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Message started by ALittlebird on 08/10/08 at 04:11:55

Title: Should have been a nice day
Post by ALittlebird on 08/10/08 at 04:11:55

Well it cooled off here and was a beautiful day to ride. I had to go about 30 or so miles out to teach a class and it just about turned in to a nightmare.

Loaded up Sadie to head out yesterday morning. Started her up easily. no throttle. She hummed fine and we took off. About 2 miles down the road I started to slow to get on the ramp for the interstate. She quits in the turn. Started back up again and got on the interstate. Ran 2 miles at 55 mph then have to get on 65 south. The cloverleaf there is a sharp banked turn so the speed is 35. Always busy and full of cars.

Start around the turn slowing slightly and bam, she quits. Getting used to this starting on the fly particularly with cars on my butt! Get on 65 and I now have about 25 miles or so of interstate at 65 mph. Fine. Hit the off ramp to Clermont and fine. Get to the stoplight at the top of the ramp, fine. Left turn to Clermont, fine. Yay!

Right turn into Bernheim and she quits. I coast up to the guard house. Say hi - motorcycles are free, cars are not - eventually get it started. Go to first stop sign about 100 yards ahead, quits, turn right, quits, pull in to lot quits. Fine I'm here now.

It doesn't end. Put the kick stand down. Now usually as I get off I keep my left foot pushed against the kickstand just in case. Did I do that? Noooo, Of course not. Bike rolls forwards slightly, kickstand retracts and bike slowly go over. Moronic. Get it back up again, make sure it isn't going anywhere and go teach.

At the end of the afternoon I wonder of course if I am going to get home easily. Get on and find that on falling over even though I supported the fall, the clutch lever is now bent slightly so my small hands have an even worse time pulling it in. Sheeshh.

Bike starts fine, gets home fine with no quiting or hesitation.

What is going on? I can go on a 2000 mile trip with no problems except an o ring, come home and she's not happy. And of course according to the mechanic there is nothing wrong. Guess I'll have to take the carb apart to see if the diaphragm is going.

Although it might be the throttle tube they broke before my trip? I had to readjust the leather grips the other day and found a really strange looking throttle - turns out when they broke mine the mechanic put on his extra HD one. It looks like some gopher chewed it. I've been waiting for my replacement since the middle of June now. >:(

Staying home today. Have too much work to do and it looks like it's going to rain.

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/10/08 at 05:52:24

I have so much slack in the clutch adjuster I flip the lever away when I am done with it. My hands arent small, I just dont see any reason to work these arthritic fingers more than necessary, so I make it easy on me. Just as long as there isnt enough slack to allow the cable to get in a bind in the pivot area, or, adjust slack in & put something in the pivot area to hold the lever in toward the handlebars. As long as the clutch will kick out all the way in first, so you can be stopped, idling, in gear, its good.

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by Reelthing on 08/10/08 at 07:39:31

111C3924243C3532392234500 wrote:

Left turn to Clermont, fine. Yay!

Right turn into Bernheim and she quits.

Guess I'll have to take the carb apart to see if the diaphragm is going.

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by bill67 on 08/10/08 at 07:49:48

Littlebird maybe you idle is set to slow.

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 08/10/08 at 08:09:40

I'm kind of stumped on the stalling. I wondered if the direction of the turn was indicative of something as well, but I can't figure out why it would be.

As for the toppled bike, I have taken to leaving it in gear when I park it. I'd rather go through one more step on start up than have to pick the bike up off the pavement.

Bill's suggestion of a low idle speed certainly has merit. Crank it up a little bit and see how it affects things.

QUESTION: You mentioned starting up on the fly. What steps are you having to take to get the bike running again when you're moving? Or even when you've rolled to a stop, for that matter?

EDIT: I have forgotten what all you have done to the bike in hunting down this problem, but it sounds like it always quits at low throttle, i.e: when the pilot jet is doing its thing. Can there be an intermittent pilot jet problem? One of the carb gurus will know. Perhaps a flake of crud that floats over the hole once in awhile, or is loosely attached to the bottom of the jet and flapping around in there? My grandpa once had a problem with intermittent fuel starvation in a Chevy pickup. He finally pulled the tank and found a piece of an apple crate at the bottom. It would get sucked down over the tank outlet and cut off fuel. When the suction was reduced, it would float away and let fuel flow again.

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by ALittlebird on 08/10/08 at 09:20:26

5D6A6A637B676661680F0 wrote:

[quote author=111C3924243C3532392234500 link=1218366715/0#0 date=1218366715]

Left turn to Clermont, fine. Yay!

Right turn into Bernheim and she quits.

Guess I'll have to take the carb apart to see if the diaphragm is going.

Bernheim Forest! - many ill guided afternoons spent in that place - 3 small lakes stacked to feed water to each other - with enough bluegill to entertain a person - the best crappie fishing I ever saw was at the small lake in front on the Jim Beam distillery across the street - small fish but you could sure catch more than you want. Fine area.

wonder if the right hand turns are a clue or just happen stance - sure wound hurt to check the float level - just put a small piece of clear fuel tube on the carb drain turned upward and see where the level is

[/quote]

There were guys fishing yesterday. Don't know that they caught anything. And quite a bit of Jim Beam burned not too long ago. Thingsa are a changin' out there.

What level am I looking for in the float? I can pick up fuel line this afternoon and give it a try.

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by ALittlebird on 08/10/08 at 09:21:13

404B4E4E1415220 wrote:

Littlebird maybe you idle is set to slow.

I turned it up higher last week when this started again. Didn't see to make much of a difference although the mechanic said it sounded better. :o

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by ALittlebird on 08/10/08 at 09:26:03

656362607D7B60610F0 wrote:

Well hopefully there isn't apple crate in there but it does make sense.

I also seem to do a lot of right hand turns. Hummm. I was wondering about the coincidence myself. Guess I'd better go drive around in a counterclockwise fashion this afternoon and see if I can make it happen.

When she dies I hit the starter button. But I also have to give it throttle or I'm stuck in traffic surrounded by a bunch of large ford pickups driven by guys with no patience.

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 08/10/08 at 09:49:35

There are so many others in here that know so much more than I do...
Hopefully they will chime in and solve this for you.

Things I would try if this were my bike:
1) When it quits, but is still rolling, leave it in gear (maybe downshift to get the RPMs up a little) and give it a little gas (possibly choke it a click instead of throttle) and see if it starts back up.

2) Drop the bowl off the carb, pull the pilot jet, and clean it. FIRST SEE IF IT APPEARS PLUGGED. If it's already clean, cleaning it won't hurt, but you don't want to put the bowl back on thinking you cured the problem if that wasn't the problem in the first place.

3) PM one of the guys that really knows this stuff and stop listening to that ignorant wood butcher in Montana. There are many of them here, but Lancer and Savage Greg do this stuff every day. I'd see if they have an idea for you.

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by serowbot on 08/10/08 at 10:49:10

I was having an intermittent cut-out problem a while ago, and it turned out to be the clutch lever/safety ignition cut-out. Try un-plugging and replugging that 2-wire connector that goes to your clutch lever. That will clean the contacts there.
Sounds like an electrical problem, because you don't mention any sputtering, just abruptly cutting out. There is also, a safety switch at the kickstand, and the shutoff switch on the right by the throttle. Any of these could have dirty or moist contacts.

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by ALittlebird on 08/10/08 at 10:52:49

NO it doesn't sputter just gracefully and quietly quits. great suggestions! I'll have a look. Thanks!!!!

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by FreeSpirit on 08/10/08 at 11:01:01

Didnt I mention an electrical problem a while back on this,uh huh :)

Sounds like the same problem. ::)

Only cutting out/off at times. :)

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by serowbot on 08/10/08 at 11:03:32

It can be tough to know when you've solved it with an intermittent problem. You just have to ride around wondering, did I get it? Or is it gonna' get me again on the next corner?
Best of luck.. be safe

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by ALittlebird on 08/10/08 at 11:04:53

You probably did but then my ex showed up wanting to get back together and the brain fogged. You understand.

Plus I keep hoping the mechanic will figure it out. :(

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by ALittlebird on 08/10/08 at 11:06:34

7B6D7A677F6A677C080 wrote:

I just went to Autozone/Home depot to get clear plastic tubing to do what Reelthing said and it ran fine.

I think she wants to leave Kentucky. :)

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by FreeSpirit on 08/10/08 at 11:10:36

404D6875756D6463687365010 wrote:

[quote author=7B6D7A677F6A677C080 link=1218366715/0#12 date=1218391412]It can be tough to know when you've solved it with an intermittent problem. You just have to ride around wondering, did I get it? Or is it gonna' get me again on the next corner?
Best of luck.. be safe

I just went to Autozone/Home depot to get clear plastic tubing to do what Reelthing said and it ran fine.

I think she wants to leave Kentucky. :)[/quote]

You know,I was thinking the same thing!! It seems you only have a problem while in Kentucky :)

And yes,I was just cutting up, that no one pays attention to my ideas....but I do understand about ex's also ::) :)

One day you will have such a feel/sense for your bike that you'll trust yourself before a mechanic...those will be Happy Days :)
I dont trust mechanics too much now....they leave you hanging....kinda like a ex-husband...LOL....I think I need coffee :)

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by ALittlebird on 08/10/08 at 12:31:26

0D3A3A332B373631385F0 wrote:

Bernheim Forest! - many ill guided afternoons spent in that place - 3 small lakes stacked to feed water to each other - with enough bluegill to entertain a person - the best crappie fishing I ever saw was at the small lake in front on the Jim Beam distillery across the street - small fish but you could sure catch more than you want. Fine area.

wonder if the right hand turns are a clue or just happen stance - sure wound hurt to check the float level - just put a small piece of clear fuel tube on the carb drain turned upward and see where the level is

[/quote]

Got the tube. Do I need to turn it to prime to check this?

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by Reelthing on 08/10/08 at 14:08:47

get the bike level and vertical as you can - switch to pri, loop the clear hose from the drain to some place above the carb - I'm away from the bikes and books - but the level should be just a little bit lower than the bowl gasket 1/4" or so - believe the clymers and the Suzuki shop manual - both list the fuel height.

so can you make it happen going in clockwise circles?

Title: Re: Should have been a nice day
Post by ALittlebird on 08/10/08 at 14:20:07

6057575E465A5B5C55320 wrote:

So far no. Should have been a lefty I guess. I'll go out and check the level.

Found the level amount in the Clymers. 26.95-28.95mm Not quite sure how to measure that but I find a measuring tape and see if I can get it to work. Back in a bit.