Bike shuts off while riding

[coolbreeze]

After 7600 miles, my bike is acting up on me. It was giving all the classic signs of a bad battery. I replaced the battery and on my way home yesterday, it did it again. This was only a 2.5 mile ride. Right before it shuts off, I can feel it lose power. If I keep the revs high, it does better, but when I let ease off the clutch, it dies shortly after. After a few minutes, it starts up and I can go again... and then it repeats. It's not running hot, the temp gauges is where it normally is and this happens even if it has been sitting for hours. The valves haven't been checked/adjusted since the 600 miles service. I did check the fuel lines to make sure they weren't pinched.

How do I check the Stator?

Suggestions, compliments, complaints?

[dubojr1]

Hmmm... Sounds similar to other threads here on the 08+ 250's.

Check this thread and the "similar threads" below it. http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...light=stalling

[coolbreeze]

Thanks. I didn't think to check the problem with the '08+. I do recall opening the gas cap the last time to be sure I had gas, and that didn't solve the problem. It still took about 7-10 minutes before it would start again. I did add SeaForm 2 days ago, but I still haven't had a chance to ride. Thing is this was happening at random times during the day/night. The last time it happened before I changed the battery, the bike had been sitting for 6 hrs. It took me 3x to kick start it. I will check the lines again along with the filter tonight. We are supposed to have 3 days of rain, so I won't get another chance until Thursday or Friday.

[dubojr1]

Ok. Sounds like you have a plan. Let us know how it goes and then we will move forward from there.

[wvninja]

bad plug?

[coolbreeze]

Originally Posted by wvninja

bad plug?

That's on the list too. I hope to do some of the troubleshooting today.

[j98sprint]

Maybe check the ohm reading on the pickup coil?

j98

[coolbreeze]

Originally Posted by j98sprint

Maybe check the ohm reading on the pickup coil?

j98

Where would that be? Is it part of the starter?

[kkim]

are you sure you have enough gas? have you tried flipping to "reserve" when this happens to see if that helps?

[coolbreeze]

Originally Posted by kkim

are you sure you have enough gas? have you tried flipping to "reserve" when this happens to see if that helps?

Yep, I had recently filled up, the gas was still over the hump in the middle. I even switched to reserve thinking the main feed from the petcock was clogged up.

[j98sprint]

It's under one of the engine side covers. It's also called the crank positioon sensor. Easy to get to and test. You need one of the repair manuals and a volt/ohm meter.

Not sure if this is a sort of common problem with this bike but when this sensor goes bad they die suddenly, then cool down, then work again for a while before they die altogether.

Not trying to discourage you, it's really not complicated once you look at the book. I have a Haynes manual and procedures and pictures are very clear. If a dope like me can do it then anyone can.

j98

[coolbreeze]

Originally Posted by j98sprint

It's under one of the engine side covers. It's also called the crank positioon sensor. Easy to get to and test. You need one of the repair manuals and a volt/ohm meter.

Not sure if this is a sort of common problem with this bike but when this sensor goes bad they die suddenly, then cool down, then work again for a while before they die altogether.

Not trying to discourage you, it's really not complicated once you look at the book. I have a Haynes manual and procedures and pictures are very clear. If a dope like me can do it then anyone can.

j98

One of my buddies was talking about some sensor that may contain mercury and when it goes bad, it becomes sensitive to heat. The was on an older bmw though. I don't think that is the problem since it wouldn't crank after sitting in a covered garage for several hours. I do have a meter, so I'll test it anyway. Looks, like tomorrow will be the earliest I can look it over.

[coolbreeze]

Originally Posted by kawboyCAFE

i read somewhere that some kawasaki bikes are really sensitive to water in the gas. do you get gas at the same place all the time? if so, try a different station for a while to see if it helps.

No, I get gas from several stations. I've gone through at least 3-4 tanks with this happening. In the beginning it was rare, but the last time I was on it, it kept happening.

[coolbreeze]

Ok, I decided to take the bike for a quick ride thinking it would be easier to trouble the problem when it happens. No luck, it ran just fine. I checked the battery again, plugs, hoses, etc and everything was fine. I will give it another shot this week to see if it happens again, otherwise, I guess I will have to pull the bike apart.

[FrugalNinja250]

Pull the wires off the coil terminals and check for corrosion, clean and grease with silicone grease as needed.

The rubber hose under the seat from the back of the tank is a drain hose for the filler cap recess; pinching this line can have no effect on the way the bike runs. Take a 5mm Allen wrench and short length of clear tubing that fits the drain nipples on the carbs with you when you ride. Next time it stalls drain the carbs and see if there's any water in the fuel. Have you cleaned the filter screen in the fuel line where it connects to the carbs, or better yet installed a real fuel filter?

[coolbreeze]

Will the water/gas separate like oil/water? The fuel filter was clean as well. I thought changing the fuel filters was causing some bikes to have this same issue.

[FrugalNinja250]

Yes, the water will sit in the bottom of the gasoline. When water gets into the carbs it sits in the bottom of the bowls where the drain screw is, blocking gasoline from the jets. But the more I think of it, the less likely water seems to be the problem to me. If there's enough water to drown the jets and stall the motor the bike will not restart until the water's been drained, no matter how long you let it sit. Since you're able to restart it after time that rules out water IMHO.

I'm leaning toward electrical/ignition. I had a similar problem where the bike would act like it was running out of gas and then lose most power. Wide open it would barely do 50 mph and that was only if I was already going that fast when it quit and there were no hills or head wind. It turned out to be a faulty connector at an ignition coil, corrosion combined with broken strands in the wire at the terminal.

As for voltage, get a meter and measure voltage while running and while stopped. Stopped voltage should never dip below 12.0 volts; any less and a battery is considered discharged. While running and idling it should hover around 13-14V, especially with slight revving of the engine. Measure at the battery.

[dubojr1]

Originally Posted by coolbreeze

Will the water/gas separate like oil/water? The fuel filter was clean as well. I thought changing the fuel filters was causing some bikes to have this same issue.

This seems to be on 08+ bikes and be careful which filter you choose to install. Some are in fact made for gravity flow and some require some fuel pressure for flow.

[coolbreeze]

Thx. Looks like we will have decent weather tomorrow, so I should be able to try this again.

[bob138]

Sorry if this has been covered, I only skimmed the thread.

Did you check the vent in your gas cap? If it's plugged it can cut of fuel flow to the carbs.

Bob

[coolbreeze]

I checked the hose, but not the plug. Is that near the top of the cap.

[bob138]

The long hose that is connected to the tank only drains from next to the filler neck in case of overflow. In the cap on the inside there should be a little hole. That hole has a check valve built into it to allow air in but no gas out. When that gets plugged it prevents the air from coming in and letting the gas go out.

You can clean it out with canned air, but, you need to blow through the correct side and with the tank filler hole covered so the junk doesn't fall in. More than likely there is a hole on the top near where the key goes in. That should be your air in and where you would blow the canned air.

Bob

[coolbreeze]

Thanks, I'll check it out today. I rode another 18 miles yesterday without incident. I got on the highway and got up to speed several times on a 3-4 mile stretch. The bike started without any problems too. I think I forgot to mention, but I did add some SeaForm a while back, so maybe that helped clear it up. I was getting fuel at the same BP each week, with no problems. It's time for more fuel, so I'll try somewhere else, just to see if it happens again. It's hard to troubleshoot, when the problem isn't happening, but hopefully it doesn't happen again.

[FrugalNinja250]

Next time the problem happens you can unlock the gas cap but leave it in place. If that solves it then the cap vent is plugged.

[coolbreeze]

Yeah, I had my spare key and was ready for that to happen.