SuzukiSavage.com - engine cuts off after it rains

skipkb

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2000 Savage LS650

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louisville, ky
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engine cuts off after it rains
05/26/11 at 13:15:13

First, my engine cuts off after heavy storms.

At first, I thought it was just when I downshifted, but I realized it's actually when I squeeze the clutch - it's just when I upshift I usually give it gas quickly enough to give the engine enough juice not to cut off, whereas when I'm downshifting I often let the clutch out more slowly and/or don't give it any gas.

Bike starts right back up again, though it takes a few seconds, and a lot of throttle to help it out. You can hear the engine slowly getting gas and coming back to life.

Now, this never, ever happens when it hasn't rained - it runs fine dry. And happens almost always after it does.

It will stop cutting out naturally after a bit of riding, or more quickly if I can get her on the open road going fast enough for awhile to air dry/blow off whatever is causing this.

I've been told there might possibly be a loose gasket letting water in? Or something to do with the carbs?

Lastly, I noticed little bugger (see photo) hanging down a couple weeks ago. I'm sure it is supposed to latch back on somewhere, but I don't know where.

Anyone know what it is? where it goes? and if it might have somethign to do with the engine cutting off after storms?

Thanks in advance! You guys rock.

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EJID Serious Thumper Offline Work to ride and ride to work. Posts: 1536 Pocatello, ID Gender:	Re: engine cuts off after it rains Reply #1 - 05/26/11 at 13:20:14 How to post pics... http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1240899665
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skipkb

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2000 Savage LS650

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louisville, ky
Gender: male

Re: engine cuts off after it rains
Reply #2 - 05/26/11 at 13:20:17

the pics won't up load. But is a small, black, maybe .5" to .75" inch wide rubber hose, with a sealed rubber gasket on the end.

It has a very thin wire around it, which looks like it is used to hook the hose somewhere on the engine, It is sticking straight down, coming from the dead center of the bike, maybe 5 inches of it is exposed, and it maybe 4 or 5 inched from the ground.

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skipkb YaBB Newbies Offline 2000 Savage LS650 Posts: 32 louisville, ky Gender:	Re: engine cuts off after it rains Reply #3 - 05/26/11 at 13:22:33 pics to come
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verslagen1

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Re: engine cuts off after it rains
Reply #4 - 05/26/11 at 13:51:01

skipkb wrote on 05/26/11 at 13:20:17:

the pics won't up load. But is a small, black, maybe .5" to .75" inch wide rubber hose, with a sealed rubber gasket on the end.

It has a very thin wire around it, which looks like it is used to hook the hose somewhere on the engine, It is sticking straight down, coming from the dead center of the bike, maybe 5 inches of it is exposed, and it maybe 4 or 5 inched from the ground.

Airbox drain hose, yep supposed to hang down, pull the plug every oil change and drain it.

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Boofer Serious Thumper Offline Nearly too old. Posts: 1760 N Ms Gender:	Re: engine cuts off after it rains Reply #5 - 05/26/11 at 17:19:32 Don't know how old or mileage of your bike, but my stock petcock is very temp and weather sensitive. Works fine at road speeds but acts up under adverse weather. That's why I' going with the Raptor petcock this summer.
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skipkb YaBB Newbies Offline 2000 Savage LS650 Posts: 32 louisville, ky Gender:	Re: engine cuts off after it rains Reply #6 - 05/27/11 at 05:12:56 just under 10,000 miles
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WD

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Re: engine cuts off after it rains
Reply #7 - 05/27/11 at 06:00:48

Not unusual to get water in the clutch interlock switch housing. It is just a cheesy fragile little plastic box like the sidestand switch. Can cause all kind of intermittent shorts. I unplugged the harness plug from the switch on Lisa's bike, inserted a jumper wire and have had no more weather related issues. It can also be deleted readily, follow the harness down to somewhere under the tank, cut the wires, strip them and twist together with a small wire nut.

Either way the bike is now capable of turning over in gear.

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On 2 wheels since 7/87

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Sunchasers

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Re: engine cuts off after it rains
Reply #8 - 05/27/11 at 07:11:56

Maybe I am "old school", but I don't understand why these "safety" switches are needed or why the manufacturer uses them. They seem to be more trouble than they are a benefit. IMO

I learned the old way I guess: 1) turn on gas, 2) set on bike and turn on switch, 3) pull in clutch and put in Neutral, 4) kick start or hit starter button. Sometimes I really miss the "old ways". Undecided

And the kick start...something gratifying about "kicking" it to "life". IMO

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1987 LS650P, Blue/Purple, stock w/ white spacer mod, 2-1/4 turns, Raptor petcock, seat ht. mod, Verslavy, Routys F.C., 8300 mi

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Boofer Serious Thumper Offline Nearly too old. Posts: 1760 N Ms Gender:	Re: engine cuts off after it rains Reply #9 - 05/27/11 at 18:27:15 Sun, I feel pretty much like you do, but I remember a guy who used to ride with my cousin in the pre-safety days. I'll just say that a kickstand safety is worth a pound of band aids and a scoop of Polysporin.
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skipkb

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2000 Savage LS650

Posts: 32
louisville, ky
Gender: male

Re: engine cuts off after it rains
Reply #10 - 05/27/11 at 20:24:36

So bit of an update..

It's gotten worse. It's been dry for a couple days now but it keeps shutting off everytime I pull clutch unless I give it gas right away.

New things I've noticed though:

It's idling really low, and will cut off at stop signs just while sitting in first unless I roll the throttle a little (never did this before)

It can't even handle idling in neutral when I pull the choke out, just quickly and gradually cuts out if choke is out.

any thoughts?

(sorry about all the questions guys, at work 60hrs a week and just barely have any time to try out differnt solutions on a daily basis)

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: engine cuts off after it rains Reply #11 - 05/27/11 at 21:42:12 when you notice the problem, which the petcock to prime. Also check your vac line, it maybe cracked or loose. Next look for air leaks on your intake, a can of WD40 works great. Start her up and spray around. If it picks up you found a leak.
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Russ130 Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 62	Re: engine cuts off after it rains Reply #12 - 05/29/11 at 03:04:52 Adjust your idle speed up.
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justin_o_guy2

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Re: engine cuts off after it rains
Reply #13 - 05/29/11 at 08:47:57

Sunchasers wrote on 05/27/11 at 07:11:56:

Maybe I am "old school", but I don't understand why these "safety" switches are needed or why the manufacturer uses them. They seem to be more trouble than they are a benefit. IMO

I learned the old way I guess: 1) turn on gas, 2) set on bike and turn on switch, 3) pull in clutch and put in Neutral, 4) kick start or hit starter button. Sometimes I really miss the "old ways". Undecided

And the kick start...something gratifying about "kicking" it to "life". IMO

Yes, you are from the time before ridiculous lawsuits by idiots. Now, if someone hits a start button & the motor spins over & it just happened to be in gear & they just happened to be goofy enough to not pull the clutch in & it fals over & hurts them, too many Blame the manufacturer for building a machine that can possibly get them hurt..
This is what happened to th airplane industry that served the individual. Gone are the Piper Tri-Pacers & Luscombe's & the Piper Cherokee 180's that adorned small airports around Houston. The Aerocoupe died, too,,Im sure the Piper corp is still putting out planes, but the cost was driven thru the roof by idiotic lawsuits & an Affordable plane that the Everyman could get into was forced out of production. Im sure a Cessna 150 is still available, new off the showroom floor, but the price is way steeper than t would have been had lawsuit happy idiots not attacked the manufacturers for every millions when one crashed,
Im sure Jerry has some thots on this,, maybe in direct opposition to what Ove said,, thi is just how I feel about it.

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