2007 dies when stopping

Truckian · May 19th, 2011, 01:13 AM

It seems that when I attempt to stop, or even just slow down, from going 7-10k RPM or so, my engine will die.

I'll let off the throttle, pull in the clutch, start to brake, my RPMs will start to drop, and the engine dies. It's like it can't handle dropping from such a high RPM or something. It seems to help if I set my idle up to around 2100 or so, but I haven't really tested it out enough to be sure. Either way I don't care to have my idle that high anyway, so I still have a problem.

I'm new to this motorcycle thing, so I really have no clue what could be wrong. Thus, I come to you fine fellows

Any ideas?

CynicalC · May 19th, 2011, 03:20 AM

Is it only when you clutch in or it happens while engine braking? Does it run better with the choke on? Sounds like you might just be running lean.

Jinx250 · May 19th, 2011, 08:44 AM

Oh, so many options.... Could be your valves are tight, you could have the idle settings too rich, you could have a loose wire, the list goes on and on. Start by providing more info, like mileage, 49 state bike or CA bike (does it have 3 hoses or 1 coming from the back of the tank?). Maintenenace history. Does it start right back up or does it have to sit a while?

shiftdrift06 · May 20th, 2011, 12:22 PM

Tight valves...When is the last time you adjusted them?

kkim · May 20th, 2011, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiftdrift06

Tight valves...When is the last time you adjusted them?

that would be my guess, too. how many miles on the bike?

LazinCajun · May 20th, 2011, 06:02 PM

Just for my own learning / understanding, would you guys mind explaining why that suggests tight valves?

mrlmd · May 21st, 2011, 07:49 AM

Dump some carb cleaner into the gas, 1-2oz/gal, no more - Seafoam or Berryman's B12 Chemtool, it may help your problem.

greg737 · May 21st, 2011, 03:00 PM

Well, the bike is four years old now so maybe it's time to do some maintenance.

Because you've got an idle problem you might as well work on the things that have to be properly set before you can confidently adjust the idle. You have to: 1.Adjust the valves, 2.Clean the carbs, and 3.Syncronize the carbs.

If the bike hasn't done a lot of sitting (i.e. you're riding it almost year-round) you might skip the carb cleaning.

But the only way you can properly adjust the engine's idle is to do those things first.
.
.
Beyond a simple situation of "the bike just needs some maintenance" as I've described above, there's only one other thing I can think of.... The problem you've described (engine dying when stopping) can be caused by loss of vacuum between the engine and the carbs. When the engine is winding down toward idle speed the carbs enter a delicate operational state that relies very heavily having normal engine vacuum available to achieve proper idle.

An example of something that can cause a loss of vacuum to the carbs is the rubber boots that connect the carbs to the cylinder head. These have to be installed correctly. If the boots are installed backwards (they're marked "head" and "carb") the carbs can fail to seat properly and won't get enough vacuum at idle.

rde09 · May 21st, 2011, 06:08 PM

My 06 ninja suffered the same problems at low idle. I purchased bike with close to 3k miles on it and rode it until it had 8k+ miles on it. It also suffered problems when I stopped and engine was in low rpm state. I also noticed it more noticeable after the engine warmed up. It was not as noticeable when the engine was just started from a cold start. I adjusted my valves and cleaned my carbs before the riding season this year. I was amazed at how much difference this made on the performance of the bike. When I opened up the valve cover and checked the exhaust valves, they were set @ about .0015-.002 in. I adjusted them to within factory specs. The idle is great and performance is very good.

Truckian · May 29th, 2011, 04:43 PM

Sorry for not replying sooner. I finally took the bike out yesterday after some unrelated maintenance (new chain and sprockets), and it only died once. I had the idle set around 2,000-2,100RPM, and it seemed to behave for the most part.

I did notice something peculiar though; When I rev the engine while standing, and then let off, the needle will fall at a pretty constant rate until it gets around 2,000RPM (idle speed), then it drops like a rock, and can't always recover without me blipping the throttle. To me that indicates something wrong with the idle circuit. I'm guessing it's just a gummed up jet. I put some Seafoam in the tank, hoping that might help a bit. If that doesn't work, guess I'll just take the carbs off and give them a good cleaning.

1994Ninja250F · May 29th, 2011, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truckian

Sorry for not replying sooner. I finally took the bike out yesterday after some unrelated maintenance (new chain and sprockets), and it only died once. I had the idle set around 2,000-2,100RPM, and it seemed to behave for the most part.

I did notice something peculiar though; When I rev the engine while standing, and then let off, the needle will fall at a pretty constant rate until it gets around 2,000RPM (idle speed), then it drops like a rock, and can't always recover without me blipping the throttle. To me that indicates something wrong with the idle circuit. I'm guessing it's just a gummed up jet. I put some Seafoam in the tank, hoping that might help a bit. If that doesn't work, guess I'll just take the carbs off and give them a good cleaning.

Definately sounds like a plugged idle circuit. Yep, clean those jets and everything else since you will have the carbs off already. Also, if your valves have never been adjusted or if you don't know that they have, have them adjusted ASAP. Not only do tight valves make the bike idle rough, but the exhaust valves will melt and destroy the engine if the clearance reaches zero.

May 19th, 2011, 01:13 AM	#1
Truckian ninjette.org member Name: Ian Location: Vancouver, WA Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: 11	2007 dies when stopping It seems that when I attempt to stop, or even just slow down, from going 7-10k RPM or so, my engine will die. I'll let off the throttle, pull in the clutch, start to brake, my RPMs will start to drop, and the engine dies. It's like it can't handle dropping from such a high RPM or something. It seems to help if I set my idle up to around 2100 or so, but I haven't really tested it out enough to be sure. Either way I don't care to have my idle that high anyway, so I still have a problem. I'm new to this motorcycle thing, so I really have no clue what could be wrong. Thus, I come to you fine fellows Any ideas?

May 21st, 2011, 06:08 PM	#9
rde09 ninjette.org newbie Name: Ed Location: Northeast Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250 ninja's (o6 yellow sold,04 project,03 green, 01 red/black & 97 yellow w/blue flames) Posts: 9	06 ex 250 that previously suffered dead eng. at low rpms My 06 ninja suffered the same problems at low idle. I purchased bike with close to 3k miles on it and rode it until it had 8k+ miles on it. It also suffered problems when I stopped and engine was in low rpm state. I also noticed it more noticeable after the engine warmed up. It was not as noticeable when the engine was just started from a cold start. I adjusted my valves and cleaned my carbs before the riding season this year. I was amazed at how much difference this made on the performance of the bike. When I opened up the valve cover and checked the exhaust valves, they were set @ about .0015-.002 in. I adjusted them to within factory specs. The idle is great and performance is very good.

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May 19th, 2011, 03:20 AM	#2
CynicalC ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Colin Location: Bay Area Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): '96 EX250 Posts: A lot.	Is it only when you clutch in or it happens while engine braking? Does it run better with the choke on? Sounds like you might just be running lean.

May 19th, 2011, 08:44 AM	#3
Jinx250 Smoker Name: Bob Location: SoCal Join Date: Dec 2010 Motorcycle(s): Guess.... Posts: 556	Oh, so many options.... Could be your valves are tight, you could have the idle settings too rich, you could have a loose wire, the list goes on and on. Start by providing more info, like mileage, 49 state bike or CA bike (does it have 3 hoses or 1 coming from the back of the tank?). Maintenenace history. Does it start right back up or does it have to sit a while?

May 20th, 2011, 12:22 PM	#4
shiftdrift06 ninjette.org member Name: Z Location: Earth Join Date: Jun 2010 Motorcycle(s): None Posts: 92	Tight valves...When is the last time you adjusted them?

May 20th, 2011, 06:02 PM	#6
LazinCajun ninjette.org guru Name: Anon Location: Atlanta, GA Join Date: Aug 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250 (Blue!) Posts: 488	Just for my own learning / understanding, would you guys mind explaining why that suggests tight valves?

May 21st, 2011, 07:49 AM	#7
mrlmd ninjette.org sage Name: Marc Location: Crawfordville, Florida Join Date: Jan 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Suzuki S50, 2006 Kawasaki Ninja EX250F, 1990 Honda PC800, 2000 Yamaha TW200 Posts: 848	Dump some carb cleaner into the gas, 1-2oz/gal, no more - Seafoam or Berryman's B12 Chemtool, it may help your problem.

May 21st, 2011, 03:00 PM	#8
greg737 - Name: - Location: - Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): - Posts: A lot.	Well, the bike is four years old now so maybe it's time to do some maintenance. Because you've got an idle problem you might as well work on the things that have to be properly set before you can confidently adjust the idle. You have to: 1.Adjust the valves, 2.Clean the carbs, and 3.Syncronize the carbs. If the bike hasn't done a lot of sitting (i.e. you're riding it almost year-round) you might skip the carb cleaning. But the only way you can properly adjust the engine's idle is to do those things first. . . Beyond a simple situation of "the bike just needs some maintenance" as I've described above, there's only one other thing I can think of.... The problem you've described (engine dying when stopping) can be caused by loss of vacuum between the engine and the carbs. When the engine is winding down toward idle speed the carbs enter a delicate operational state that relies very heavily having normal engine vacuum available to achieve proper idle. An example of something that can cause a loss of vacuum to the carbs is the rubber boots that connect the carbs to the cylinder head. These have to be installed correctly. If the boots are installed backwards (they're marked "head" and "carb") the carbs can fail to seat properly and won't get enough vacuum at idle.

May 29th, 2011, 04:43 PM	#10
Truckian ninjette.org member Name: Ian Location: Vancouver, WA Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: 11	Sorry for not replying sooner. I finally took the bike out yesterday after some unrelated maintenance (new chain and sprockets), and it only died once. I had the idle set around 2,000-2,100RPM, and it seemed to behave for the most part. I did notice something peculiar though; When I rev the engine while standing, and then let off, the needle will fall at a pretty constant rate until it gets around 2,000RPM (idle speed), then it drops like a rock, and can't always recover without me blipping the throttle. To me that indicates something wrong with the idle circuit. I'm guessing it's just a gummed up jet. I put some Seafoam in the tank, hoping that might help a bit. If that doesn't work, guess I'll just take the carbs off and give them a good cleaning.