I drilled out the screw cover today and discovered the air mixture screw was turned all the way in.  Is that the way '98's came, or was that a dealer screwup? I adjusted it 1 1/2 turns out, and it does seem to run better.  btw, the header pipe was very blue at the head when I bought it and turns yellow after the bend toward the muffler - this tells me it is running rich, but maybe thats just par for the course with these bikes.  any thoughts?

erikrichard wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:03:


The header will get a nice golden color under a proper mix.  If it turns blue then it is too lean and a little hot (not rich).  The fact that the screw was all the way in is part of it, BUT that was set at the factory....so what did the previous owner do to modify the engine?  Or did the previous owner run it hot in some way?  Long idles or lots of slow traffic in the summer.

Adjusting it out was good and probably helped the backfires a bit too.....but you didn't mention if everything is stock.....that is usually the key.

Usually when the people try to drill-out the plug, they touch the scrw with the tip of the drill bit and turn the pilot screw in. This creates the impression that the screw has been almost all the way in.

Wow, thanks for the info, I thought blueing meant rich.  That really suprises me, as I live near Denver - since the air is leaner that usually causes a rich condition.  I am sure my drill didnt turn the screw, as it has an electric brake and I was very carefull.  Plus, I had to change the idle after I backed it out.
Bike is totally stock, 5k on it.

erikrichard wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:03:


Yep, and now your backfires will be fewer.  And even with the stock pipe you can follow rkutzner's advice and change the main and the spacer.  Then you'll see a real difference.

erikrichard wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:04:


I'm still trying to understand why people want to put a Sporty muffler on a Savage.  Not because of a dislike for HD, but because of the design....we have a single cylinder 650 and a dual exhaust Harley 883 or 1200 is using a muffler designed for the flow from either a 440 or 600 size cylinder.  To me, that sounds like a step backwards in flow, unless you start pulling out the guts....and if you're gonna do that, why not just do it to the stock Savage pipe?  You'll save all that mounting and clamping work too.

I had the same concern, BUT the results show different. It is not the fact that HD exhaust is the best - You can get a ton of better pipes. Simply the original Suzuki muffler sucks. Just take a look at the small diameter of the back and compare it with the Sportster one. Listen at the wistling sound of the original pipe and decide do You like it. I don't. The fact that the HD exhaust is louder tells You that it slows down the gases less. I don't want to go into the size of the expantion chamber or into the lenght of the exhaust, because I haven't done any calculations. In my expirience the Sportster exhaust is lighter, cheaper and makes the bike run and sound better

Because the aftermarket Savage spec mufflers are also junk? I've seen and heard the Jardine up close...pass...cheaper made than the stocker. I've seen and heard the Supertrapp, nice looking, tunable, seems to have a problem with the guts falling out though. JC Whitless and such? Tried it, they're junk. MAC? No experience with, ditto the Raask, but both seem okay per Max in Moses Lake.

The piglet muffler is inexpensive, lasts a disproportionately long time, holds its chrome well, sounds good, and flows like mad. There are two sizes, for an otherwise stock bike, get the small center hole, for a modofied carb, get the large center hole, also known as a Screaming Eagle upgrade. Still fairly inexpensive, flows too much for stock Mikuni B40 jetting.

Simple economics (wretchonomics?).
-WD