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Message started by metalhead1982 on 04/13/15 at 20:57:23

Title: Won't idle
Post by metalhead1982 on 04/13/15 at 20:57:23

Greetings,

I just bought a 1997 LS650 last week. I just replaced the air filter and the petcock. I bought an Emgo stock replacement filter and a Raptor 660 petcock.

Now, I can only get the bike to start with the filter out and the air box cover off. Even then, I have to hold the throttle open to keep it steady. If I let off the throttle it dies. If I put the air box back together it won't start. Choke has little to no effect.

Anyone have any ideas?

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/13/15 at 21:16:40

Plugged the vacuum?
What did you pay for the petcock?
How many miles on the bike?

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by metalhead1982 on 04/13/15 at 21:25:39

Bike has ~15k on the clock. Yes I plugged the vacuum on the carb. The petcock was $22 from amazon and came in a yamaha box. The air filter also came from amazon and has EMGO stamped on the metal frame with the part number.

I should also add that the PO drilled the muffler, but it ran the day I brought it home. The only reason for the new petcock was that the PO told me of the loss of power at highway speeds and I had the same problem with a vac petcock on an old Suzuki GS750 that I used to have. Rather than diagnose it, I just replaced the valve.

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by verslagen1 on 04/13/15 at 21:36:26

49415045484C414540151D1C16240 wrote:

I should also add that the PO drilled the muffler, but it ran the day I brought it home.

You might have to rejet, but I think you should clean the carb 1st.

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by metalhead1982 on 04/14/15 at 17:16:16

I dumped some sea foam in the tank along with about a gallon of gas. Then I drained the carb bowl and let it refill from the tank before I wen to work.

I came home for my lunch break and tried to start it and it fired right up. It even idled relatively smoothly. I let it sit and idle for a little while and when it seemed problem free I shut it down and bolted the seat back on. The seat was in place while idling, but not bolted down.

After installing the seat, it started right up again so I decided to try a test ride. Once around the block with no problems. Tried to ride it across town to the DMV to get the papers in order and about 3/4 mile from home it died and would not start again. I had to push it back home.

After letting it sit for another few hours I tried again and it fired right up first time. Went for another short ride around the block and after about a quarter mile it died again and would not restart. It doesn't seem to be flooding, at least the air box is still dry. I'm at a loss for now?

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by Art Webb on 04/14/15 at 17:20:08

Maybe the tank vent is clogged? try taking the cap off when it stalls, see if you hear it sucking air in, and if it'll start that way

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by Dave on 04/15/15 at 02:59:59

You should pull the fuel hose of the carb, then put the hose and a container and then turn the petcock on....and confirm the petcock has good flow, and that the flow is steady.

If that checks out...then it confirms the petcock and fuel cap vent are working. If your carb has a screw on the float bowl - the place a piece of tubing over the nipple on the bottom of the carb, open the drain screw a couple turns, turn on the petcock, and once again confirm the fuel flow is steady. If the flow from the carb float bowl is not steady or just a trickle - there is a screen just above the seat for the float needle that may need to be cleaned. (The flow from the carb float bowl will be less volume than the hose from the petcock - as the fuel flows through the small hole in the needle/seat).

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by metalhead1982 on 04/23/15 at 14:24:29

Thanks for the help guys. I'm still having issues with the bike. I have been able to get the bike running and I have taken on several test rides. Today however, I rode it across town to the DMV office and I noticed a couple of odd things. It seemed that at each successive stop sign or light, the idle speed got slower and slower unless I opened the throttle to keep it going. There was a distinct smell of gas in the exhaust which tells me that it is running rich.

After I came out of the DMV, I was unable to get it started again. I have not checked in the airbox or filter yet for fuel. I just got a ride back to work and now I am posting this.

I am still new to this bike, but not carbs and engines, this sounds to me like it is flooding. Can anyone else concur?

Rich.

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by verslagen1 on 04/23/15 at 15:33:22

7F7766737E7A777376232B2A20120 wrote:

progressive richness, check float level, gas in float, and wet filter.

Title: hard to start when hot
Post by metalhead1982 on 05/09/15 at 20:03:56

I got the bike back from the shop after getting the carb cleaned out. It definitely runs a better, but it still has the same declining idle problem that I had before. As I ride the thing, at every stop, the idle gets a little slower until eventually it just dies out and won't start again until the bike sits for a while. If I hold the throttle open, it will continue running, but I don't want to idle it that fast.

After sitting for an hour or two, it fires right up and is ready to ride (for a little while).

Originally, I thought it might be a stuck float causing a flood, but now I don't know. Does anyone here have any ideas?

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by Dave on 05/11/15 at 04:30:22

Try loosening the fuel cap when the problems shows up. Maybe the vent in the fuel tank is blocked.

Is the idle speed the only place it has trouble? At cruising speed it runs fine?

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by Gary_in_NJ on 05/11/15 at 05:11:40

When I was 10 years old I was invited to ride at a friends farm. It was the first time that I was going to ride off my own property. I went through the CT-70h manual to see how to transport the bike. With everything in order we packed it into the family car. With the handle bars back into position, the fuel valve on I kick the bike over and it started right up - and we were off - and then I wasn't. The bike died and I couldn't restart it. I tried for 30 minutes to kick start it and jump start it. Frustrated and nearly in tears we decided to go home. I went through the manual again to get the bike ready for transport. When I got to the air-vent shut off and turned the handle (it was on the top of the fuel cap) there was a giant rush of air. I forgot to open the vent! The bike ran perfectly after that.

Moral of the story - the bike wont run (for long) with a clogged air vent. That might be why the problem comes and goes. After the bike sits for a while the fuel tank is able to suck in enough air to get going again. My guess is that there is a partial blockage.

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by Dave on 05/11/15 at 05:30:22

Gary:

I just had a similar situation with my Stihl weedwacker. It has run great for years, and I have already used it a couple of times this year. Last week I fueled it up, and started cutting. I got about half way around the house and it died. I started it back up and it was acting really weird. I set it down and went and got a screw driver.....and started it up and adjusted the fuel mix screws and it was running fine. Put the screw driver away, started it up and got more done and it started running fussy again...it wouldn't idle and ran poorly at higher throttle settings. I wasn't in the mood for a carb tear down so I decided to put it away and walked down to the pole barn to put it way....and I saw the gasket/vent insert for the fuel cap laying on the ground. Evidently it fell off when I put new fuel in, and the cap was not venting. I took the cap off, put the vent back in, and the trimmer ran just fine again.

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by Serowbot on 05/11/15 at 08:31:49

Sounds like a float/needle/seat issue...
Looks like you got a little cleanin' to do... ;)...

Title: Re: Won't idle
Post by Suzukisavvy on 05/12/15 at 09:25:06

if it was the float it would be rushing fuel out. hopefully just the gas cap clogged!