Engine dies while riding

[iandunn]

I just got back from an hour-and-a-half long ride out in the country, which would have been a really good time if  the bike hadn't died 4-5 times during before I got home.

The first 45-60 minutes were normal, but at one point I was slowing down as I was approaching a T intersection to do a U turn and the engine died while I was turning. I was still in about third or fourth, although my speed was only 10-15 mph, so I thought that maybe that caused it to die or that I had accidentally let off the clutch too much.

But a few minutes later I was cruising along at about 50 or 60 when the engine started kind of sputtering and the throttle was responding very sluggishly. I thought I was running low on gas so I switched to reserve and it kept sputtering for about 20 seconds and then became normal again. That got me a few more miles, but then the engine started sputtering and died. I pulled over and checked the tank and there was plenty of gas, so I switched the petcock back to on. After a few minutes of trying to get it into neutral (that's probably unrelated, but I usually don't have a problem finding neutral) I got her started again. After a few more miles she died again and I had to bump-start her to get her running. A few more miles and she dies again, bump-start again.

She made it the rest of the 10 miles home without dying and only sputtering a little bit. When she did sputter I opened up the throttle a lot to keep her going and after a 30-90 seconds she started acting normally again.


I bought the bike just before winter so the last month or so is the first times I've ridden it. I've had some starting problems that might be fuel-related, so perhaps this is another symptom of whatever problem is causing that. It seems like the times when she was sputtering and died may have been because she wasn't getting enough fuel, but I'm not sure why that would happen intermittenly. I was going straight most of the time, so I don't think it's that the lines are getting pinched. I've been riding her semi-regularly for the past month, but mostly short trips with regular stops; this was the first time I took her out on country roads for longer than 30-45 minutes and the first time she's died on me. Do you guys have any ideas?


Thanks,
ian

[Kerry]

The first time it died (while slowing down with the clutch lever in) is what happens to my bike when I accidentally leave the choke on a little bit and ride until the bike is fully warmed up.

As for the other times...

You said that you switched the fuel selector switch from RES back to ON at some point, but you didn't say whether you switched it again later.  My guess is that you really were low on fuel, even though it looked like there was plenty in the tank.  We won't know for sure until you fill it up again and see how many gallons it takes.

[iandunn]

I'm pretty sure it wasn't low fuel. I had filled up two days before and had only ridden about 50 miles. After she died a couple of times running on reserve I figured it wasn't low fuel so I switched it back to on and it kept having the same problems intermittenly, but it made it back home with the petcock set to on.

[simonyau]

Will it be related to the sidestand protection switch (not sure the correct name for this)?

[AlexR]

My 02' usually just dies. The last 2 times ive riden it, it died either going up a hill or turning. it will sputter a few times, the rpm's will drop and eventually it will die. when id start it up, even if i had the choke completely off, the engine would rev itself up to 5000+ rpm and then sputter and die. i have no idea whats going on but its pissing me off cause its gonna be really nice all week long. please help!

[Tyblerone]

Sounds like you need to clean out your emulsion tubes in your carbs.  I can't say for sure but that's what was wrong with mine.

I heard that 500's were notorious for carb problems for one reason or another.



My bike history is this.

Purchased for $500 from a friend with unknown issues
Issues turned out to be:

Plug fouling after every 60 miles or so
Clogged emolsion tube in right carb to the point where the right cylender wouldn't even fire.

Yeah well I'm gonna be gettin a new gas tank from the cap down, hopefully pretty soon.  After the carbs received much love and attention, as well as some serious leaning of the mixture, the bike runs beautifully.

[Kerry]

I'm pretty sure it wasn't low fuel. I had filled up two days before and had only ridden about 50 miles.

I understand.   But someone else on here was of the same opinion in a similar situation, and spent a bunch of money at a dealer's service department only to find that the fuel level was indeed low.

Besides, 50 miles plus 45-60 minutes in the country makes roughly 100 miles when you had the first (choke-related?) problem.  The sluggishness came after that, and the fact that switching to REServe fixed it the first time sure sounds suspicious.

Let us know what you find out when you fill up (and HOW FAR you fill up).   :dunno:

[iandunn]

I rode to the gas station 5 mintues away and filled up while the bike was on the sidestand, it was 2.76 gallons. I rode there on reserve and back on 'on' with no problems. The tank holds 5.3 gallons, so I still had at least 2.5-3 gallons left when my problems started, right?

[Kerry]

I went back through your posts and found (in your 31 Oct 2004 post) that you have a '90 model.  I assume it's a non-California model, which means that your fuel tank will hold 4.5 gallons (same as my '99).  According to the specs, that includes ~1 gallon of REServe.

A few items:

1) If you fill up with the bike on the sidestand, I'd say you're missing out on at least 2 or 3 tenths of a gallon.  (Kinda like checking the oil level on the sidestand....)  I stay on the bike and hold it upright when I fill up.

2) When the fuel level reaches the bottom of the filler neck, I gently rock the bike from side to side to let air bubbles escape.  The level drops and I am able to put another shot in.  I can usually do this 8 to 10 times before the level stays at the bottom of the neck.  (NOTE: A couple weeks ago I got patient and just WAITED -- without rocking -- after the level reached the filler neck.  The level went down all by itself, over and over.  When it wouldn't go down anymore, I rocked the bike and the level STILL didn't drop.  "You mean I've been rocking all this time for no reason?"  :dunno: )

3) Even if you get the tank totally FULL, you wouldn't be the first one to have to switch to REServe prematurely.  Others have had this problem before you.  If this is the case, your in-tank filter screen may be a little gummed up.  On a 15-year-old bike that doesn't sound very far-fetched.

4) The key is to "force" the situation until you know what to expect.  Now that good riding days are here, go on as many long rides as you can.  Use a consistent method to fill the tank, note the mileage at which the "sputtering" starts, etc.  In fact, I suggest that you let the REServe run out at least once (with a gas station in the vicinity) and see how far you can go on PRIme.  The MOST I have ever been able to pump into my tank this way was 4.3 gallons.  And that was after "running out of gas" about 3 times on PRIme, stopping on the side of the road and leaning my bike to the left to get a little more fuel to slosh through the filter screen...

...and down the RES fuel tube.[/list:u]I wonder how much more you could pump into the tank if you went straight back to the gas station?  I've never filled mine on the sidestand, so that bit of data would be handy to have.

[Robincop]

my problem (I think) was a leaking vacuum pipe between carb and petcock. Don't think there was enough vacuum to properly open the diaphram at high speed. Something else to check ? (see "High Speed Cutting Out" posted a few weeks ago.  Good luck ! !  ( I also added a load of Redex when I fuelled up)

[Jarno]

Check that your air filter and the carb air channels too.

I once (way back when I still rode a 125cc dirt bike) forgot a cleaning rag under my saddle; it then of course got sucked into the air filter while riding on the highway.

Needless to say, that although the bike didn't die on me, revving over 3k wasn't quite possible. And considering that it *was* a two-stroke 125, that would've been nice.

-Jarno