running rich?

[BergArabia]

I ride the desert no more than 3000 ft high mostly around 2000 feet high but I live at sea level..

It is quite warm here even now 'autumn', the max temps are around 95-100 and the minimums are around 75 degrees fahrenheit..

My 05 YZ450 is only a couple of months old..

Usually she starts straight up.. but today when I changed oil and cleaned the filter I couldn't start it to check the dip stick..

For the first time since I got the bike, I washed the filter with some gasoline before putting the foam oil on.. (I usually wash with warm soapy water but I didn't have it with me so being lazy I just used what was handy)..

I left the bike for several hours and it started up pretty easily after sitting so I figure the gasolene on the filter was making it too rich .. The choke was useless and it would only start with the hot starter pulled..

It runs hot though I mean we're talking red glowing header which I know is normal but I think leaner means hotter doesn't it?

I am inclined to think it is OK for riding but I am interested in any opinions as I am still a bit of a newbee..

So is it bad to wash the air filter with gasolene?

As I have to use the hot start even on a cold bike is it set a bit rich?

[ncmountainman]

i ride about the same levels (2-4,000') and for summer temps(80'-90'sF) i run 38 pj,DWR needle 3rd clip(its a little leaner needle, 04 wr) 165 mj,a/f 2 out; @ 100'f you might go 160 on the mj i'm not sure(it'd be easy enough to figure out) these bikes run much better lean for some reason,i was kinda surprised but it likes it that way check out the jetting sticky? and if your gonna use gas let the filter dry first the results could be explosive if you don't

[BergArabia]

Thanks Mountain man, I think... hahaha

no seriously, thanks.. I am off to the jetting thread to figure this all out....

[jsaffordwr426]

I clean my air filter all the time with gas..i've never had a problem with starting, but i've never tried to start it right after cleaning the filter. just let the filter air out a while before starting the bike.

[Troutman]

Gas works fine for degreasing the filter, but you might want to be careful using it all the time as it will eventually erode the glue that holds your filter togeather.

[BergArabia]

Thanks guys..

Bike is running perfect now that the filter is dry...