Wtf is wrong with my GN250?

[leathel]

If you have never used the choke to start it it wont be running lean! Might be a tad rich but just ride it in the weekend and see how it goes

[sketch]

itl start and idle with no choke?.................. even when its cold?

[bosslady]

If you have never used the choke to start it it wont be running lean! Might be a tad rich but just ride it in the weekend and see how it goes

hmm rich eh....

itl start and idle with no choke?.................. even when its cold?

correct, am sure it's colder where you are? it's always stored in the garage which is joined to the house and is carpeted so I'm sure it's not as cold as most garages.

[ducatilover]

Probably a bit rich. I wouldn't worry about it

[bosslady]

Probably a bit rich. I wouldn't worry about it

no idea what that means but if it's so rich maybe it'd like to share cause I'm sure as fuck not!

[T.W.R]

Almost every time I start my gn it has trouble starting and the exhaust sounds like a cat trying to cough up a fur ball. This happens on sunny days (such as today) cold days, choke in or out, doesn't matter. Occasionally in the past, since I got it, it has had problems but not almost literally EVERY time even if I've just ridden it and it should be warm.

I always warm up my bike before I ride it if it's the first ride of the day and this has never happened before but I turn it on and after 30 seconds it stalls, turn on again, same thing. It did it twice in the weekend and once today. I think the idle speed is meant to be 1200 or 1300 but I have to have it at 1500 or slightly higher cause it will stall.

tbh I have never pulled out the choke to start it.

You've got to get your story straight

Oops I forgot to post the picture here it is, will look at your picture now.

For a low compression motor that plug colour isn't bad apart from a huge gap and that's a shit load of rust on the outer.....been playing submarines with the bike ??

[bosslady]

You've got to get your story straight





For a low compression motor that plug colour isn't bad apart from a huge gap and that's a shit load of rust on the outer.....been playing submarines with the bike ??

whAt I meant was that I have never NEEDED to use the choke to start it but thinking it might help with my problem I may have fiddled with it all of once ever. No idea what 2 (??) previous owners got up to with it of course but almost guaranteed they'd done little or no maintenance on it, but then I got it at 7k and it's now about 20 I think.

[Grashopper]

itl start and idle with no choke?.................. even when its cold?

I know... Isn't it amazing?
Currently I always have to use the choke. In the morning before I go to work and in the evening when I leave work. Lol, my garage is also attached to the house, but that doesn't help if the house is cold itself...

[T.W.R]

whAt I meant was that I have never NEEDED to use the choke to start it but thinking it might help with my problem I may have fiddled with it all of once ever. No idea what 2 (??) previous owners got up to with it of course but almost guaranteed they'd done little or no maintenance on it, but then I got it at 7k and it's now about 20 I think.

well for starters the colour of the plug shows it isn't a choke problem & you're in aucks so a GN shouldn't need a choke, it's decidedly tropical climate~wise compared to some places and a GN 250 engine is as simple as they come it's the old packhorse... meant to be simple & easy to live with; it's a 30+ yr old design designed for hassle free living for learners & basic city commuting. 20k is absolute sweet F/A.
The plug itself going by the condition is the original but the gap looks about 35+ thou should be 25 thou and @ 20k a new one wouldn't be a stupid thing to do, probably the last time it was out of the bike would have been it's last shop service when new. And using that as a guide to the rest of what should have been serviced, adjusted, & checked do yourself a favour and get the valve clearances checked.

[Drew]

What color was the spark plug you took out? You can tell a lot about the condition of your engine from the spark plug.

Attachment 285101

With unleaded fuel, that old chart is no longer relevant I learned recently. The colouring on the plug that is important, presents as a tiny little ring at the very base of the electrode. Like, magnifying glass small.

no idea what that means but if it's so rich maybe it'd like to share cause I'm sure as fuck not!

Running rich, means the fuel/air mixture is not correct. Rich = too much gas. Lean = not enough gas.

Both can cause issue in the extreems, but on a GN, near enough is good enough.

[bosslady]

well for starters the colour of the plug shows it isn't a choke problem & you're in aucks so a GN shouldn't need a choke, it's decidedly tropical climate~wise compared to some places and a GN 250 engine is as simple as they come it's the old packhorse... meant to be simple & easy to live with; it's a 30+ yr old design designed for hassle free living for learners & basic city commuting. 20k is absolute sweet F/A.
The plug itself going by the condition is the original but the gap looks about 35+ thou should be 25 thou and @ 20k a new one wouldn't be a stupid thing to do, probably the last time it was out of the bike would have been it's last shop service when new. And using that as a guide to the rest of what should have been serviced, adjusted, & checked do yourself a favour and get the valve clearances checked.

Valve clearance already checked. I think most else in the bike should be fine, front and rear sprockets, chain and tyres all replaced within the past 5 or so months? Oil and filter I change about every 4k, new air filter, but I definitely need to check clutch cable adjustment this weekend.

[unstuck]

This is the thread that just keeps on giving.

Not as relevent is how I would of said it Drew, but I know your hearts in the right place. You can still tell a lot from a spark plug, if you know what you are looking for. As we have said before, TUNE UP TIME. No biggy, couple of tweaks she will be all good again. If the plug was all oily though, or the plug had started to melt, the outcome may not of been so pleasant for the old girl.

[Maha]

I know... Isn't it amazing?
Currently I always have to use the choke. In the morning before I go to work and in the evening when I leave work. Lol, my garage is also attached to the house, but that doesn't help if the house is cold itself...

If it has a choke, always start it with that choke. Even when I bought my CB1300 brand new, I was told to always start it with the choke, which I did every time, and let run on choke for 45-60 seconds.
Older bikes? no exception. Anne's Bandit is always started on choke.

[nzspokes]

If it has a choke, always start it with that choke. Even when I bought my CB1300 brand new, I was told to always start it with the choke, which I did every time, and let run on choke for 45-60 seconds.
Older bikes? no exception. Anne's Bandit is always started on choke.

My Hornet has a choke. I never use it.

[bosslady]

This is the thread that just keeps on giving.

Not as relevent is how I would of said it Drew, but I know your hearts in the right place. You can still tell a lot from a spark plug, if you know what you are looking for. As we have said before, TUNE UP TIME. No biggy, couple of tweaks she will be all good again. If the plug was all oily though, or the plug had started to melt, the outcome may not of been so pleasant for the old girl.

Define "tune up" as in, what would you do if tuning up the bike?