SuzukiSavage.com - Engine just died

janeforbes

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Engine just died
09/13/05 at 05:43:28

I am brand new to this site, just registered. I have a 1995 Savage which I love. Just had the carb cleaned because it was hesitating and backfires. Runs better now ,BUT, this weekend i had been riding for only about 20 minutes, had gas, and the engine just died on the highway going about 65mph. Pulled over and it started up an ran OK. Did it 2 more times on the way home.
No sputtering at all, just dies. Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks for your help!

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Savage_Rob

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Re: Engine just died
Reply #1 - 09/13/05 at 05:53:17

First, welcome to the forum!

Next, a few questions to hopefully help others help you...

Is the bike stock?
If not, what functional mods have been made to the bike?
How long have you had the bike?
How was it running before the carb was cleaned?
Had you recently added gas and was it from a place you normally get gas?

Anyone else have some pertinent questions, please add 'em. Let's see if we can start off with info instead of playing the guess/question/guess/question game.

With the note about no sputtering, I am inclined to lean toward an intermittent electrical issue but I'd hate to jump to conclusions.

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LANCER Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Savage Beast Performance Parts Posts: 10676 Oklahoma Gender:	Re: Engine just died Reply #2 - 09/13/05 at 06:40:10 Sounds like the source of the problem is electircal......look for loose wires & connectors that would break their contacts, or worn insulation on wires that would cause a short.
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janeforbes

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Re: Engine just died
Reply #3 - 09/13/05 at 08:48:23

Thanks for the suggestions, I will check out the elect. connections.

The bike is stock. Is a 1995 that has only 2000 miles on it. I bought it about 3 months ago. had been sitting in a garage for a long while .
Before the carb was cleaned it ran very rough- hesitated and back fired. Carb jets where clogged and they said heavy varnish in the carb. Same gas that I alwasy buy. Does run much smoother now. Why would it start right back up again after it died?

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gandalph40

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Re: Engine just died
Reply #4 - 09/13/05 at 08:57:34

Check the electrics first. If not that, you might have a crack in the fuel line going from the petc0ck to the carb...just enough leakage to cause it to occasionally lose the vacuum and hence have no fuel. If it was sitting up for a while, it would be worth it to check. Could also conceivably be the petc0ck itself going bad.

Welcome to the board!

Tom

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GaThumper

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Powder Springs, GA USA
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Re: Engine just died
Reply #5 - 09/13/05 at 14:47:47

If it's not sputtering, then there is a good chance it's electrical. One thing to check is the kill switch on the side stand. Vibrations and bumps could be shaking the side stand enough to kill the ignition. It shouldn't do it, but it is worth checking. You can check & clean the kill switch on the handlebars as well and also remove your seat and check all the connections there.

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Ed L. Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline "We All go a Little Crazy Sometimes" Norman Bates Posts: 2808 Sunny Florida Gender:	sits. Re: Engine just died Reply #6 - 09/13/05 at 15:23:42 When riding check where your left foot sits. I was hitting the kick stand with my heel and shutting off my bike (You know what they say about big feet ). First time it happened I didn't have a clue, took half the electrical apart trouble shooting till I read a post about the same thing happening to another rider. Luck with it
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Dynobob

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Re: Engine just died
Reply #7 - 09/13/05 at 21:28:00

Welcome to the forum

Check the cable connections to your battery. Make sure they're tight and clean.

The petc0ck has been known to give people trouble. When the bike starts acting weird turn the petc0ck to "Prime" and see if the problem vanishes. If it does, your petc0ck is bad.

The other thing that comes to mind is the gas cap vent. Since the gas had time to varnish, the vent might be plugged up. When it's acting weird, loosen or remove the cap and see if it alleviates the problem. If you hear a rush of air from a vacuum when you loosen the cap, it is stopped up.

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janeforbes Junior Member 2005 No Login Offline Jump & ride! Posts: 57 South Florida Gender:	Re: Engine just died Reply #8 - 09/14/05 at 04:32:10 Thanks to all of your for your suggestions. This is an awesome site!! I will check the easy stuff first, before I take the seat off again. Will keep you posted. Jane
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janeforbes Junior Member 2005 No Login Offline Jump & ride! Posts: 57 South Florida Gender:	Re: Engine just died Reply #9 - 09/14/05 at 04:51:19 I forgot to ask. What is the purpose of the prime, what does it do?, when do you use it? I can't find it described in my manual. Not very mechanically inclined. Thanks
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Reelthing

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Re: Engine just died
Reply #10 - 09/14/05 at 05:04:29

Welcome. The seat is very easy to remove - two bolts and this will give you access to the problem connectors to check.

Normal operation of the petc0ck in on or res requires vacuum from the engine to let any fuel flow - pri is a bypass for this vacuum operation and let's gas free flow from the tank engine running or not - so you depend on the float in the carb to shut off the flow - but if that float sticks open or the needle valve seat it closes has a problem you free flow gas everywhere.

It's purpose is to fill the carb if you have run out of gas, or drained it, or the bike has been setting a long time, or to trouble shoot the petc0ck's operation

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Savage_Rob

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Re: Engine just died
Reply #11 - 09/14/05 at 06:10:22

janeforbes wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:09:

I forgot to ask. What is the purpose of the prime, what does it do?, when do you use it?
I can't find it described in my manual.

Not very mechanically inclined.
Thanks

Reelthing already answered most of this but I thought I'd add that the main operational difference between On and Prime is that On uses vacuum to facilitate flow while Prime is basically a gravity feed. That way, On requires the engine to be running for continuous flow. It basically keeps it from flooding the carb (and possibly overflowing) while not running.

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GaThumper

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Re: Engine just died
Reply #12 - 09/14/05 at 07:46:12

Dynobob wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:09:

Welcome to the forum

The petc0ck has been known to give people trouble. When the bike starts acting weird turn the petc0ck to "Prime" and see if the problem vanishes. If it does, your petc0ck is bad.

The petc0ck could be bad, but it could just be a case of a kinked vacuum line, which is what happened to me a while back. It took just a few seconds to fix once I figured out the problem.

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janeforbes Junior Member 2005 No Login Offline Jump & ride! Posts: 57 South Florida Gender:	Re: Engine just died Reply #13 - 09/14/05 at 08:06:39 thats the tubing from the petc0ck to the carb? Please excuse my ignorance.
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Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: Engine just died Reply #14 - 09/14/05 at 08:56:29 there's 2 - one comes out of the bottom of the petc0ck and pretty much goes straight down to the left side (port) of the carb this is the fuel line - the other connects into the back side of the petc0ck valve , cross over and connects to the carb on the rightside (starboard) this is the vacuum line.
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