Why Is My Motorcycle Backfiring? & How To Fix It
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People often ask why their motorcycle backfires. Generally, a backfire is one of the mechanical issues one has to face with engines. Frankly, motorcycle backfires are extremely rare because their electronic ignition-powered engines feature high reliability.
Perhaps what you observe is not that your motorcycle’s engine is backfiring. Alternatively, it could be that the engine is really popping. In any case, you need to pay attention, take action and apply some fixes.
But then there seems to be a knowledge gap when it comes to what the engine backfire essentially means. We shall carefully explain what motorcycle backfire is, its causes, and what measures you can take to prevent your motorcycle from backfiring.
What is a Backfire?
In layman’s terms, when we say a process backfires, it means it produces the reverse of the desired and expected result. A backfire in relation to the motorcycle engine, therefore, refers to a blast or combustion which is produced as a result of running an internal combustion engine that occurs either in the air intake or in the exhaust of your motorcycle.
Normally, this explosion should happen inside the combustion chamber of the Motorcycle, but when this doesn’t happen, a disruption occurs in the engine’s operation. A backfire can come when you’re not inspecting and maintaining certain parts of your motorcycle by adding or replacing specific fluids.
It also occurs when the exhaust valve opens, and some fuel is left unburned, which results in the valve igniting the fuel in the exhaust system, causing a loud bang. During this explosion, the exhaust system gives out a startling momentary loud noise and flame.
What causes a Motorcycle Backfire?
The main cause of a motorcycle backfire is a malfunction in the emission system of the engine, which results in leakage in the exhaust. This causes the engine to run either rich or lean. It runs rich when there is more fuel than air present in the engine, and runs lean when there is more air than fuel present.
Whether there is more fuel than air or more air than fuel, the resultant effect is always incomplete combustion resulting from the ignition of fuel by the heat of the exhaust. Specifically, your motorcycle engine comes with a stock muffler which is responsible for complete combustion and proper operation of the engine.
Usually, when you change motorcycle exhaust pipe, the difference in pipe designs and other essentials causes an uneven ratio in the air inflow into the engine compared to less fuel that the engine receives. This causes a backfire in the exhaust.
Your motorcycle can backfire if the fuel pumps are weak or bad, the fuel pressure is low, or the fuel filters are clogged. All of these issues can cause the airflow to increase more than the flow of fuel.
Ways to Prevent Motorcycle Backfires
Regardless of how it comes, the motorcycle backfire can be prevented in multiple ways. Be careful not to overlook any of the following preventive measures.
- Inspect and Clean Your Carburetor
It is difficult for fuel to flow properly through a clogged carburetor. Clean this component of your motorcycle because once the carburetor is dirty, it can cause the engine to run lean. So, clean with a high-grade carburetor cleaner.
- Clean Your Jets
The Jets are another part of your engine that can cause a motorcycle to backfire when it is clogged with debris. When your jets are clogged, it prevents fuel from getting through the engine and causes it to run lean. Properly get rid of all the dirt in your engine jets.
- Add Fuel Injector Cleaner
All motorcycles come with fuel injectors. You will be able to prevent a backfire using a high-level motorcycle fuel injector cleaner that will help take out the dirt and debris that clog your fuel lines. Try to consult the user’s manual before applying for the cleaner.
- Use the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts
When replacing any part of the motorcycle, try to use recommended parts from the original equipment manufacturers. Use equipment parts to replace any damaged, bad, or weak parts of your engine.
Conclusion
Just as a reminder, it is very rare to experience a motorcycle backfire. However, because they are machines, these engines are potentially prone to this kind of threat. The good news is that a motorcycle backfire doesn’t cause serious damage to your engine. But it is important to check your motorcycle when you see what the issue is before you make your conclusions or start to fix it.
Q: What is a motorcycle backfire?
In layman’s terms, when we say a process backfires, it means it produces the reverse of the desired and expected result. A backfire in relation to the motorcycle engine, therefore, refers to a blast or combustion which is produced as a result of running an internal combustion engine that occurs either in the air intake or in the exhaust of your motorcycle.
Q: What causes a motorcycle to backfire?
The main cause of a motorcycle backfire is a malfunction in the emission system of the engine, which results in leakage in the exhaust. This causes the engine to run either rich or lean. It runs rich when there is more fuel than air present in the engine, and runs lean when there is more air than fuel present.
Q: What are some ways to prevent a motorcycle from backfiring?
The main cause of a motorcycle backfire is a malfunction in the emission system of the engine, which results in leakage in the exhaust. This causes the engine to run either rich or lean. It runs rich when there is more fuel than air present in the engine, and runs lean when there is more air than fuel present.
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