Whats wrong with my bike?!

[Animoto]

hey everyone,

I've been riding my bike regularly for about a year now with no problems. I rode the bike two days ago with no problems. Today I tried to ride my bike, and i warmed it up for a little bit like always. Then i rode off slowly through the apartments, once i exited i tried to accelerate only to discover that i couldn't.

Now here is my problem.

I immediately parked and realized i can't accelerate anymore. The bike will die whenever i accelerate and start moving. I had to max the choke and ride back home like that because the power would die, it only got me home cuz it was reving at 6k .

So again, it worked two days ago and the only thing that happened since then is that a large thurderstorm came through while i was sleeping and my bike was uncovered for at least half of it. I did go out and cover it at some point.

please help i have no idea whats wrong with it at this point.

[csmith12]

Well it would seem you have water in the gas somewhere would you think? Can you drain it and try a fresh tank. You might want to collect it in a jug to see if that is indeed the case.

[Ghostt]

Also check the fuel filter inside the fuel inlet elbow.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by Animoto

....... So again, it worked two days ago and the only thing that happened since then is that a large thurderstorm came through while i was sleeping and my bike was uncovered for at least half of it. I did go out and cover it at some point.

please help i have no idea whats wrong with it at this point.

Rain made it into your tank.
Water is heavier than fuel and goes to the bottom of the tank, from where it flows through the cockpit and into the carbs.
You may have water in the bowls of the carburetors.

Here is how to drain those until only fresh fuel flows out:
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Draining_the_carbs

As advised above, use a hose routed into a glass container to see when the water flow stops and the fuel begins; you will see the difference easily.

[Animoto]

Oh man, i was considering that it could be water but i was thinking in the muffler.

Are those the symptoms of water in your fuel and if so can i use one of the water removing liquid bottle in the store?

Also my gas is full just filled up 3 days ago so would you guys know of a way to see if its in the tank or the carbs... because if i drain the carbs it might refill my carbs with water again from the gas tank.

do i do both? that sounds like a pain

[csmith12]

Plan on doing both.

Pull the fuel hose to the carbs and route into a glass jug, turn the petcock to "pri" (prime). It will drain, just takes time. There is a screw for each float bowl to drain those. It's messy but without the tank hose hooked up, it will only spill a little gas.

Worst case is you loose just a lil bit of gas from the bowls, if water is not in your gas, then you can just pore it back in the tank or use it for the lawn tractor.

[Animoto]

Yeah i was looking into water in the gas and it sounds like that's definitely the problem. This sucks.

Thanks guys, i guess ill do both later this week. Ether that or not ride and the second is not an option haha.

just one more thing. Since my gas tank is full and i don't want to lose all that gas. If i do find water, how do i get the gas separated from the water?

[Ghostt]

Personally drain the carburetors, and dump and empty the entire gas tank, this is the only way to 100% sure.

Then check the fill neck drain, it's the hose coming off the back of tank, remove hose, and using an air compressor blow into that nipple on the back of the tank, while having the gas cap open, you should hear, and feel the air around the neck, and then blow the hose out as well.

On my EX500, I had a water issue with my fuel, and it turned out that the drain was clogged.

[Animoto]

well, i removed all the gas from the tank and the carbs through the hoses. I think there may still be some gas so ill be removing the tank tomorrow.

I placed all the gas into empty and dry 1 gallon water containers. I expected to see two different colors or something. the gas look yellow and nothing at the bottom looks different.

Could the water still be in the gas tank?

and should i put one gallon of gas back after its all empty just to check?

[broilmebk]

I've had this issue twice and the second time I did not see any separation in the fuel. Try fresh fuel, don't re-use what you emptied.

[Animoto]

god damn it too late lol. I put back some fuel already from 1 of the 4 separate jugs, although it isn't dieing like before, there is a significant lag between me accelerating and the actual RPM climb.

Do you guys think it can be something else. Spark plugs or something. Its a 2012 ninja 250 so i assumed everything else would be in tact. I just don't want to keep doing the same thing if it could be something else.

or should i just empty it once more than add new fuel?

[broilmebk]

Use fresh fuel before you try to troubleshoot something else. My bike wasn't 100% until the next fill up. Granted I wasn't able to drain the left bowl.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by Animoto

well, i removed all the gas from the tank and the carbs through the hoses. I think there may still be some gas so ill be removing the tank tomorrow.

I placed all the gas into empty and dry 1 gallon water containers. I expected to see two different colors or something. the gas look yellow and nothing at the bottom looks different.

Could the water still be in the gas tank?

and should i put one gallon of gas back after its all empty just to check?

Run it for some time to ensure all water has worked it's way through the system. This can take up to .5 an hour of tinkering. Patience...

[Animoto]

Aright. Ill do that. Ill run it for a while. then drain it fully. then go fill it up a bit to see if it runs. Ill let you guy know how it went some time tomorrow. Thanks for all the help

[Animoto]

yup that was the problem, if anyone else runs into this issue. Drain the tank, the carbs, then put new gas in it.

thanks everyone

[csmith12]

[broilmebk]

FWIW I put the drained fuel into my car with no problems.

[cadd]

Originally Posted by broilmebk

FWIW I put the drained fuel into my car with no problems.

I wouldn't be as comfortable. The last thing I need is for my car to be sputtering. LOL. Draining the tank of a car is much much much more work.

I rather just call it a loss and dump the fuel down the sink (KIDDING!!!!). But seriously, where would you dump old fuel? Bring it to a garage where they take used oil?

Besides, 4 gallons of gas in the tank = $10 bux. Not really worth taking the risk of messing up the car (in my humble opinion).

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by Animoto

yup that was the problem, if anyone else runs into this issue. Drain the tank, the carbs, then put new gas in it.

thanks everyone

You are welcome

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by cadd

............ I rather just call it a loss and dump the fuel down the sink (KIDDING!!!!). But seriously, where would you dump old fuel? Bring it to a garage where they take used oil?

Copied from:
http://www.marathonpetroleum.com/bra...g_of_Gasoline/

"You should contact your local fire department and/or government agency to determine the rules and restrictions for handling, storing, or disposing of gasoline in your area.
........
There are organizations that will help dispose of gasoline in an environmentally responsible way. Finding the best option may take some researching. Sources of information are your community's fire department, recycling center, and hazardous waste disposal center. Check the government pages of your phone book to locate these organizations.

Commercial organizations are usually listed in the Yellow Pages under Environmental and Ecological Services and Oils, Waste. You may have to pay for disposal. Therefore, try to purchase only the amount of gasoline that you absolutely need."

Simple contamination with water does not make gasoline bad, both liquids are absolutely immiscible.
Using a glass container, it is very easy to see both and get rid of the water or mix of water and ethanol.

Please see:
https://www.ninjette.org/forums/show...8&postcount=18

[Ghostt]

Did you find the cause of the water in your tank??

[Animoto]

Originally Posted by Ghostt

Did you find the cause of the water in your tank??

unfortunately no, to be honest i didn't even see any water but i wasn't using glass containers. I will assume that ether i went to the gas station on a bad day and water got in my tank or the thunderstorm really gave my gas tank door a beating. Ill have to be paranoid now and make sure i never leave it sitting during a heavy storm.

[broilmebk]

Originally Posted by cadd

I wouldn't be as comfortable. The last thing I need is for my car to be sputtering. LOL. Draining the tank of a car is much much much more work.

I rather just call it a loss and dump the fuel down the sink (KIDDING!!!!). But seriously, where would you dump old fuel? Bring it to a garage where they take used oil?

Besides, 4 gallons of gas in the tank = $10 bux. Not really worth taking the risk of messing up the car (in my humble opinion).

You don't have to put in all 4 gallons at a time. When I did it, the fuel sat for a couple days and I saw no water separation. The car had no issues putting in a half gallon or so here and there.

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by Animoto

unfortunately no, to be honest i didn't even see any water but i wasn't using glass containers. I will assume that ether i went to the gas station on a bad day and water got in my tank or the thunderstorm really gave my gas tank door a beating. Ill have to be paranoid now and make sure i never leave it sitting during a heavy storm.

Check the drain, as I posted above.