SuzukiSavage.com - Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalling!

skatnbnc

Serious Thumper

Offline

Spinning Pink

Posts: 1286
New Bern NC
Gender: female

Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalling!
02/03/08 at 18:52:05

So it was warm enough to take a pleasure ride instead of the daily commute, but I had a funny thing happen on the way to the forum this afternoon.

Temps 55F, bike full of gasoline, happy trail plan to Beaufort from New Bern (three hour total roundtrip). Been starting with the choke at setting two with the cold weather and had no issues starting up or running.

Until about halfway there when I was in thrid and shifted down to 2 for a stop sign. And realized I was riding a silent motorcycle. No throttle. Hmmm. Coasted to the side and checked everything. Tried multiple times to start. Starter fine, battery fine. No turnover.

Sat for a few minutes. Tried again, and it started up sluggishly. I rode to the next gas station and filled up because I was a little low (but not major). I could find nothing else wrong.

Over the course of the day three hours of riding, the silent stall (no backfire, no pops, nothing) happened a total of four times. Each time was at a a light or stop sign. I was never in first gear, but was either downshifting or coasting (slowing) with the clutch in.

I tried various choke settings and none made any difference in getting it started back up. Each time I had to wait a minute or two before it would start.

Sooooo...my guess is the idle speed is off. Do I need to adjust the idle screw, and if so, do I set it more in or out?

Back to top

2006 LS650, HD pipe, Tkat fork brace, elkhide handgrips, badge-free zone, gel seat w/riser, silverblue, the one in FRONT of you, flying the Kings Colours

IP Logged

joebothehobo Full Member Offline Ride like a ghost. Posts: 233 Los Angeles, CA Gender:	Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli Reply #1 - 02/03/08 at 19:20:31 just throwing out ideas, maybe its a fuel delivery problem? have you tried starting in reserve after it stalls?
Back to top	'91 Suzuki GS500E '98 Subaru Outback. Robertomoe is my bro. IP Logged

Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli Reply #2 - 02/03/08 at 20:08:36 skatnbnc wrote on 02/03/08 at 18:52:05: Tried multiple times to start. Starter fine, battery fine. No turnover. what does no turnover mean ? it did not start and run or did not spin when you tied to start it?
Back to top	IP Logged

Dynobob

Serious Thumper

Offline

2003 LS650 (with
Supertrapp)

Posts: 634
Northern Virginia
Gender: male

Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli
Reply #3 - 02/03/08 at 20:13:08

skatnbnc wrote on 02/03/08 at 18:52:05:

Sooooo...my guess is the idle speed is off. Do I need to adjust the idle screw, and if so, do I set it more in or out?

That would be my guess too. There's a black plastic knurled knob on the side of the carb. Turn it clockwise to raise up the idle a bit. Adjust the slow mixture screw to get the best/strongest idle with your bike warmed up. Clockwise -> Lean. Counterclockwise -> Rich. In cool temps your bike runs leaner. I'd richen it up.

Back to top

IP Logged

verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli Reply #4 - 02/03/08 at 20:14:10 I'll side with Joe, if it runs fine in reserve or prime then you might have a vacuum leak in the petcork hose.
Back to top	Versey's Place Tech Section Index IP Logged

skatnbnc

Serious Thumper

Offline

Spinning Pink

Posts: 1286
New Bern NC
Gender: female

Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli
Reply #5 - 02/04/08 at 05:21:58

When it stalled the first time, I set it to RES because I thought I had run out of gas. But it was not empty, and on RES it still took several tries to start up.

By 'not turning over' I meant that the ignition clearly engages, and the lights work fine, and it "spins", but the engine does not catch. Like an old car trying to turn over....zzzzznnnn, zzzzzzzzzznnnn. (don't you love trying to describe a noise in text?) Roll Eyes

Dynobob - I will try that this afternoon at lunch to see if it helps. Main thing is that I am back to commuting this week and it may be awhile before conditions duplicate to repeat the stall problem.

Yesterday the stalling happened after the bike was completely warmed up. When I ride to work, its a whooping 4 miles - no time to even make toast on the the pipe. Wink

Back to top

2006 LS650, HD pipe, Tkat fork brace, elkhide handgrips, badge-free zone, gel seat w/riser, silverblue, the one in FRONT of you, flying the Kings Colours

IP Logged

Reelthing

Serious Thumper
Alliance Member

Offline

Fish or ride that is
the question

Posts: 5397
Houston,Tx
Gender: male

Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli
Reply #6 - 02/04/08 at 06:37:12

Ok, so it dies when you pull the clutch in after it’s warmed up and will not start back up for a couple of minutes. When first trying to restart it is the choke being used?

This seems to describe a very lightly flooded engine – as already suggested above a slight mixture adjustment (the brass plug has been pulled?) like a 1/8 turn in or less and a little faster idle may cure it – unless something else is going on like a dirty slide.

Without a tach one way to hit the idle pretty close to where the engine likes it is to let it idle in the dark – watch the head light on low beam – set the idle just a fraction above where the light dims

Back to top

IP Logged

Savage_Greg

Serious Thumper
Alliance Member

Offline

Don't go around your
ass to reach your
elbow...

Posts: 7844
SW Washington State
Gender: male

Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli
Reply #7 - 02/04/08 at 06:58:15

Well, it won't be the idle screw. That doesn't change itself. If it idles correctly once, it should idle correctly all the time...unless you caught a little gremlin and he's playing with it

Anyway, it should not be idle speed. Especially since you don't have to adjust it to make it start again. Is there anything that you've done to the bike lately? I assume that you've looked it over and don't see any loose hoses, right?

I agree with Reelthing. Does sound a bit rich. But this happens with a closed throttle situation as you are coasting or slowing to a stop, right? Are you riding with the choke on at all?

Back to top

IP Logged

skatnbnc

Serious Thumper

Offline

Spinning Pink

Posts: 1286
New Bern NC
Gender: female

Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli
Reply #8 - 02/04/08 at 07:38:31

Reelthing wrote on 02/04/08 at 06:37:12:

Ok, so it dies when you pull the clutch in after it’s warmed up and will not start back up for a couple of minutes. When first trying to restart it is the choke being used?

YES the choke is used, tried at all three positions.

This seems to describe a very lightly flooded engine – as already suggested above a slight mixture adjustment (the brass plug has been pulled?) like a 1/8 turn in or less and a little faster idle may cure it – unless something else is going on like a dirty slide.

It felt to me like the idle speed was too slow.

Without a tach one way to hit the idle pretty close to where the engine likes it is to let it idle in the dark – watch the head light on low beam – set the idle just a fraction above where the light dims

Back to top

2006 LS650, HD pipe, Tkat fork brace, elkhide handgrips, badge-free zone, gel seat w/riser, silverblue, the one in FRONT of you, flying the Kings Colours

IP Logged

skatnbnc

Serious Thumper

Offline

Spinning Pink

Posts: 1286
New Bern NC
Gender: female

Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli
Reply #9 - 02/04/08 at 07:42:46

Savage_Greg wrote on 02/04/08 at 06:58:15:

Well, it won't be the idle screw. That doesn't change itself. If it idles correctly once, it should idle correctly all the time...unless you caught a little gremlin and he's playing with it

The idle screw loosening may be a possibility, as much as my bike vibrates. I had to replace yet again a screw and nut that holds the windshield on after my trip yesterday.

Anyway, it should not be idle speed. Especially since you don't have to adjust it to make it start again.
TRUE. I did not touch the idle setting.

Is there anything that you've done to the bike lately?
I retightened the exhaust pipe to the header again last weekend. It tends to come loose because I cannot seem to tighten it well enough.

I assume that you've looked it over and don't see any loose hoses, right?
Yep, I checked multiple times for loose hoses, and found nothing wrong.

I agree with Reelthing. Does sound a bit rich. But this happens with a closed throttle situation as you are coasting or slowing to a stop, right?
Yes.

Are you riding with the choke on at all?
I was when I first started, then I closed it because the bike was warmed up.

Back to top

2006 LS650, HD pipe, Tkat fork brace, elkhide handgrips, badge-free zone, gel seat w/riser, silverblue, the one in FRONT of you, flying the Kings Colours

IP Logged

Savage_Greg

Serious Thumper
Alliance Member

Offline

Don't go around your
ass to reach your
elbow...

Posts: 7844
SW Washington State
Gender: male

Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli
Reply #10 - 02/04/08 at 07:53:35

skatnbnc wrote on 02/04/08 at 07:42:46:

Savage_Greg wrote on 02/04/08 at 06:58:15:

Well, it won't be the idle screw. That doesn't change itself. If it idles correctly once, it should idle correctly all the time...unless you caught a little gremlin and he's playing with it

The idle screw loosening may be a possibility, as much as my bike vibrates. I had to replace yet again a screw and nut that holds the windshield on after my trip yesterday.

Anyway, it should not be idle speed. Especially since you don't have to adjust it to make it start again.
TRUE. I did not touch the idle setting.

Is there anything that you've done to the bike lately? I assume that you've looked it over and don't see any loose hoses, right?
Yep, I checked multiple times for loose hoses, and found nothing wrong.

I agree with Reelthing. Does sound a bit rich. But this happens with a closed throttle situation as you are coasting or slowing to a stop, right?
Yes.

Are you riding with the choke on at all?
I was when I first started, then I closed it because the bike was warmed up.

If you'll notice, the idle screw has a spring on it. That is what prevents it from changing adjustment (the idle mix screw has one too).

Is it possible that you have the idle speed too low? Stinger was always complaining about the same thing happening to his bike. He'd ask me to test ride it, and always, I have to turn the speed up. He'd just say that he liked the sound that way, and after he'd leave, he'd turn it down again Tongue

Try turning it up just a little bit...

(Hey, Stinger! Where the hell are ya, anyway?)

Back to top

IP Logged

Dynobob Serious Thumper Offline 2003 LS650 (with Supertrapp) Posts: 634 Northern Virginia Gender:	Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli Reply #11 - 02/04/08 at 16:49:32 skatnbnc wrote on 02/04/08 at 07:42:46: as much as my bike vibrates. I had to replace yet again a screw and nut that holds the windshield on after my trip yesterday.[/color] Put blue Loctite on some of those bolts. Loctite is your friend. It'll keep parts from falling off as you go down the highway
Back to top	IP Logged

bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli Reply #12 - 02/05/08 at 03:21:55 You might be getting a lot of condensation in the gas tank and carb with the colder weather and it warming up when you ride.I would put some seaform in the gas tank,it will get rid of the moister in tank and carb and lube the slide in the carb.
Back to top	william h krumpen IP Logged

verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli Reply #13 - 02/07/08 at 21:34:28 Hey Skat, how's it going?
Back to top	Versey's Place Tech Section Index IP Logged

Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Nice day for a ride...if she would quit stalli Reply #14 - 02/08/08 at 04:30:30 You whoooo? Is it a nice day yet?
Back to top	IP Logged