my bike just did something bad

[anervoustwitch]

Same 04 gs500f i was asking about in this thread but it just did something very distressing today.

I was about 3 miles from home and the bike started to sputter.  Engine power was pulsing and eventually died after another 200 or 300 feet.  I coasted off the road and tried to start it again, no dice.  It sounded and was behaving exactly like it did the last time I ran out of gas, only the tank was at least half full.  The choke was still all the way open at this point because I had just left the house.  I switched the fuel selector to prime and it started on the first attempt.  I rode for a while longer and switched the selector back to ON and it did the same thing, this time about 1/4 mile down the highway (just after an exit  ).  I switched the selector back to prime, and again was able to ride.  A while later I switched to reserve and the bike behaved normally, after turning the choke off and everything.

Recently I have also noticed it tends to stall when coming to a stop from road speed.  Restarting the engine fixed that, but im a bit concerned that its stalling so easily.  It has been idling a little lower (1100-1300) than im used (1500) as well.  I THINK that it may be fixed by changing the oil, i havent done that yet and it probably had summer oil in when i got it.

With as little as i know about bikes ( this is my first bike, got it in july ) the only thing i can think of is that there is something physically stuck in the main fuel line between the tank and where the reserve line joins it.

So obviously the bike works in reserve right now, but id certainly like to get it back to working on the main line.  Suggestions?

[ambisinister]

You don't mention how many miles you have on the bike. If the mileage is still low, you might just need to increase the idle speed to compensate for engine break-in according to the owners manual

[anervoustwitch]

You don't mention how many miles you have on the bike. If the mileage is still low, you might just need to increase the idle speed to compensate for engine break-in according to the owners manual

sorry, forgot.  im just coming up on 9k.  ive personally ridden about 1.5k of that.

[slowinthestraights]

Replace the POS petcock with a Honda CRF250 one.

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

Sounds like the gas issue is fine... what "looks" like 1/2 a tank of gas isn't nearly that, due to the poor design of the tank, i.e., "crap pockets" at the bottom that sit below the level of the pickups.

[DLW]

I had a smiliar thing happen to me recently.  Thought I had gas and it sputtered to a stop on the freeway on me.  I don't have a stock petcock either(No prime).  I wound up shaking the bike from side to side.  And it started right up.  I was able to ride it to a gas station and filled it up.  No problems since then.

I'd say your just lower on fuel than you realize, just as I was.

DLW

[anervoustwitch]

Replace the POS petcock with a Honda CRF250 one.

is there a writeup for this?  if not, what is involved?

[ben2go]

Here's da link to convert to no vacumme.   http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=19363.0

[kml.krk]

I had a smiliar thing happen to me recently.  Thought I had gas and it sputtered to a stop on the freeway on me.  I don't have a stock petcock either(No prime).  I wound up shaking the bike from side to side.  And it started right up.  I was able to ride it to a gas station and filled it up.  No problems since then.

I'd say your just lower on fuel than you realize, just as I was.

DLW

had exact same problem on the highway (been on the left lane doing 80mph when the bike died). I checked the fuel before I left home and I THOUGHT I had more than a half. I was totaly wrong! I made it to the right side of the road, with clutch pulled in, relaxed (the hell was scared out of me since I'm still new rider and don't have much experience) changed to reserve and the bike started up right away.

Too bad that GS doesn't have fuel indicator...
KaMeL

[slowinthestraights]

Replace the POS petcock with a Honda CRF250 one.

is there a writeup for this?  if not, what is involved?

No, Not much is involved. Simply file down a small section on the back of the petcock mount and install it with the factory bolt. You will need new lengths of fuel hose as well.

Here is the part number/price from bikebandit

2916036-001 | 2004 Honda CRF250X FUEL TANK    $25.87 

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

Too bad that GS doesn't have fuel indicator...
KaMeL

Uhh.. it does.... when the bike goes "chug chug chug", you're low on fuel, switch to reserve, and hit a gas station ASAP..

[DrtRydr23]

I concur about you probably being too low on gas.  Also, make sure that you are not accidentally mixing up PRI and ON on the fuel selector.  I have a 97, and when I first got the bike I accidentally ran it on prime which caused it to sputter out and die.  Once I figured it out, I have not had any problems in that department.  I think they changed the selector for newer models, so I don't have any input on what position the lever should be at for PRI vs ON.  Running with the choke on for too long can cause it to die as well.  After it warms up, the mixture becomes too rich with the choke on and the bike will die.  I never run with the choke all the way on, mainly because the rpms jump to around 4000 at idle pretty quickly.  Give it a minute to warm up and then run on partial choke if you need to get on the road quickly.  I usually choke it to around 1500 and ride for a little bit if I don't have time to let it warm up sufficiently.  Once the idle stumbles a bit, or after a couple of minutes, close the choke and run without it.

[CndnMax]

there is no need to buy a new petcock with an +04
check out this thread: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=37366.0

[galahs]

there is no need to buy a new petcock with an +04
check out this thread: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=37366.0

What he said! 


The 04-07 has a better petcock than the earlier GS's and after a tiny modification are even better! 

[dchrist]

If switching to prime worked, then your stalling on the highway issue is certainly fuel related. however I remember reading something different about stalling when coming to a stop (like off an exit ramp or at a stop sign). i read somewhere on here that this symptom can be caused by an electrical problem. something about the ground wire coming lose or needing an extra ground... sorry I can't find that thread and i don't know much about electrical problems. anyone know about electrical that can confirm or deny this?

d

[anervoustwitch]

wow so i feel stupid.  it was totally just the fuel being low.  i thought the level looked higher before i left the house.  thanks for the help everyone, i appreciate it.

[erslincoln]

wow so i feel stupid.  it was totally just the fuel being low.  i thought the level looked higher before i left the house.  thanks for the help everyone, i appreciate it.

I did the same thing a couple weeks ago.  Looks like it's got plenty,..... and not so much.   

[Iron-Man]

i did this a couple of days ago. i had my bike in my grandparents garden for the entire sunny weekend with the battery on charge etc and didnt once think "fuel would be a good idea!" as it looked at least 1/2 full....its happens

-KC-

[VSG]

No, Not much is involved. Simply file down a small section on the back of the petcock mount and install it with the factory bolt. You will need new lengths of fuel hose as well.

Here is the part number/price from bikebandit

2916036-001 | 2004 Honda CRF250X FUEL TANK    $25.87 

Here's a little write up on it:

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=43686.0

You also need a vacuum cap or a screw to plug the vacuum connection on the left (I believe) carb.

It's a nice, cheap way to solve any petcock problems.

[shiznizbiz]

ok.....heres a little trick i use on since there is no fuel guage.  Fill your tank all the way up.  petcock on run, not reserve or prime. reset the trip odometer.  Ride until you start to have the sputtering and power surging/loss of power thing happen.  Then reach down turn your petcock to reserve and mentally note the miles on the trip odometer. and voila, gas gauge for those who adapt and overcome.  And choke for 3 miles?  wow.  thats along time of choke for summer weather.