Hard start,low idle, stall

[gringostarr]

2007 Nomad. 42,000 miles. Original battery, no fuel or air mods.
Sometimes takes 2 or 3 tries to start. Idle is real low. Runs smooth down the road. Today, stalled out as I was down shifting to make a turn on the highway. Held in clutch and hit start and was fine. Never did that before. Is it time for a new battery? Hope it's that simple.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Might want to take off the air cleaner and clean out the throttle body. Spay a good card type cleaner inside it and use a tooth brush to clean the butterflies and everything inside it. That could be your problem

[jandreu]

Most likely you are running very lean. The problems you are describing are standard issues with these bikes. You say this just started? How long have you had the bike? Could be as Gene said, clean the throttle bodies if you've had the bike awhile and this just started.

A $200 investment in a fuel processor will make your Nomad run much better.

[redjay]

Have you tried to increase the idle with the knob that is below and to the left of the right side dog bowl ?

As stated, an aftermarket fuel processor is the best way to cure the stalling and shifting problems (gasping) associated with the 1600 Nomads.

[jandreu]

redjay...there you go looking at the trees when I was was straining to see the forest.

[ringadingh]

Id clean the throttle body with a toothbrush and carb cleaner first. Raising the idle isn't the solution to the problem if it used to idle fine before. A good cleaning will most likely bring it back to where it should be.

[macmac]

In no way is this a part of your problem, but at 42,000 have you ckecked the timing chain adjusters? I agree the throttle body needs cleaned with a SEAFOAM or other good carb cleaner treatment and with a brush. Watch out the brush doesn't melt from these chems. A wooden brush with animal hairs will last longest, but a common plastic brush will work once or twice.

[cactusjack]

I concur with Ring, clean your throttle body thoroughly before you go messing with the idle adjustment knob. Take off your right side dog dish and use seafoam or Berryman Chemtool spray and a brush. Clean the bores and both sides of the butterfly plates. That ought to increase your idle.

[skeeter]

I use cotton swabs doubled over an stuffed in the end of a straw. If you can find them, swabs with long wood handles work better. disposable society I know. A little Seafoam thru the tank wouldn't hurt. Having problems with mine again and am utilizing the throttle advance.

[leadbelly]

I know you used to be able to pick up long wooden swabs with a foam tip, used for cleaning tape deck heads at RadioShack, (ahh... remember the days of tape decks). I haven't checked latley but it could be a possible source. Foam doesn't leave any little bits and fibers behind.
Guess a guy could use bits of foam air filter material wraped around a straw also.

[gringostarr]

Got some cleaner and a toothbrush and gave it a scrub. It was reeeealll dirty. I didn't get a chance to check it right after I cleaned it. So,this morning I went out to go to work and a cold front had come in. Down to the 40s. This should be a good test. Anyway...hit it once, started right up. Idle is back where it ought to be. I'll take some swabs to it, when I get a chance. Do the seafoam thing too.
This is the place to go to before you go anywhere else. Might just save yourself some time, trouble & $.
Thank ya'll for your help.

[ringadingh]

Its amazing how much of that black crud is in there, mine is due for a good scrubbing very soon as well.
Its good to see you got it sorted out Gringo.

[cactusjack]

When I first bought my '07 Nomad, I naively purchased a service plan from the dealer. I'd had the bike about 25,000 and every time I'd gone in for a oil change, the mechanic said my idle was low and he'd bumped it up. Someone here posted about cleaning the throttle body, so I tried it. It must have been idling about 1500 RPM after that. The mechanic had been jacking up the idle, fixing the symptom, but not the problem - which was a dirty intake. That's when I decided to stop visiting the dealer and do my own work.