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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Bike left us stranded
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Message started by Savage_Amusement on 08/25/08 at 06:26:31

Title: Bike left us stranded
Post by Savage_Amusement on 08/25/08 at 06:26:31

Last night on our way home from my Grandparents house the bike just died like it was out of gas, so I switched to reserve as always. Well it only chugged and lagged and puffed and died. I pulled over to the side of the road and tried to get it to start, nothing. It will crank and crank and crank and crank, if I held the throttle about half open it would chug and puff and pregnant dog and moan then die. Bike ONLY has just under 7k on it. I am hoping that one of my jets fell out or got clogged, it was on a VERY dark road and dead center between my Dad's and my Grandparents... 22 miles from both. A cop stopped and chatted with us for awhile and he was really cool about everything. So my Dad got there and we loaded it up on the trailer and its in the garage. I live 10-12 miles from him so I can't mess with it until I'm over there later on. I'm just wondering if you guys have any ideas. thanks

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by doc5446 on 08/25/08 at 09:07:17

If I run out before switching to reserve, I have to switch to prime first or she wont start. Fire it up in prime, and when she starts, switch to fuel(if you already added fuel).

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by T Mack 1 on 08/25/08 at 09:34:07

Aaaaaaa...... do you change your oil regularly?????

I pray you only have a fuel petcock issue and you don't have same issue the previous owner of my bike did. Your story matches his to a T.

He was running home from work on the interstate (I-90 Eire PA). The bike felt like it was running out of gas. He switched to reserve and it ran for a second or two then died. He coasted to the side of the highway. When he took it to a shop to get fixed, they found a bad piston (melted) ..... The PO wasn't a "get your hands dirty" type, so bike wasn't cost effecttive to fix. I got it cheap on ebay. OS piston, a used head, gaskets and a timing chain for safe measure and I got a nice clean bike.

So, the first thing you need to do is is see if the bike wil start on PRI (prime).

If not, get yourself a compression checker (borrow, rent, buy???) and test compression.

Report back please.....

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by Savage_Amusement on 08/25/08 at 12:17:21

I had tried to get the bike to start on prime, and reserve. If I held the throttle open about half way it would run, just not very well. Making me think something is clogging one of the pilots or one of them fell out or something like that. I didn't have time to mess with it today unfort, so I hope to get to it in the next few days. I don't think the piston melted because the bike has fresh oil in it, it was 70 degrees last night and the bike has been rejetted.

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by mick on 08/25/08 at 15:22:07

sounds like sticky valves to me? I don't think it's jets falling out ,unlikely.

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/25/08 at 17:22:25

I'd look at the gas in the bowl. Doesnt tyake much to do, is cheap & a fine diagnostic tool. You will know IF thers gas in the bowl & IF that gas is full of crap, both are good to know.

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by Savage_Amusement on 08/25/08 at 18:30:24

Also when I was standing next to the bike after I gave up all hope of it running right it smelled pretty gassy. I'll let you guys know what I find out.

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by Digger on 08/25/08 at 19:49:01

Savage-A,

One thing I'd check before diving in too deeply is the vacuum line to the petcock. Pull it off and cop a sniff.

It should not even have a faint odor of gasoline. If it does, that means the vacuum line was dumping raw gas into the intake manifold.

Good luck!

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by Just learning on 08/26/08 at 03:26:51

well i am jus learning how to ride so i cant help you. sorry :)

I own a just got me a 1987 suzuki savage and i am already having problems with the key and the starter all i payed for it though is $500 so it has some problems with it :(

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by LANCER on 08/26/08 at 03:53:35

644855494255545348554214171717270 wrote:

I think you are on the right track here. It runs, though poorly, which indicates a high probability that the carb is clogged.
You are going to have to take it off and take it apart to clean it out & blow it out. It is not difficult, just take your time and lay everything out in the order it came out and assemble in reverse after cleaning.

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by Savage_Amusement on 08/27/08 at 08:35:05

Well I was right from the start, my Pilot jet fell out into the bowl. Put that back in and made sure it was tighter this time and it took off and ran.

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/27/08 at 11:03:58

It's not often I actually laugh out loud,, but that one got me..

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by Crotchrocket on 08/27/08 at 14:35:26

That's a new one. New indeed. Makes me wonder just what else could happen to a bike...

Title: Re: Bike left us stranded
Post by Savage_Amusement on 08/27/08 at 19:14:01

Well thankfully the way its all designed they just fall to the bottom and sit there. I have to put a 4mm allen wrench in my tool bag in case if happens again I can open the fuel bowl.