Engine died - ideas???

[Swoop]

Bugger!
Down the local shops on Fri afternoon. Pulled into a driveway (over a slight bump) and then a few metres later (about 20) the engine dies.
Kill switch in "run" position. Ignition "on". Press starter - engine turns over but refuses to fire.
Electrical??? I'm guessing "no"?
Fuel? Seems ok.

Push bike home - luckily not too far.

Bike given strong verbal warning over a few rums.

Battery checks out OK, put on charge to be sure though.
Lump of metal (engine thingamy) poked and prodded to check for anything loose or blatantly obviously wrong.

Try the starter again, she fires first time!!!

Fu*ked if I know what happened. I am now hesitant to go far on her for fear of crapping out again. If bikes were made of wood, I would be happier. Metal = tricky stuff!

Went for a few blasts around the neghbourhood today, just to see if anything was different. Not a problem.

Any possible causes/ideas anyone???

Do Hondas fix themselves?:scratch:

[Disco Dan]

Do Hondas fix themselves?:scratch:

looks like you got yaself a gostie...

[Swoop]

looks like you got yaself a gostie...
Nah, Friday it was a pushbike........
A sweaty pushbike... Thank fu*k it was on the flat though!!!

[Paddy Blake]

Go back over what you poked and prodded and let us know.
Keep up the verbal warnings and if you have to throw in some F and B words.It.usually scares them into firing up.

[James Deuce]

Reg/rec may be on the way out. Fine when it's cool, stops doing its thing when warm is a common trait shared by Hondas and FIATs.

[Swoop]

Reg/rec may be on the way out. Fine when it's cool, stops doing its thing when warm is a common trait shared by Hondas and FIATs.

The reg/rec was replaced a year ago with a larger unit, but that was second hand. I had thought this part would not be involved in the problem - but will be thinking about it a lot more!

[Madness]

I had a problem with my carb floats getting stuck in the open position when I went over bumps. Admittedly they tended to be larger bumps & it was obvious it was a fuel problem. Look for the appearance of excess fuel, I had raw fuel coming out my pipe when it happened to me.

I think this came about due to the degradation of my air filter, it had a bloody big hole in it & stones & shit in the airbox. Never been big on preventative maintenance myself.

[j_redley]

Had a problem with a motor a few years back that would be fine, then turn to crap and later be fine again. Turned out bumps were dislodging a whole lot of crap in the distriputor. Gave that a clean, and the points as well, and she was good as new.

[Swoop]

Go back over what you poked and prodded and let us know.
Keep up the verbal warnings and if you have to throw in some F and B words.It.usually scares them into firing up.

Pretty much anything that could be reached over the top of the engine. Plug leads, wiring, etc.

After 15 years of dealing with navy personnel, the lexicon is quite large when using cuss words... the honda should be quite nervous.............:shit:

[surfer]

Sounds like an intermittent fault (short for who knows what the f**k is wrong). You probably won't really know what's up with it until it happens again or happens on a regular basis so you get a chance to fault find it.

Take it for a longer blast and run it over the bumpy road again. Then be prepared to check everything out when it is not working. It may be as simple as a loose connection that has bounced out over the bumps or as Jim2 says or MAXIMUSDEMERITUS says.

Keep giving it the verbal, this may help you feel better and in control of the situation.

[Swoop]

I gave her a damn good ringing out around the block a few times, trying to shake something loose again. She was as good as gold. Not even a cough.
Just extremely nervous about breaking down again... with a much longer push to do next time!!!

[vifferman]

Just remember: 95% of the things we worry about never happen.
So think of all the things that it might be, and give them a good worrying about. Then so long as you've worried about all the important bits, it's unlikely to break down again. :niceone:

[Swoop]

Just remember: 95% of the things we worry about never happen.
So think of all the things that it might be, and give them a good worrying about. Then so long as you've worried about all the important bits, it's unlikely to break down again. :niceone:

I like this theory!!!

[avgas]

had the exact same thing for about 1 week - battery terminal was stuffed

[bistard]

I would be checking the wiring,sounds like you could have break in a wire,somewhere,moving things around could have made a connection again
The most common place for worn/chaffed wires,is up around the steering head,check around that area,by stripping back some of the insulation,or start the bike,wiggle the wires,turn the handle bars etc to reproduce the fault

[vifferman]

Does the 700 have a sidestand switch and/or clutch switch? Common reasons for the ignition to cut out when everything else seems OK are the "idiot proofing" measures. On an older bike the switches can crap out and/or get gummed up with non-conductive crap.

[vagrant]

Does the 700 have a sidestand switch and/or clutch switch? Common reasons for the ignition to cut out when everything else seems OK are the "idiot proofing" measures. On an older bike the switches can crap out and/or get gummed up with non-conductive crap.

I was just going suggest this. My Fireblade did the same thing to me when I first got it, it would sometimes cut out after a sudden bump. If I was going slow, it would die, but if I was rolling fast enough, it would effectivly crash it self back to life.
Turned out to be a combination of a soft kick stand spring and a worn contactor on the anti-idiot micro switch.
She's all good now.

[Swoop]

Does the 700 have a sidestand switch and/or clutch switch? Common reasons for the ignition to cut out when everything else seems OK are the "idiot proofing" measures. On an older bike the switches can crap out and/or get gummed up with non-conductive crap.
Definately not fitted with a sidestand switch! I leave her warming up on that!!!

Clutch switch? :scratch:You have me on that one.

I believe there were different types of idiots in the '80's compared to now... hence less "PC" influence. EFI back then was "Electronic Fuel Ignition" i.e, a sparkplug!!!

[vifferman]

Clutch switch? :scratch:You have me on that one.
Most bikes now have a microswitch in the switch block where the clutch lever attaches to it. When you pull the clutch in, it activates this switch. It works in conjunction with the switch that activates the neutral light on the dash, so if the bike is NOT in neutral, the starter won't work.

The neutral switch also works with the sidestand switch, so if the bike is in gear, and the sidestand switch is activated, the engine won't run. On bikes like mine with no sidestand warning light, you get reminded the stand is down because as soon as you click it into gear, the engine stops.

[Swoop]

Part 2:

She has been starting up in the garage fine, so...
Off I tootle around the neighbourhood to "just see what will happen"...
All is fine, about 3-4kms into the ride I stop at an intersection (ominously close to the original point of failure). Pulling away from the stop, and death ensues - like stalling, just worserer. Restart? Not likely!!!
Strip gear off and begin the pushbike routine. Had a couple of nice comments from a lovely young lady stuffing letterboxes with crap, and a retired bloke who knows what a "nice bike" should look like...:innocent:

It is amazing how busy all the bike shops are at the moment (even the one who refuses to work on bikes over 10 years old...).

[Swoop]

Talking to a fellow gentleman of the roads (Honda rider:whistle:) who is a lecturer in things automotive...
He immediately thought it was the ignition module, due to the fact the engine was being turned over on the starter. Apparently this heats up and the contacts can part company. When allowed to cool down (presumably while the rider is heating up whilst pushing...) the contacts touch again and away you go. Not good for a long term solution.
Hopefully I will be finding out later in the week what has occurred...

[MikeL]

I had a similar problem with the CB-1 a few years ago. Narrowed it down to a wire fault at the steering head - ignition would cut out when the bars were turned one way. Replaced the wire and solved the problem. But as others have said, it's just as likely the fault is in one of the safety micro-switches...

[Swoop]

An update on the issues.
Have finally got the bike back after the mechanic tried all sorts to rectify the problem.
Took her to an auto electrician who traced the fault!
Pulse generators.

There are two of these on the crankshaft and one had decided to go on strike.

So. She is in pieces, at home, having some TLC on the fairings.:cool:

Glad to get her back.