84 700SC Idle Problem

[eveningchicken]

I have an 84 700 that I just picked up as a project bike, and it's almost ready to be back on the road except for how it idles. No matter how I seem to adjust the throttle cables or the idle speed screw between the carbs, it will not idle at a normal speed (1200 rpm?). The lowest I've gotten it is about 2200 but it's usually more like 4000. It also seems to rise in speed when it sits, too.

When you get close and inspect the throttle cables and mechanism, it seems like the home position of the spring-returned mechanism is off. I can push it farther upright with a screwdriver and it drops the idle, but I can't seem to adjust it to stay on it's own. Also, the handgrip does not return on its own after throttle changes-should it?

I've been searching the forums here and I was reading about the carburetor spring being a possible culprit, but I'm not sure how to check for this. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[TDodge7]

look up by the throttle grip and see if the cable has been adjusted all the way out up there , if so you probably can't get it turned down enough at the carbs for proper idle . The return cable is probably why your throttle doesn't snap back , I've owned far too many bikes that came from the factory with only a single throttle cable to buy into the whole "you need that return cable for safety" stuff . I remove return cables on bikes , and the handle on my nighthawk snaps back nicely now .