SuzukiSavage.com - Sluggish

Laser

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Sluggish
05/07/15 at 19:46:30

I've had my '08 S40 for about a year now. Unfortunately, I had to put her up for a while over the winter and now as I get her back into riding mode, I can't seem to get her started. I've replaced the gas, changed the oil, tested (and replaced) the battery but she won't catch.

Now the interesting part: when she's in neutral, she rolls freely. However, when she's in gear, she feels sluggish and doesn't roll as freely as if the clutch were only partially disengaged. However, I adjusted the clutch lever screw and it doesn't seem to affect the sluggish rolling at all. Does anyone know why there's so much resistance while in gear even with the clutch fully disengaged?

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Art Webb

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Re: Sluggish
Reply #1 - 05/07/15 at 20:02:02

it sounds like you neglected to drain the carb, and it's gummed up
as far as the rolling resistance, I don't have that, but back when I had a bike with carbs that liked to flood the oil with gas, I had that a lot
open the oil fill hole and see if the oil smells like gas, and check the level, to see if it's high
that would indicate gas leaking past the carb and into the oil
might mean a bad fuel tap, too, if it's the factory (failure prone) vacuum fuel tap

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Flint Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks Alberta! Posts: 124	Re: Sluggish Reply #2 - 05/07/15 at 20:13:14 When the motor is cold wet clutches "stick" a bit when they are in gear and you try to move the bike, even with the clutch pulled. Click the tranny into neutral and you should have no problem.
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Laser YaBB Newbies Offline I'd rather be riding! Posts: 24 Central California Coast Gender:	Re: Sluggish Reply #3 - 05/07/15 at 20:14:06 Weird. I did the Raptor swap late last summer just in case. I used some fogging oil before putting her up but maybe the carb is bad. Is it just a cleaning that fixes the problem?
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Laser YaBB Newbies Offline I'd rather be riding! Posts: 24 Central California Coast Gender:	Re: Sluggish Reply #4 - 05/07/15 at 20:18:56 @ Flint Alright. I'll give it a go in neutral and see if it helps
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Kris01

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Re: Sluggish
Reply #5 - 05/07/15 at 20:42:08

Flint wrote on 05/07/15 at 20:13:14:

When the motor is cold wet clutches "stick" a bit when they are in gear and you try to move the bike, even with the clutch pulled. Click the tranny into neutral and you should have no problem.

Agreed. Sometimes, when it's very cold outside, the starter will actually drag the bike a foot or two, even with the clutch lever pulled all the way in. Shocked

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Art Webb

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Re: Sluggish
Reply #6 - 05/07/15 at 20:42:43

Laser wrote on 05/07/15 at 20:14:06:

Weird. I did the Raptor swap late last summer just in case. I used some fogging oil before putting her up but maybe the carb is bad. Is it just a cleaning that fixes the problem?

fogging oil will keep the rings from rusting to the cylinder walls, draining the carb is necessary to keep it from gumming up, unless you're lucky enough to have pure gas
did you remember to CLOSE the fuel tap? If so there should be no issue with gas in the oil
if you didn't drain the carb, you probably need to clean the carb

unless....is the battery good and hot? if it's too weak, it won't spin the motor and spark the plugs at the same time

as far as all wet clutches sticking a bit when cold, mine does not do this, on the S40
now on my Ninja 500 it did, but that was due to a known issue with the clutch on that bike, that the S40 does not suffer from

I never start any bike in gear, though, it's just not a good idea

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Dave

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Re: Sluggish
Reply #7 - 05/08/15 at 03:19:00

Pull the cap off the vacuum line that used to go to the petcock, and squire a small amount of gasoline in the port and replace the cap. Then try and start the bike. If the engine comes to life and then stops again, you have confirmed you have compression and spark, and it is your carb that is causing the problem.

There is no reason to start the bike in gear.....unless you stall in traffic while riding and need to get going in a hurry. The first start of the day should be in neutral, as well as all other normal starts.

I have recently become really nervous about changing oil on a bike that has not been run recently. While in storage the oil can drain away from the piston and cylinder walls, and then when you change oil and the filter.....the engine will have to run long enough to pump oil in the filter before the crank or piston or camshaft will get any oil. This may take long enough to score the piston/cylinder or other parts before the oil system is pumped full of oil. I believe Lancer just had this problem when he tried to wake REX up after sitting for more than a year. If you did change the oil and filter.....take out the spark plug and put some fogging oil, or a teaspoon of light motor oil in the cylinder before you start the bike.

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Art Webb Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 3007 columbus, Texas Gender:	Re: Sluggish Reply #8 - 05/08/15 at 09:59:20 as to Dave's point about changing oil on a bike that's been sitting, you should ALWAYS warm an engine up before draining the oil, it flows better warm
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Laser YaBB Newbies Offline I'd rather be riding! Posts: 24 Central California Coast Gender:	Re: Sluggish Reply #9 - 05/08/15 at 11:26:13 Thanks for the help all! I thought it might be a mechanical problem starting but it might be electrical. I'll have to grab a multi-meter and see if there's enough power to both crank and spark.
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Kris01 Serious Thumper Offline Eat, sleep, RIDE! Posts: 3767 Tennessee Gender:	Re: Sluggish Reply #10 - 05/08/15 at 18:43:33 Just curious... why do you guys say not to start the bike in gear? With the clutch lever pulled in it's not really "in gear".
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Re: Sluggish
Reply #11 - 05/08/15 at 20:18:04

Kris01 wrote on 05/08/15 at 18:43:33:

Just curious... why do you guys say not to start the bike in gear? With the clutch lever pulled in it's not really "in gear".

I guess you missed the answer...
Kris01 wrote on 05/07/15 at 20:42:08:

Flint wrote on 05/07/15 at 20:13:14:

When the motor is cold wet clutches "stick" a bit when they are in gear and you try to move the bike, even with the clutch pulled. Click the tranny into neutral and you should have no problem.

Agreed. Sometimes, when it's very cold outside, the starter will actually drag the bike a foot or two, even with the clutch lever pulled all the way in. Shocked

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Sluggish Reply #12 - 05/08/15 at 20:25:40 Neutral decreases the load on the battery. Sounds like a good plan.
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Re: Sluggish
Reply #13 - 05/09/15 at 03:39:17

Kris01 wrote on 05/08/15 at 18:43:33:

Just curious... why do you guys say not to start the bike in gear? With the clutch lever pulled in it's not really "in gear".

Some cold morning before you start your bike, leave it in neutral and push the bike 10 feet and notice how easy it pushes. Then put the bike into 1st gear and push it...and you will notice that the bike is a bit harder to push. The starter notices the same thing when you try to start the bike in gear - there is some additional drag when the bike is in gear.

Once the bike is warmed up the drag will be reduced - however the only time I ever start the bike in gear is when I have stalled the bike while riding (doesn't happen very often).

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Re: Sluggish
Reply #14 - 05/09/15 at 07:19:47

Dave wrote on 05/09/15 at 03:39:17:

Kris01 wrote on 05/08/15 at 18:43:33:

Just curious... why do you guys say not to start the bike in gear? With the clutch lever pulled in it's not really "in gear".

Some cold morning before you start your bike, leave it in neutral and push the bike 10 feet and notice how easy it pushes. Then put the bike into 1st gear and push it...and you will notice that the bike is a bit harder to push. The starter notices the same thing when you try to start the bike in gear - there is some additional drag when the bike is in gear.

Once the bike is warmed up the drag will be reduced - however the only time I ever start the bike in gear is when I have stalled the bike while riding (doesn't happen very often).

Pull in clutch to push, however Grin

Glad I saw this advice, it makes sense.
I, on occasion, while riding to and fro work, in my haste to get off/on the ferry, I have started in gear, as I leave it in gear to prevent moving on the deck. If I lag in mounting up, gloves, helmet, the last thing is to find neutral, I forgo, and I notice when I hit the starter, clutch in of course, I often can feel a little lurch before she fires up....

Thank you

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