I'm stumped on this one
12-26-2013, 06:33 PM
#1
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 40
I'm stumped on this one
What's up guys? I have a serious (MAYBE NOT TO MANY OF YOU EXPERTS) issue that I can't figure out.
About 2 month ago, my bike would simply stall on me while riding at FREEWAY speeds. I had enough juice to get off the freeway and make it to safety. What I would notice is that the CLOCK would RESET itself to zero:zero every time this happened. So after taking the bike apart slightly, I saw that the + battery terminal was super loose. So I tightened and cleaned the hell out of it. After this, I had no more issues till......TONIGHT! So i'm riding tonight and the bike starts to lag and feel and sound like only 1 cylinder is working. The bike stalls as I pull over. I then wait about 4 minutes and turn the key to start and notice that the clock is current and correct. I then remove the seat, check the battery and notice that BOTH terminals are super tight unlike last time. So the battery so far is not the issue (maybe...maybe not). Once I start the bike, it still seems like its either SERIOUSLY starved for gas or only 1 cylinder works. I'm about 4 miles from home and I keep it in 1st gear and coast towards home. After a while, it stalls again and dies. I then wait another 6-9 minutes and restart the bike. It starts quickly but still sounds weird. I move down the road again while in 1st gear but the bike is seriously sounding like crap and not running right in the least. So this time, the bike stalls again but I wait about 10-15 minutes before attempting to restart. After this, the bike starts up just friggin fine and I can tell both cylinders are firing like normal. I then drive home like nothing ever happened and pop a wheelie or two in first gear. ITS PULLIN HARD!
Before all this happened, I did fill my bike up to the rim but that has never been an issue. YES, THE BIKE IS MODDED WITH ALL THE GOODIES BUT I've been running with the goodies for about 6+ months with absolutely no problems. This problem is very new and not related I think...
The bike also restarts when it stalls just fine and it doesn't seem like the battery is the culprit. Its almost like the fuel lines are clogged or something then all of a sudden after about 30 minutes, they clear....lol!
Ok, so i'm thinking its ELECTRICAL somehow. Has anyone ever experienced this? Could the coils be going bad or something?
I'm lost guys....................
About 2 month ago, my bike would simply stall on me while riding at FREEWAY speeds. I had enough juice to get off the freeway and make it to safety. What I would notice is that the CLOCK would RESET itself to zero:zero every time this happened. So after taking the bike apart slightly, I saw that the + battery terminal was super loose. So I tightened and cleaned the hell out of it. After this, I had no more issues till......TONIGHT! So i'm riding tonight and the bike starts to lag and feel and sound like only 1 cylinder is working. The bike stalls as I pull over. I then wait about 4 minutes and turn the key to start and notice that the clock is current and correct. I then remove the seat, check the battery and notice that BOTH terminals are super tight unlike last time. So the battery so far is not the issue (maybe...maybe not). Once I start the bike, it still seems like its either SERIOUSLY starved for gas or only 1 cylinder works. I'm about 4 miles from home and I keep it in 1st gear and coast towards home. After a while, it stalls again and dies. I then wait another 6-9 minutes and restart the bike. It starts quickly but still sounds weird. I move down the road again while in 1st gear but the bike is seriously sounding like crap and not running right in the least. So this time, the bike stalls again but I wait about 10-15 minutes before attempting to restart. After this, the bike starts up just friggin fine and I can tell both cylinders are firing like normal. I then drive home like nothing ever happened and pop a wheelie or two in first gear. ITS PULLIN HARD!
Before all this happened, I did fill my bike up to the rim but that has never been an issue. YES, THE BIKE IS MODDED WITH ALL THE GOODIES BUT I've been running with the goodies for about 6+ months with absolutely no problems. This problem is very new and not related I think...
The bike also restarts when it stalls just fine and it doesn't seem like the battery is the culprit. Its almost like the fuel lines are clogged or something then all of a sudden after about 30 minutes, they clear....lol!
Ok, so i'm thinking its ELECTRICAL somehow. Has anyone ever experienced this? Could the coils be going bad or something?
I'm lost guys....................
12-26-2013, 06:51 PM
#2
Member
Squid
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Victoria, Australia (Bottom south east corner)
Posts: 67
I'd be putting a multi meter across the terminals to check the R/R is putting out what it should when its hot. Sounds like something is resetting when it cools off a little.
But............... it could be lots of things including contaminated fuel.
But............... it could be lots of things including contaminated fuel.
12-26-2013, 07:50 PM
#4
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 40
KCCO and others. The Carbs are FRESHLY synced to the T's. The petcock diaphragm was just taken apart less than a month ago and it was in SUPER shape. It was very pliable and shiny and clean. I also dropped the filter on the petcock and it had not one single particle that was visible to the naked eye. I also checked the vacuum line tonight while it was running and it had plenty of suction to fuel the petcock. At least it appeared to.
The symptom kinda reminds me of cutting "off" the petcock and running the engine till it dies. But the petcock obviously is in the full ON position and has been for many rides.
The bike is a 2003 and has the RIBBED R/R. So what are the symptons again of a bad R/R?
The symptom kinda reminds me of cutting "off" the petcock and running the engine till it dies. But the petcock obviously is in the full ON position and has been for many rides.
The bike is a 2003 and has the RIBBED R/R. So what are the symptons again of a bad R/R?
12-26-2013, 07:59 PM
#5
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,869
Sounds to me like vapor lock. This usually takes two things to happen: A very full tank and/or a plugged tank vent line. The plugged line can be from as simple of a thing as just riding in the rain (water gets in it) or a kinked vent hose. What happens is if vent that allows for air into the tank isn't working, then fuel can't flow out correctly. Filling all the way to the brim or past the brim can plug the line as well.
So, what I would do is IF it happens again, pop the fuel cap and see if it runs better. If it runs better, that's your problem. If not, move on to the next item
In the meantime, I would definitely check that the battery is getting the correct charge as per the manual, but it sounds like that's not the problem.
So, what I would do is IF it happens again, pop the fuel cap and see if it runs better. If it runs better, that's your problem. If not, move on to the next item
In the meantime, I would definitely check that the battery is getting the correct charge as per the manual, but it sounds like that's not the problem.
12-26-2013, 08:50 PM
#6
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 5,033
I agree about the vapor lock. It can come in many forms but for sure is common to these bikes. Check all vents for clogs. If it re-occurs, open the gas cap then close it. This fixing it will verify vapor lock.
12-26-2013, 09:22 PM
#7
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 40
7more and smokingjoe,
As a matter of fact, I did actually pull over after it stalled under a street light and popped the gas cap. Once I turned the ignition ON, I did notice that gas indicator bars were one bar low. I thought this to be weird cause I just filled up only about 4 miles ago. This was the last stall also before the bike ran just fine and I made it home. I forgot to mention earlier that I did open the gas cap and voila, the bike ran fine. Once it ran fine, I also noticed a weird "CHIRP" noise coming from somewhere down over the engine. And when all this started months ago, I was riding in the rain and then the rain cleared up a bit but the bike by then had started stalling....hhhmmmmmmmmmm!
Anyways, a question, is it common for vapor lock to all of a sudden HAPPEN even though it never had even though I fill my gas tank to the brim all the time for many moons now? Or is it PROBABLY due to me riding in the rain a while ago and never checking my vents after the rainy ride?
Man, this is why I simply DON'T ride my bike in any sort of rain. I broke my one major rule after all these years...............
As a matter of fact, I did actually pull over after it stalled under a street light and popped the gas cap. Once I turned the ignition ON, I did notice that gas indicator bars were one bar low. I thought this to be weird cause I just filled up only about 4 miles ago. This was the last stall also before the bike ran just fine and I made it home. I forgot to mention earlier that I did open the gas cap and voila, the bike ran fine. Once it ran fine, I also noticed a weird "CHIRP" noise coming from somewhere down over the engine. And when all this started months ago, I was riding in the rain and then the rain cleared up a bit but the bike by then had started stalling....hhhmmmmmmmmmm!
Anyways, a question, is it common for vapor lock to all of a sudden HAPPEN even though it never had even though I fill my gas tank to the brim all the time for many moons now? Or is it PROBABLY due to me riding in the rain a while ago and never checking my vents after the rainy ride?
Man, this is why I simply DON'T ride my bike in any sort of rain. I broke my one major rule after all these years...............
12-27-2013, 01:57 AM
#8
Senior Member
SuperBike
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Essex, UK
Posts: 1,707
Best to fill it to the bar visible in the petrol cap - higher up it can block the overflow / breather. this connects to the hose that runs from the base of the tank to the front of the bike near the belly pan. Do you have an aftermarket belly pan as they can fill with water into which the breather sits causing fuel flow lock to happen. A remedy is to trim the hose end at an angle .
Also check the cam cover recess where the spark plug goes into as this can fill with water - Make sure the drain hole isn't blocked. I use silcone grease smothered on the rubber plug cap to keep it waterproof.
Also check the cam cover recess where the spark plug goes into as this can fill with water - Make sure the drain hole isn't blocked. I use silcone grease smothered on the rubber plug cap to keep it waterproof.
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