SuzukiSavage.com - power loss on 1998 savage

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power loss on 1998 savage
06/24/12 at 16:46:02

I just bought this bike it ran good for a week then I noticed it needed a change of oil, plug, & filter. Doesn't look like it ever had been changed. Then it bogged down, wont go faster than 50 miles an hour. It has no power at all now it also backfires more. I noticed the exhaust pipe is loose one bolt been broken off in it with jb weld on it to keep it on Angry

I'm at a loss as to what to do. Can anyone help?

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: power loss on 1998 savage Reply #1 - 06/24/12 at 16:49:23 Year model? Miles? What oil did ya put in?
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Chriscobra YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 8	Re: power loss on 1998 savage Reply #2 - 06/24/12 at 16:54:46 1998 Suzuki Savage Ls650p. It has 8909 miles and I used Suzuki brand 4 stroke 10-40w motorcycle oil. (sp-4a)
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Re: power loss on 1998 savage
Reply #3 - 06/24/12 at 17:03:31

Could be a lot of things, only one thing we don't want to hear it is...
cam chain.

Sudden loss of power (red flag #1)

Some times when the cam chain has been off, and put back on wrong, the speed won't go above 50 (red flag #2)

Really not enough miles to be it, but you're better off checking.

And noises?

here's the procedure...
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1191167029

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Chriscobra YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 8	Re: power loss on 1998 savage Reply #4 - 06/24/12 at 17:23:22 Well there's no new noises, and I never did anything with the cam (that i know of) but I'll print that post off and get to trying that. I'll let y'all know if that helps. Thank you!
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28642 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: power loss on 1998 savage Reply #5 - 06/24/12 at 17:44:43 Versy,.. does a oil filter in backwards sap power before it blows?... ... Just askin'...
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: power loss on 1998 savage Reply #6 - 06/24/12 at 18:29:49 Costs Nothing to look,, Dude,, are you sure the hole on the fi9lter is to the inside>
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cafecarl Junior Member Offline I love old motorcycles Posts: 58 Maine Gender:	Re: power loss on 1998 savage Reply #7 - 06/25/12 at 05:57:28 My 2 cents...fix the exhaust and see how it runs. JB weld is great stuff but nothing takes the place of the proper gasket and mounting hardware.
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Boofer Serious Thumper Offline Nearly too old. Posts: 1760 N Ms Gender:	Re: power loss on 1998 savage Reply #8 - 06/25/12 at 19:33:19 Check the airbox and filter to see if it's getting enough air.
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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: power loss on 1998 savage Reply #9 - 06/25/12 at 19:56:32 Serowbot wrote on 06/24/12 at 17:44:43: Versy,.. does a oil filter in backwards sap power before it blows?... ... Just askin'... Don't think so, but if it were ran long enough... could burn a piston. loss of power more likely sticky slide. an ounce of seafoam should do the trick. back fire most likely the loose header.
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Trippah Serious Thumper Offline I ride, therefore I am. Posts: 2517 central Mass Gender:	Re: power loss on 1998 savage Reply #10 - 06/25/12 at 20:17:10 What plug did you use? I only ask cause one time the kid behind the counter gave me the wrong one and I didn't check..it fit. Took a while to find the goof..took the carb apart and chased some possible electrical demons..if only i had actualy checked the plug..was a live and learn moment.
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WD

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Re: power loss on 1998 savage
Reply #11 - 06/26/12 at 00:15:21

1. Check your oil. If it is filthy again and/or stinks, change it again. 2 quarts of oil and a filter are cheap. The clutches in these bikes aren't designed for running in funky oil, if it was real 1998 oil, you've got a LOT of crud to wash out of the clutch pack.

2. Pull and check your spark plug, if it is black or gooey, go up one heat range. Fouled out plug will rob power in a hurry.

3. My 98 has a ton of full throttle highway miles on it, no cam chain noise, no clutch basket noise, has never even required a valve adjustment. And that's full throttle on the Gulf Coast and the Deep South. Get the little stuff sorted before you delve into the tricky stuff.

4. Clean the carb jets. Or replace them. That old with that few miles means a lot of stale gas over the life of the bike. Stale gas turns brass jets into green globs that Seafoam can't always clear out. Jets are cheap.

5. Re-adjust your clutch cable, they stretch. And if they get too out of whack the clutch slips. Fresh oil just makes that worse.

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l33tl4m3r

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Re: power loss on 1998 savage
Reply #12 - 06/26/12 at 00:55:45

WD wrote on 06/26/12 at 00:15:21:

1. Check your oil. If it is filthy again and/or stinks, change it again. 2 quarts of oil and a filter are cheap. The clutches in these bikes aren't designed for running in funky oil, if it was real 1998 oil, you've got a LOT of crud to wash out of the clutch pack.

5. Re-adjust your clutch cable, they stretch. And if they get too out of whack the clutch slips. Fresh oil just makes that worse.

These two.

I had a problem with mine that sounds very similar.

I changed out to a good non-additive oil and adjusted the clutch cable. Pretty much problem solved.

I've got some slippage in high third and fourth gear but I suspect that will go away after I change the oil again.

Try Rotella T, 15w-40 and give your clutch some play with the cable.

It worked wonders for me.

I know it sounds crazy, but simple fixes really are most of what this bike needs from what I've found.

EDIT: With the backfire, have you adjusted your idle mix screw, also did wonders for me.

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Chriscobra YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 8	Re: power loss on 1998 savage Reply #13 - 06/26/12 at 13:39:37 Boofer wrote on 06/25/12 at 19:33:19: Check the airbox and filter to see if it's getting enough air. Did that and didn't help.
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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:	Re: power loss on 1998 savage Reply #14 - 06/27/12 at 05:23:52 Put the petc0ck in prime and see if that takes care of the problem while riding. Backfiring and loss of power are some of the signs of the diaphram in the petc0ck failing. Try the easy stuff first, don't fix it broke.
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