Idle problem - please help

[centaurus]

Sunday morning, while riding my bike, it suddenly started to lose power. I stopped to check what was happening. As soon as I pulled the cluch lever, the engine stopped and I couldn't restart it again.

After one hour of tinkering and trying to start it, it started when I pulled the chocke and kept the throtle half open. As long as I revved it, it worked ok. as soon as I closed the throttle, instead of idling, it just died.

The thing that intrigues me is that there weren't any signs prior to this. Until yesterday, the bike ran perfectly well, idled perfectly and started at the first or second kick. The only thing I could think of is that after the last refuel (on Friday evening), it started feeling a little bit sluggish, and the engine sounded a little bit different. However, the difference was so small (allmost unnoticeable) that I thought I was imagining things.

The only thing I could think of is water in fuel (it was the first time I bought petrol from that station). Does anybody know what could be the cause?

Thanx!

[pervert]

Blocked pilot jet perhaps, could be time for a carb clean.

[degrom]

I get the same idea... That will be the reason why it works in higher revs...

[surfer]

You might also want to check for air leaks, this will make it run leaner and die when not revved. Check for this first as it is easier, do the pulling off of parts later.

Check your exhaust and make sure this is tight. Look for air leaks round the carbs, any splits in rubber connectors or half hanging off hoses/connections.

If you think there may be water in your fuel, drain some off from the fuel line and have a look at it in a bowl. You should see the water droplets, if there are none chances are your fuel is fine.

When you do start on the carbs check the float bowls first to see if there is debris in them. If there is then chances are you have a blocked jet. In which case you will need to pull it apart and blow them clean. When you fit it all together again to stop the problem recurring you may want to consider fitting a fuel filter.

Good luck

[surfer]

You might also want to check for air leaks, this will make it run leaner and die when not revved. Check for this first as it is easier, do the pulling off of parts later.

Check your exhaust and make sure this is tight. Look for air leaks round the carbs, any splits in rubber connectors or half hanging off hoses/connections.

If you think there may be water in your fuel, drain some off from the fuel line and have a look at it in a bowl. You should see the water droplets, if there are none chances are your fuel is fine.

When you do start on the carbs check the float bowls first to see if there is debris in them. If there is then chances are you have a blocked jet. In which case you will need to pull it apart and blow them clean. When you fit it all together again to stop the problem recurring you may want to consider fitting a fuel filter.

Oh yeah, almost forgot. If all this fails to cure the problem it is probably something else. A good place to follow on from all the above is to start on the ignition system. Start by replacing the spark plugs, then the ht leads, check your coils/condensors/points if you have them. Always start on the easy cheap to fix stuff first and be systematic.

[centaurus]

Thanks a lot guys! You've been really helpfull.

I'm gonna start troubleshooting it tonight. I hope it's not something too expensive or dificult to repair

[centaurus]

I had a look today and everything seems to be in order at the exhaust and at the air intake. However, I checked the spark plugs and they have something on them like mud, or like wet ashes. It's pretty obvious (even for me) that they need changing.

The question is: does this mean that I have the same gunk in the cylinders or in the carbureters? Should I be worried, or this is the normal way the spark plugs look after a lot of use?

[riffer]

Hang on a sec - I had something similar with the RF. Could be you've just oiled up the plugs through not revving it enough.

But ... If it's working on high revs, and not properly at low revs, check the jet needle.

It's the bit that goes right down the centre of the carb - it sits inside the slide and goes right through the venturi to the needle jet (or emulsion tube).

If the needle's broken (like mine did) and you flick open the butterfly, you won't see the needle. The needle end looks like a javelin and basically what it does is regulates the amount of petrol that goes into the venturi.

So if the needle's broken you've got a majorly rich mix happening, which the engine will hate at low revs but love at high revs.

Just a thought. It took me bloody ages to diagnose - hopefully it helps you.

[Ixion]

Its a two stroke. Always always always, first thing if anything's not right, put in a new set of plugs.

And I bet you're not wringing its neck. It's a two smoker, you have to give it merciless shit regularly. I suspect the zorsts are oiled up. How long since you held it hard on the red line for 5 kilometre or so?

Change plugs, cane it until it learns who's boss (or you see Spankme, which ever comes first) , then see if there's any residual problem

[Squiggles]

not long after i first got my rgv i had similar problems... had a case of water in the fuel, but also i wasnt wringing its neck enough (just as ixion said), wouldnt idle and would cut out in the low revs... took it for a good spin down the motorway in high revs and the amount of gunk that flew out the back ran like a beaut after that

[centaurus]

I took out the spark plugs last night, I wiped them, put them back and... miracle: the bike started. It was running on only one cylinder (through one of the exhaust pipes it was expelling only cold air), but even in this condition, after about 3-4 minutes of hard revving, it kept the idle at about 1000RPM (normal is 1250 RPM). Today I'm buying new spark plugs and hopefully I'll be riding again before sundown

Thanx everybody for the tips, especialy Ixion and Squiggles. It appears you were right: I wasn't riding it hard enough. Come to think of it, it's kinda' normal, it is almost a racing machine, and I was riding it between 3 and 6-7 thousand RPM (below it's powerband).

[ManDownUnder]

see if Spankme, comes first

He reckons he has that problem licked... too much pron apparently

[centaurus]

see if Spankme, comes first

He reckons he has that problem licked... too much pron apparently

Can somebody translate? I'm lost. I feel this is the sequel of something I don't know about .

[ManDownUnder]

Can somebody translate? I'm lost. I feel this is the sequel of something I don't know about .

Happy to help, and yes somewhat of an inside joke - sorry.

SpankMe (Site Admin) is well known for being a connoiseur of porn (or "pron" in KB parlance)

If Spank came too soon... it was the pron causing it - but now that problem's licked...

[centaurus]

Got it! Thanx!