Bike Don't Go, I Can't Go! :(

[davidc]

Awww man, dying out occasionally at a stop, won't start at times. Runs great at speed. Pretty much narrowd it down to carburetor float problems. Had the carbs off twice for a good douching but did not examine float assembly that keenly.Could not get it fired up earlier. After much diagnosis [incluging lift carb tops and examining needles, baskests, etc.] shot a bit od fluid inot one vacuum port, capped it, vroom!
Hmmm...must be in the float assembly - not allowing sufficient fuel to get to cylinder.
Any thoughts or similar experiences?
Gotta get this straightened out soon - May 29th's almost here!!!
David

[Speedblastr]

Check inline fuel filter. Check Fuel tank Breather hose ...reaches to bottom of cycle, sometimes becomes plugged w/road debris... it's a vacuum thing until you open tank lid then it starts process over. A few things to check first.
otherwise your narrowing it down anyway, sometimes we can overlook the obvious but not always.\
e.g. wouldn't start. Sounds like a flow problem.
You can measure the floats.Check for worn needle valve tip,needle,needle jet. Proper float height. Speedmaster( Constant Velocity) from bottom bowl horizontal plane( what the bowl attaches to.) with bowls off it should measure 17mm +/- 1mm to top of float.
Perforations in the piston& air cut-off valve Diaphrams ?
Choke Plunger assly.
your looking for blockages ,worn parts etc.
hopr that helps. speed.

[TonUp]

Are you using gas with ETHANOL? Ethanol make a mess in carburetors. I had my old Suzuki and BMW carbs cleaned last year due to ethanol forming into some kind of hard jelly. I also now use a ethanol treatment from STABIL during winterization.


Floats, jets all get clogged with that ethanol crap. I also emptied my gas tank and had it cleaned. Hope a good cleaning of your carbs is all it needs. I also changed my fuel filters they were dirty. Keep us posted on what you find, we want you at the BASH! Hope this helps.

ETHANOL SUCKS!


Tito

Ton up!

[davidc]

Don't know what they put in the gas in New Jersey, but I do think it is a flow problem. Died out on the way to work this morning, would not start, waited about twenty minutes and it did start. Made it home and now I will disassemble carburetors again and closley examine the float assembly.
Thanks for the tips!

[patrol21]

The fact that your bike is running and then simply cuts out is tending me to think this may be a coil issue also. I am not sure what kind of bike you have or the age but a faulty coil will sometimes fire normally and then start cutting out once they are run for a time. Let the bike sit for a few minutes and they will run again. A fuel issue is generally constant. The vacume line on the tank is also a good option. Try running the bike with the cap loose and see if this also makes any difference. If possible, run the bike until you get failure and pull the plugs immediatly and check for spark intensity. If you see a good blue spark on each cylinder, look to the fuel....if not, coil/igniter/etc could be the issue....

I run a 1/2 can of sea foam once a month for the carbs as I have an older Tbird and the carbs are very touchy to any build up. Works well. I would also check the petcok as they are filtered and only takes a second to see if the screens are gummed up.

[Touko]

I'm with ya on the stuck float. The float is letting just enough fuel in to get the bike started and run down the road; a little keeps coming in but then the bowl runs out of fuel. Let it sit and it trickles back in there enough to get the whole process going again. Time for some spray carb cleaner and a q-tip into where the float needle valve goes. Also want to clean the pivot area for the floats themselves to make sure they move very freely. That, and everything Speed and Tito said as that gummy crap gets everywhere. Good luck and we'll see ya at the Bash.



Touko

[mark]

It could just be a tankful of bad gas -- drain and refill, and run some Seafoam or equivalent through there while you're at it. Tito's right about ethanol -- evil shit. I only buy ethanol-free gas whenever possible. Thankfully here in Vermont it's fairly plentiful, but down in New Jersey it's probably impossible to find. If I were you I would run some fuel additive -- various companies make stuff specifically designed to eliminate ethanol's damaging effects.

--mark

[davidc]

The fact that your bike is running and then simply cuts out is tending me to think this may be a coil issue also. ..

I thought that too. Bike is an '07 Bonneville, 15k miles. It died out at home and failed to start. After cranking a bit I mmediately pulled a plug and it was bone dry. Already cleaned the tank. If float seems ok I'll work through the ignition system.
I get gas pretty much at the same place for years - bike and truck - and suspect that the problem is not there.
Back out to the garage!

[gilligan]

check the squirrel condoms. The little rubber caps on the carbs and intake runners. Never had a problem myself, but others have, they get cracked or dried out and you don't get good vacum through the carbs. others could probably explain it better.

[Speedblastr]

The fact that your bike is running and then simply cuts out is tending me to think this may be a coil issue also. I am not sure what kind of bike you have or the age but a faulty coil will sometimes fire normally and then start cutting out once they are run for a time. Let the bike sit for a few minutes and they will run again. A fuel issue is generally constant. The vacume line on the tank is also a good option. Try running the bike with the cap loose and see if this also makes any difference. If possible, run the bike until you get failure and pull the plugs immediatly and check for spark intensity. If you see a good blue spark on each cylinder, look to the fuel....if not, coil/igniter/etc could be the issue....

I run a 1/2 can of sea foam once a month for the carbs as I have an older Tbird and the carbs are very touchy to any build up. Works well. I would also check the petcok as they are filtered and only takes a second to see if the screens are gummed up.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
True it is sort of intermittent , coil gets hot separates-grounds off or loses continuity.
I hope he can find the problem. Remember:A.C current from Alternator ------> Regulator/Rectifier(changes to:)-------> D.C. current to battery.
Alternator is made up of 2 parts:stator .mounted to he crankcase and rotor mounted to the end of crank.Stator: 18 coils arranged into 3 phases.
Rotor is a series of magnets mounted in the engine fly wheel which are positioned around the outside of stator coils.simply:

Engine rotation-------->Alternator produces A.C current(Voltage in 3 phases)------------>35-40 volts at 4000-5000 RPM.....this figure varies between Models.

[Hedge]

Fuck - I have heard these same symptoms on some other forum but I cannot remember shit anymore!

[Touko]

The coil can and will give those symptoms and patrol has a good quick check for it but was wondering if that bike has two coils and if so one of the cylinders should still be firing and the bike would run (like crap) but still run. Not very familiar with the electrical set-up for that bike but thought I'd toss that out there.





Touko

[davidc]

I checked the coil with an ohmeter - no resistance at the primary, 15K at the secondary, 5k at the plug wires.
Primary is supposed to be 6 ohms - read at TRN of this exact problem, open primary. Ordered a coil from newbonn and will see if that solves the problem.
Thanks, guys, for the help!
David

[Rockers CT]

Just givin you the heads up... I had this same issue and it was an electrical issue... but surprisingly it was the wire/connector to the positive on my battery.. Make sure you doulbe check the wiring on your bike.. Exact same symptoms and I was lookin in all the extreme places.. same as you.. fuel, carbs, regulator, coils... then found the frayed wire.... Problem solved with 50 cents for the connector and 20 mins elbow grease.. Good Luck

SETH

[Touko]

The good news is when ya finally do find the problem you've fixed future ones that you now won't have:-)>




Touko