides left..

Anyone that uses a vacuum gauge....

Yeah I'd seen that.. but as you say.. You need to ride it. And to read the plugs for changing the jets, you really need new or cleaned plugs. You'd have to ride full throttle for twenty minutes to change the color otherwise. It'll be fine mate.. Adjust the idle, then tune the needle slide, then see how it goes.. You're an observant guy... and won't bugger it from a lean main jet.

Well... I doubt it has a rev limiter as such.. not like modern cars do anyway. The induction will be the limit I think.. The manual may say otherwise. The trouble is that if they retard the timing to limit revs, the motor gets hot, and if they advance it to try and limit revs(while someone is holding the throttle wide open), it's not good for the bearings and rings. That's why they kill the ignition on modern cars and you get that horrible bucking and jerking as the rev limiter kicks in and out.. Nobody keeps trying to push them once that starts.. haha. If it's jetted for best economy/power balance, and you back off very slightly, the vacuum goes up for a second, and the mixture goes slightly richer than at a steady full throttle. If it was a bit rich to start, it will sound and feel rich, and if it was about right it will pull ever so slightly nicer. All that's a bit harder to sense with a diaphragm carby though.. But then, those carbies aren't really made for thrashing.. they are made to be user friendly. If you want performance, get a better carby. You could try it though and might be able to tell about the mixture.. It's the test I'd do. All that said.. I'd just assume that if the emulsion tube, slide needle, and emulsion air bleed are all right as per the book for your bike and altitude, and it runs nicely through the needle's range of control, then the standard main, for your altitude and bike, will be pretty right too.. We don't often use main jets to their limit. It should be quite safe.. unless you live in a desert or something and really do use full throttle in a high temp and for prolonged periods of time. If it pulls right through the power range with full throttle, and just slowly fades at the very top as revs build, it's probably fine, induction is limiting it. If it starts losing power as you open the throttle the last little bit, and it's before it's at full revs, then yeah, perhaps a bit more fuel is needed. Perhaps.. too much fuel, quite a bit too much fuel, will give similar symptoms. I'd ride and monitor it for a bit (and likely change the needle clip position).. before I changed main jets..

General rule is about 16 percent leaner for every 1000 foot of elevation.. There are a few ways of testing the main jet setting.. Full throttle blast along a long road or big hill, then pull clutch (pressing down on the shift lever should disengage the manual foot operated clutch) or throw into neutral, kill motor, then read plug colour. Or, and this is simpler, full throttle for a few seconds, then ease the throttle slightly and note whether it smooths out/pulls better and/or picks up a very few revs.

This mate... "Rpm’s fall and rise slowly as if fuel level drops and then catches up. ".. It's obvious now.. I've seen it before.. On cars and bikes. If anyone gets that symptom.. Remember this thread..

Ok. Well done.. Float vent would be an obvious one I guess.. in hindsight !! It's a concern to have to admit to having seen that before.. Dang... Memory and focus isn't what it used to be. And I was sitting here with that feeling that the answer was right on the tip of my tongue.. That I'd seen that exact symptom before..haha. And yeah, I guessed you must be some sort of mech to be using a vacuum gauge.. That's old school.. and a bit of a lost art. Never hurts to brainstorm though huh.. sometimes just talking it through helps our thought processes ( I wish).

If the pistons stuck because of sitting it might be ok.. usable even.. If it seized from overheating and then got parked.. not so much.. Soak it is something.. diesel even does a good job.. then pound it (the piston) a bit with a wooden hammer handle, or solid dowel and hammer (one pound).. It'll come free.. Free the rings in their grooves carefully then take them out and and clean it all and put that top end back together.. It will be good enough to test the rest of the bike.. Then you decide whether to do more repairs or not.. That's what I'd do. Ah.. Gwbarn beat me to it..