Bike cutting out then picking up again

[zamo]

Hi,
i have had my Suziki GSX 2004 250cc for 4 months now, and it has recently just started cutting out on me, sometimes it just jolts a bit then sorts itself out, other times i have to pull over coz i've got no power, i have to turn the key off and on and restart it. I've had my carbs cleaned, new fuel filter, new spark plugs, and this hasn't resolved the problem can anyone shed any light on it? Thanks

[Murray]

Don't know the bike but had similar on mine and it was a fault in the coils??

Maybe someone else can help as you seem to have done all the possible fuel problems.

[nzspokes]

Check your tank breather.

[bogan]

Do the electrics (clocks etc) have a bit of a spaz or shut off when it cuts out?

[mossy1200]

Check your tank breather.

Good start.


Do the electrics (clocks etc) have a bit of a spaz or shut off when it cuts out?

Maybe bad ground wire or even negative on the battery.

Could be faulty fuel tap.

[nzspokes]

Good start.



Maybe bad ground wire or even negative on the battery.

Could be faulty fuel tap.

My bike has had the same fault like this twice. First time was a faulty petcock valve, second was water up the tank breather. Both easy fixes.

[bogan]

Good start.



Maybe bad ground wire or even negative on the battery.

Could be faulty fuel tap.

From the breif description there's hundreds of things it could be. Best to start checking symptoms a bit more thoroughly to narrow down that list imo.

[mossy1200]

From the breif description there's hundreds of things it could be. Best to start checking symptoms a bit more thoroughly to narrow down that list imo.

I had a start stop issue.
I lubed my accelerator cable from the carby end with aerosol kit and forced the lube into the kill switch.

[bogan]

I had a start stop issue.
I lubed my accelerator cable from the carby end with aerosol kit and forced the lube into the kill switch.

Haha, bet that was fun to track down...

[mossy1200]

Haha, bet that was fun to track down...

Took a while and I felt like an idiot when I found it.
Saved me a few minutes in the lube cost me a fair few hours.
Thing that got me was it was ok at first until the lub thickened up.

[zamo]

HI, Thank you all for getting back to me im a bit new to bikes and i was just wondering where the breather pipe was for the fuel tank ? on my Suzuki 2002 gsx 2002 thanks
Joe

[zamo]

Do the electrics (clocks etc) have a bit of a spaz or shut off when it cuts out?

Hi, Thanks for getting back to me na my clocks and electrics are good when she cut out ?
Thanks Joe

[bogan]

Hi, Thanks for getting back to me na my clocks and electrics are good when she cut out ?
Thanks Joe

So not an electrical cutout before those systems then. Need some more info about the circumstances when it happens though. Like how often? what sort of riding (spirited, cruising etc), how full of fuel, how long do you have to wait, do you have to cycle the key on/off or will it come right by itself?

Often pull over and waits are fuel supply issues, try opening the cap next time and listening for a hiss (if so it means tank is not breathing properly).

[FJRider]

... and i was just wondering where the breather pipe was for the fuel tank ? on my Suzuki 2002 gsx 2002 thanks
Joe

Hint ... it's attached to the fuel tank ... :facepalm:

[bogan]

Hint ... it's attached to the fuel tank ... :facepalm:

Don't be a dick, it may well have a vented cap, in which case there is no breather pipe. Probably does have an overflow from the tank cap area though, so it could be confusing if he was looking for a breather pipe.

[FJRider]

Don't be a dick, it may well have a vented cap, in which case there is no breather pipe. Probably does have an overflow from the tank cap area though, so it could be confusing if he was looking for a breather pipe.

I'm a Trev ... Dick is your brother ... you should have remembered that ...

But ... Old style bikes had the breather on the tank CAP.

ie: A hole in the metal cap with a heavy card insert/splash guard on the underside of the cap.

"Modern" bikes have an overflow tube that runs (usually) from (a small hole) in the area the fuel cap is located. Easily seen if one lifts the tank fuel lid on the bike. The rubber drain hose is easy to see if one removes the tank from the bike. If for some reason the rubber hose is missing ... the hose outlet CAN/Should easily be seen.

[zamo]

So not an electrical cutout before those systems then. Need some more info about the circumstances when it happens though. Like how often? what sort of riding (spirited, cruising etc), how full of fuel, how long do you have to wait, do you have to cycle the key on/off or will it come right by itself?

Often pull over and waits are fuel supply issues, try opening the cap next time and listening for a hiss (if so it means tank is not breathing properly).

Hi
I ride to work every day its about 18k each way the bike is all over the place, sometimes it cuts out maybe 2 to 4 times on the way to work but then on the way back from work maybe it does it once or not even? when the bike cuts out all i have to do is turn the key off and on and it will start i can do this why still riding along the road and then the bike sweet as.
Most of the time i can just push my start button when it cuts out and it good as gold (fuel) it can be low or full.
I went to work today and left the fuel cap open and it still cuts out? Thanks for your time

[zamo]

I'm a Trev ... Dick is your brother ... you should have remembered that ...

But ... Old style bikes had the breather on the tank CAP.

ie: A hole in the metal cap with a heavy card insert/splash guard on the underside of the cap.

"Modern" bikes have an overflow tube that runs (usually) from (a small hole) in the area the fuel cap is located. Easily seen if one lifts the tank fuel lid on the bike. The rubber drain hose is easy to see if one removes the tank from the bike. If for some reason the rubber hose is missing ... the hose outlet CAN/Should easily be seen.

THANK YOU i will have a look

[bogan]

Hi
I ride to work every day its about 18k each way the bike is all over the place, sometimes it cuts out maybe 2 to 4 times on the way to work but then on the way back from work maybe it does it once or not even? when the bike cuts out all i have to do is turn the key off and on and it will start i can do this why still riding along the road and then the bike sweet as.
Most of the time i can just push my start button when it cuts out and it good as gold (fuel) it can be low or full.
I went to work today and left the fuel cap open and it still cuts out? Thanks for your time

Hmm, that is sounding fairly electrical then; when it cuts out could you give the key a wee jiggle and see if it comes to life again? (so leave engine engaged) Same goes with any other switches etc you can think of (only if it is safe to do so of course).


I'm a Trev ... Dick is your brother ... you should have remembered that ...

But ... Old style bikes had the breather on the tank CAP.

ie: A hole in the metal cap with a heavy card insert/splash guard on the underside of the cap.

"Modern" bikes have an overflow tube that runs (usually) from (a small hole) in the area the fuel cap is located. Easily seen if one lifts the tank fuel lid on the bike. The rubber drain hose is easy to see if one removes the tank from the bike. If for some reason the rubber hose is missing ... the hose outlet CAN/Should easily be seen.

Overflow tube is different to a breather, overflow tubes tend to start outside the tank volume (often under cap lid, but outside the cap seal). In which case there needs to be another path for air to get into (but not out of) the tank, often this is a one way valve (breather) in the gas cap. In either case, he left the cap open and it still cuts out, so it is not a breather issue.

[nzspokes]

Hi
I ride to work every day its about 18k each way the bike is all over the place, sometimes it cuts out maybe 2 to 4 times on the way to work but then on the way back from work maybe it does it once or not even? when the bike cuts out all i have to do is turn the key off and on and it will start i can do this why still riding along the road and then the bike sweet as.
Most of the time i can just push my start button when it cuts out and it good as gold (fuel) it can be low or full.
I went to work today and left the fuel cap open and it still cuts out? Thanks for your time

To test the tank breather put a spare key in the fuel cap, when the bike falters open the cap and see if the bike pulls away again. If it does its a blocked breather.

Dont do this in traffic. :no:

[haydes55]

Defo sounds electrical. Could be something as simple as a wire earthing on the frame/engine. Have the bike idling on its stand and wiggle various wires around, if a wire has had the insulation stripped/worn off and is earthing out, giving them a wiggle might make it earth out, then you know what wires are earthing out. I'd check kill switch, ignition and reg/rec wiring.

[FJRider]

In either case, he left the cap open and it still cuts out, so it is not a breather issue.

My guess is the filter attached to the top of the fuel tap is covered in crud.

[zamo]

Defo sounds electrical. Could be something as simple as a wire earthing on the frame/engine. Have the bike idling on its stand and wiggle various wires around, if a wire has had the insulation stripped/worn off and is earthing out, giving them a wiggle might make it earth out, then you know what wires are earthing out. I'd check kill switch, ignition and reg/rec wiring.

Thank you Thank you Thank you

[haydes55]

Thank you Thank you Thank you


So that worked?