2nd occurrence: engine shut off while on the FWY

[austinm911]

So this is the second time this has happened. I was traveling at around 90 indicated while on the HOV lane (like I always do) and hit 100 as I was coming down a hill that the I-15 has. My power shut off while i was coming back down from 90-95 indicated. While I was pulling over onto the shoulder I was turning my engine cut off switch and the key to the power on and off but the bike wouldn't start. A total lost of power.

Once I reached a stop, I turned everything off and on like I had been trying, and the bike started back up.

This happened one or two weeks ago as well while going down the 163 approaching Friars road (another big hill).

Actually, this is the 3rd time this has happened. Last year I was traveling on the 8 FWY going like 80-90 indicated and the same thing happened where I lost power, pulled over and restarted. But the FWY was flat.


I have an Area P exhaust. My little brother dropped my bike, took it in the dealer and got fairings replaced. I doubt his crash is causing this.

What's up with this?

[dirty nasty]

Sounds like you're running out of gas or are having trouble getting fuel delivered to the bike. Did you richen up the jetting when you modified the exhaust? If not, you need to correct that issue. If it's only a slip on system ditch it and go back to stock. Slip ons only take away from the bike and are for spodes. Are you trusting the fuel gauge? Don't. It's wrong. Use your trip odometer and figure out when it's time to fill up. Other than that look for crud in the tank, clogged fuel line, clogged/dirty carbs. This is a good time to install a fuel filter. Use fresh, high quality gas too. Maybe try a different station? Some stations have a lot of stuff in your fuel that you don't want in your fuel. Like water.

[austinm911]

Originally Posted by dirty nasty

Sounds like you're running out of gas or are having trouble getting fuel delivered to the bike. Did you richen up the jetting when you modified the exhaust? If not, you need to correct that issue. If it's only a slip on system ditch it and go back to stock. Slip ons only take away from the bike and are for spodes. Are you trusting the fuel gauge? Don't. It's wrong. Use your trip odometer and figure out when it's time to fill up. Other than that look for crud in the tank, clogged fuel line, clogged/dirty carbs. This is a good time to install a fuel filter. Use fresh, high quality gas too. Maybe try a different station? Some stations have a lot of stuff in your fuel that you don't want in your fuel. Like water.

I had about a gallon left of gas. Went to go fill up and put in 3 gal. I use 89 octane gas from the same 7/11 station normally. The exhaust (it's a full system) is jetted by a mechanic who's got over 35 years of experience. I've gone on 250 mile long rides before after the jet and never had a problem. It's really weird.

Maybe it's something with the carbs.

[dirty nasty]

I would begin looking for a clog then. If it's not a fuel issue, then it's an electrical issue. Does anything electrical related happen? Such as loss of electrical power? It could be a loose ground/wire or dirty contact.

Good on ya for getting the full system! Slip ons just annoy me to no end. So much noise and money for such little gain. Full systems are where it's at.

[alex.s]

might be vapor locked tank. did you open the gas cap on the side of the road? that releases the pressure if thats the problem. if its not a stuck tank it sounds like an electrical issue.. were the lights on as you were coasting to the side of the road? the two red warning lights should have come on (temp and oil) when the engine shut off if it still had power

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by austinm911

........What's up with this?

It seems like a simple plumbing problem to me.
For some reason (including the ones mentioned by the above posters), the fuel supply to the carbs is less than what the engine needs at the conditions that you have described (high speeds = high HP = high fuel consumption).

The static pressure of the column of fuel above the floats' valves is all you have to induce that supply flow, overcoming the restrictions of the line (pick-up filters, petcock and intake filter).

If the tank is not venting enough and/or the filters aren't clean enough, a critical height of fuel that satisfies the demand may exist.

Decelerations and/or descending road can very well reduce the fuel height above the pick-up tube long enough to momentarily starve the engine.

[austinm911]

Originally Posted by alex.s

might be vapor locked tank. did you open the gas cap on the side of the road? that releases the pressure if thats the problem. if its not a stuck tank it sounds like an electrical issue.. were the lights on as you were coasting to the side of the road? the two red warning lights should have come on (temp and oil) when the engine shut off if it still had power

I don't remember seeing any of the temp and oil lights. I'll have to go get the bike checked out

[Jiggles]

You activated the speed variance sensor (squid sensor) that will shut off fuel delivery when the bike reaches unsafe speeds. Fuel flow will resume shortly afterwards

[dubojr1]

It's definitely a venting issue. If it happens again reach up and grab the choke and pull it to full. My wife's 2008 bike did this same thing and grabbing the choke would help it recover. I'm not really sure why because our choke is not the typical butterfly choke. My 09 did it a couple times last year. I did the fuel lid mod to get rid of the annoying whine and it seems to have fixed this concern as well. Could be coincidence I guess...

[cuong-nutz]

If An inline fuel filter was installed, it can do the same thing if the filter is too large and/or restrictive.

[CZroe]

Happened several times to me in San Diego, thousands of miles apart. It was usually a vacuum forming in my tank after I let it cool or encountered a cooling factor (rain).

[Panda]

Sorry, I am pretty sure I saw a thread similar but I can't find it. I was doing about 60 on the highway when the engine lost power. The engine was on but wasn't providing any power. The revving it didn't do anything except seemed to flatten out the deceleration slightly. I eventually coasted to a stop. Was on an overpass and there was no shoulder.

I was ****ing myself ran down the road and was waving at cars warning them that my bike was up ahead. In between gaps on traffic I'd run back to the bike and try to start it up. 5 minutes later after hitting the starter it turned over and I pulled off at the next exit.

Any ideas what caused this? My confidence in this bike is about zero at the moment. 10600 miles just had the valves looked at a week ago.

[Motofool]

It may be fuel starvation from poor tank ventilation, lack of enough vacuum to the petcock or clogged fuel filters (including the one inside the tank (pick up tubes)).

Check the threads listed at the bottom of this page.

[Panda]

Thanks for the reply. I rode around the city for 3 hours and didn't have any more trouble. I am going to take the bike in this weekend and get the fuel filter and everything else checked.

[Alex]

/merged with thread with similar problem

[Panda]

Originally Posted by alex.s

might be vapor locked tank. did you open the gas cap on the side of the road? that releases the pressure if thats the problem. if its not a stuck tank it sounds like an electrical issue.. were the lights on as you were coasting to the side of the road? the two red warning lights should have come on (temp and oil) when the engine shut off if it still had power

This happened to me again on the highway. I pulled over popped the gas cap and tried to restart and no dice. Waited 5 minutes and it started up.

When I lost power all my warning lights came on. Does at mean anything?

[Jiggles]

That means your engine is not running

[Panda]

Sorry, is having all the lights on indictive on an electrical problem or does its still seem mechanical?

[Jiggles]

It sounds like something is preventing gas from getting to the carbs efficiently, possible clog?

[Motofool]

No, lights aren't indicative of an electrical problem.

It seems a fuel supply problem.

Review all the posts above, since two threads have been merged.