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Message started by twelveport on 08/13/14 at 04:16:55

Title: Bike quit running
Post by twelveport on 08/13/14 at 04:16:55

Riding home for work last night, the bike sputtered and stalled. Was able to restart, but continued to sputter. Was home soon, so knowing the tank was very low, I refilled the tank. This morning I only made it a couple of miles and had to turn back. Was watching the speedometer lights go out when it sputtered. Some sort of electrical issue? It finally got to the point that it would not restart. Driving the truck on a nice day sucks. Any ideas here? :-[

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by Oldfeller on 08/13/14 at 05:12:30

Classical symptoms of a failed vac petcock.

Follow this thread --

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1251932429/1

Be sure to fully recharge your battery with a real 1 to 2 amp battery charger before you try to do any troubleshooting.

Failing to KNOW you have a FULLY CHARGED BATTERY screws you up in all forms of troublehooting as the black box won't even fire the spark plug unless it is fully charged.

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by Serowbot on 08/13/14 at 06:59:20

Speedo light went out... that's not petcock....

Some kind of electrical short...
Did you do any maintenance work recently?... :-/...

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by twelveport on 08/13/14 at 17:09:56

I did pull the fuel tank off to replace the springs on the speedo with vaccum hose. And that little trick worked. I suppose I could pull the tank off again and find out if a wire got pinched.

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by twelveport on 08/13/14 at 17:17:55

Oldfeller, I just replaced the petcock valve with a raptor 660 last month. Like I said earlier, the lights go out when it stumbles. I pulled battery tonight after work and all the terminals seemed to be tight. May have to pull the tank again to see if any wires got pinched when I was working on the speedo.

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by Steve H on 08/13/14 at 20:34:24

Check the connectors at the front of the tank that go to the handlebar switch clusters. I had one partially come loose one time and that's what it did to me.

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by anebv8 on 08/14/14 at 00:47:14

I've had a plug on rectifer vibrate loose once...just a thought

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by Arnold on 08/14/14 at 05:54:43

I've had the positive cable on my battery get loose once, same symptoms.

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by twelveport on 08/14/14 at 18:46:08

Tonight I put it up on the lift, pulled the seats & tank. Thought I may have pinched a wire when I had the tank off working on the rattling speedo. I carefully looked all the wires over and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. When I pulled the battery, it was low on water. I had just topped the battery off last winter while I was working on it. Hard to believe it was low already after only about 3000 miles. Anyway, I tested the voltage, it was 12.59v. I drove it about a mile before it quit. Lights went out again, then came back on within a few seconds. Rode it back home and just let it idle for 1 beer, then rode about 5 miles with no stumbles. I'm kind of thinking along the lines of a battery shorting internally?

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by twelveport on 08/14/14 at 18:50:54

Now I'm just remembering leaving it on the Battery Tender all winter, wondering it that cooked all my water out of the battery?

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by Arnold on 08/14/14 at 18:58:48

Long ago I got myself a glass mat battery and never looked back, next is lithium. Get yourself a low maintenance battery and get happy :)

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by twelveport on 08/14/14 at 19:06:23

Glass mat battery? Never heard of it, but I'm listening.... Right now I'm just going to see if this water refill works and if it does then will replace battery. Not sure where to buy Glass mat or lithium battery for a MC?

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by anebv8 on 08/15/14 at 00:20:55

I have gel batteries in my bikes,can leave them parked up for a month,and they fire up with no drama,also,if the bike falls over (yes,had the once) no messy acid leaking

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by Dave on 08/15/14 at 05:00:45

2526343D2734213E2325510 wrote:

These batteries will most likely have the initials AGM on them. They have a glass mat between the lead plates that absorbs the acid. The batteries are sealed and don't have an overflow or vent tube.

Dave

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/15/14 at 07:18:40

Big Crank is a glass mat battery. Changed my riding experience. Pay attention to the battery terminals when ordering.

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by twelveport on 08/15/14 at 15:57:53

Broke down and bought a new battery tonight. The Suzuki Dealer (Brenny's) was $20.00 cheaper than AutoZone or Advance Autoparts. Anyway, it did not help at all. Quit on my 3 times in 5 minutes. I'm loading it up & taking it to the dealer tomorrow morning. I done everything I know and have tried everything you guys mentioned. I truly appreciate all the information you guys gave. :(

Oh, by the way, what is the port on the upper right side of the carb for? It has a hose attached to it, but there does not seem to be any vacuum leaks. It right above the vac port I capped when I removed the factory petcock valve.

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by Serowbot on 08/15/14 at 16:45:21

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1311197310

...it's in the Tech Section... ;D...

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by twelveport on 08/16/14 at 15:44:49

I changed the battery with a new one, it did not help one bit, quit 4 times in 5 minutes. Gave up & hauled it to the dealer today. I appreciate all the information from you guys. Thanks!

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by twelveport on 08/28/14 at 18:03:45

I got the bike back from the shop yesterday. They said they found the valves needed adjusting. I explained to them at least 3 times that the power would go out momentarily then come back on, allowing it to restart. After the mechanic took it for a test ride and had to push it back to the shop, he finally started listening to me. He found a bad connection under the rear seat. The way he explained it was "a sub-harness modular plug" had worked it self out." I had looked all over and did not see it. I'm now thinking when I was using a throw-over strap for the saddle bags between the seat and rectifier it "may" have caused the plug to work loose??? Anyway, they fixed that and after the valve adjustment, the bike has never run better.

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/29/14 at 06:42:00

Thats a good report! Good thing he hadda push it a whil;e,, thatll sure make 'em listen,,

You watch them do the valves? Yur turn is coming,,

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by runwyrlph on 08/29/14 at 07:59:28

Oh yeah, that plug! A couple years ago I stopped to help a girl that had just hit a deer with her car. Got the car pushed off the road, girl's boyfriend or brother came to get her, waved bye ...nothing ... dead bike. I got the seat off and somehow found that plug (green I think) , finally got to work about 20 min. late

funny thing was I came around the turn, saw the car with broken headlights, deer lying in the road. When I pulled off and turned off the engine with a POW! , deer got up and ran away!

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by Arnold on 08/29/14 at 12:44:49

You saved Bambi.

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by twelveport on 08/29/14 at 13:18:25

Just an ol guy, I had already bought the "O" Rings for the valve covers to adjust the lifters. Then I started having these problems and had to put it off. I told the guy at the dealer I had the "O" Rings in the saddle bag, but he did not listen to that either. So now I have an extra set. Hopefully that bike will be gone before spring comes around & I will not have to worry about it. Old grandpa needs a softer ride that has more cylinders that don't vibrate as much. LOL ;)

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by Arnold on 08/29/14 at 13:30:58

HDs have more cylinders, still paint shakers. Do you need a Goldwing? :)

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by twelveport on 08/29/14 at 16:54:58

Arnold, Thanks for the information, but like I said before, Grandpa needs a softer ride. I've been looking at the new Indian's but have not committed to the $25,000.00. So, I have also been looking at the USED HD Road King's. My Savage is a nice bike to ride around town, but the 352 lb Savage scares me on the Interstate. Just a personal thing I guess. ::)

Title: Re: Bike quit running
Post by Arnold on 08/29/14 at 17:16:01

I hear ya, I dont enjoy the highway either, no long trip for me.