My bike has issues

[R3d]

I'd really appreciate some ideas here...  I'll try to explain what's going on.

Carbs were cleaned by a bike shop.  I took it out and rode round the neighbourhood for over 5 minutes then stopped at a gas station nearby.  The bike ran really smooth, no problems.  After filling it up, it started fine, idled fine, revved fine.  I put it in 1st and take off - it dies...  Even easing out the clutch as slowly as I possibly could, it would die.  Finally got it moving, but then it wouldn't respond to the throttle.  Twisting the throttle did nothing - it was just idling down the road so I pulled off.  It would rev up nicely as long as I didn't try to put a load on it.   Let it sit and idle a few minutes and then was able to ride it home.  The way back, it was hesitating just a little here and there.

I know it's running rich and both plugs are sooty black.  It's done this before after coming to a complete stop at stop signs, etc.  What stuff should I check?  Float height?  The previous owner put in K&N jets - do I need to go back to stock size?

Thanks!

[scratch]

Carbs were cleaned, it ran fine, you filled up and then you had problems.

So when you stopped it allowed something to come loose causing a rich condition. -> Check choke cable to see if it is hanging up on the carb body.

[scratch]

It's happened before you say, and what was the cause of the previous problems? And what did you do to fix it?

[R3d]

It's the same problem since I got the carbs cleaned.   Long story...  I got it back from the shop and it was doing this after they cleaned the carbs.  The bike shop people are being #$%^ so I can't take it back to them without being charged heaps.  I'm very angry with them.......

My neighbour took it for a ride and thinks it may be flooding.  Once he got it above, say, 3500 rpm he said it ran smooth.  But it did the same thing to him where the bike wouldn't respond to the throttle after he was stopped.

[scratch]

What octane and brand gas are you using?

Do you have some clear hose of a small enough diameter to check the float heigth?

When was the last valve adjustment?

It runs fine, you stop, and then it doesn't run fine. hmm.

<conjecturing>
When it's running at above 3500rpm, it's emptying the floatbowls enough to prevent flooding, maybe?

Cam chain tensioner gets tight when hot?

Spark cutting out on one of the coils? As heat increases, so does resistance.

Check, or have checked, these things.

Edit: I'm begining to really think it's the coils, or, a coil.

[johncam4]

is your avatar SRV

[R3d]

is your avatar SRV

LOL  No, it's Terri Clark.  She may or may not take that as a compliment.  


Scratch, if the plugs are new, would the coils be at fault?  What would cause that?   If it's a coil problem, would it still idle?

Not sure on the other stuff - the bike shop was meant to check everything over, but I'm not sure I trust them much at this point.  I put 87 in today, if I remember correctly.  The shop supposedly put some fuel in and I've no idea what octane.

Thanks for pondering this for me!

[scratch]

Yes, even if you put in new spark plugs the coils may still not be supplying enough juice to make a spark.

Check to see if you have spark on both plugs.

Heat can cause an increase in the resistance to the flow of electricity, so if the coils get too hot, they may not be able to produce enough electricity.

The shop hasn't 'fixed' the problem, so you should be able to take it back and have them check the coils specifically, without charge.

You're using 87 so I don't think that gas is the problem.

The only thing is that it may not be the coils because the problem you have happens suddenly, and I would think that if the coils were the problem it would be a gradual kind of thing. But, I could be wrong.

It would be good to at least have it checked. But, check for spark first.

[R3d]

The shop hasn't 'fixed' the problem, so you should be able to take it back and have them check the coils specifically, without charge.

The only thing is that it may not be the coils because the problem you have happens suddenly, and I would think that if the coils were the problem it would be a gradual kind of thing. But, I could be wrong.

It would be good to at least have it checked. But, check for spark first.

Thanks for the help, Scratch.  

The shop is trying to tell me the problem might not be related so they'll have to charge me again.  They won't even tell me how much it will cost just to look at it.  And I get the feeling that even if it was something they didn't do when cleaning the carbs, they will tell me it wasn't their fault...   If I take it in, it will be to another shop.  My friend and I are diverting business from the jerk shop after this mess.  It's called Phillip's Pro Cycle if anyone here is near the Carbondale IL area.

I'll check the plugs more thoroughly and the float height either today or tomorrow.  Between my neighbor and I, the bike was running bout 20min yesterday and only had problems after coming to a complete stop.  I didn't hit any traffic while I was riding round the neighborhood, so I never really came to a stop till I went to the gas station.

[scratch]

Shops tend to be very literal. If you tell them somethings wrong with the carbs, or to look at the carbs, that's all they'll do. And, if it's not the carbs... It's how they make money.

Did you check your choke cable? Make sure it's seated on the carb body.

It still sounds like something is loose, and is causing the bike to not run after you stop.

Any of your cutout switches loose? Clutch cutout, sidestand cutout, neutral.

Freind here said one of the connections to the stator wouldn't conduct electricity when the motor was hot on his '89 GSXR1100.