08 Ninja idle problem after winter storage

mrkyo · March 20th, 2010, 08:14 PM

well, after putting back my bike together yesterday, I tried to start it the first time since last november, no surprise here, it took me like 15 tries before it finally fired up.

The problem though, the bike now idles at about 1300-1500 even when the choke is fully on, and i remember it should idle at +4k when choke was on before. If i have to leave the choke on all the time or it stalls even when the bike is warm. The throttle does show sign of lagging when i give throttle, and it stalls if I give too much throttle. Idle screw doesn't seem helpful to raise RPM, it did help me to raise the RPM a bit to prevent it from stalling, the highest it went was like 1500.

Before the winter, I changed oil, added stabil and ran it for 5 minutes before storage. During the winter, I did the raising the needle jets mod with 2 washers.

I think this might be bad gas in the tank, so i am trying put some seafoam to see if it helps...any other suggestions? thanks.

HawkMan12 · March 21st, 2010, 09:22 AM

I had the same problem when attempting to revive my 250 from its hibernation. If its been running alot with the choke on your plugs might be fouled (as mine were). Luckily new NGK's for our bikes our cheap and easy to replace. If the plugs don't do it then you'll have more work ahead of you.

I needed to sync my carbs pretty badly and since i couldn't get it idling properly i decided to bite the bullet and pull the carbs. After about 30 minutes of swearing and bruised knuckles i got them out and drained the float bowls. I took the cover off the float bowls and used a cheap plastic syringe to drip seafoam onto the main and idle jets and all valves i could see. I let it set for an hour and then did it again, visually synced the carbs and rebuilt the carbs and put them back.

Also while i had the tank off I figured i'd drain it and start off with fresh gas.

Once i got everything back in it fired after only a few tried and idle'd perfectly. It'd also be a good idea to run some seafoam with your first few tanks to make sure everything's squeaky clean

mrkyo · March 21st, 2010, 02:07 PM

update: I reversed the mod that I did during the winter today, removed the 2 washers, that helped to get my RPM back to normal high now, bike doesn't have to rely on full choke to warm up.
However, the RPM is a bit unstable now if i switch to half choke (it goes up and down between 1200-2000), and I still have to deal throttle lags...

Hawkman12: thanks for the advice, I think I do need to change spark plug now, if putting in fresh gas doesn't help, hopefully that get me to somewhere...

09black250 · March 21st, 2010, 06:51 PM

It sounds like a fueling problem to me. If you have to leave the choke on to have it idle, that usually means it is not getting the required fuel for the air it is bringing in. When it is cold, this is normal, but after warm-up still needing the choke is evidence of inadequate fuel supply. The stalling or bogging when you try to open the throttle is also evidence of this. When you open the throttle, the engine vacuum should pull fuel into the engine from the carb. If there is gunk or bad gas, you are not matching the fuel supply to the air it is inhaling. I know the bike has a lean tendency stock, and that is why the needle shim trick works. Check your shutoff valve and fuel filter (if equipped). Hope this helps.

mrkyo · March 26th, 2010, 08:54 AM

update: I went back to start the bike to let it warm it up yesterday before adding seafoam inside the tank...the bike started without any problems with choke on.....I let it idle for a good 5 minutes before switching to half choke and ran it for another couple minutes...i then let it run without choke, bike didn't stall this time, but it did struggle at about 800 rpm , i raised it up by turning the idle screws...it consistently idled just below 1500rpm now ...

i found it strange, the bike is now back to the condition where it was before I put it away. All the problems seemed gone now and i haven't even used seafoam yet...i let it warm up a bit and went out for a 20 minutes ride to make sure. Again, bike seemed fine during riding, it idled perfectly, the throttle is responsive as it was before. All the problems mentioned previously are now solved.

kkim · March 26th, 2010, 10:41 AM

what size washers did you use?

mrkyo · March 26th, 2010, 10:20 PM

^
I used the #4 stainless washers from Hillman. But I used for 2 for each carbs for my stock bike. I guess it's too rich to cause it running funny or i did something wrong during the mod.

Davidb1986 · March 26th, 2010, 10:25 PM

I had that problem a few months ago and took my bike to a bike shop and they said it was the spark plugs. They installed them and it run good as new.

kkim · March 26th, 2010, 10:28 PM

yep, those are the correct washers. Have you done any intake or exhaust mods?

mrkyo · March 27th, 2010, 08:44 AM

no mods, bike is completely stock...yeah, i thought those are the correct washers....so i must done something wrong when i put the washers inside...

kkim · March 27th, 2010, 11:34 AM

how does the bike run w/o the washers? perhaps your bike doesn't need them.

I would recommend you try pulling the airbox snorkel out and try 2 washers again.

mrkyo · March 28th, 2010, 09:32 PM

it runs just fine w/o washers..i have to admit that i did the washer mod just because it's recommended by others..anyways, after all the headaches to remove and put back the carbs..i think i just leave it as it is now...

March 20th, 2010, 08:14 PM	#1
mrkyo ninjette.org member Name: Ken Location: Earth Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 08 Kawi Green 250R Posts: 21	08 Ninja idle problem after winter storage well, after putting back my bike together yesterday, I tried to start it the first time since last november, no surprise here, it took me like 15 tries before it finally fired up. The problem though, the bike now idles at about 1300-1500 even when the choke is fully on, and i remember it should idle at +4k when choke was on before. If i have to leave the choke on all the time or it stalls even when the bike is warm. The throttle does show sign of lagging when i give throttle, and it stalls if I give too much throttle. Idle screw doesn't seem helpful to raise RPM, it did help me to raise the RPM a bit to prevent it from stalling, the highest it went was like 1500. Before the winter, I changed oil, added stabil and ran it for 5 minutes before storage. During the winter, I did the raising the needle jets mod with 2 washers. I think this might be bad gas in the tank, so i am trying put some seafoam to see if it helps...any other suggestions? thanks.

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March 21st, 2010, 09:22 AM	#2
HawkMan12 ninjette.org newbie Name: Clint Location: Iowa City Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2008 250 in Kawi Green Posts: 1	I had the same problem when attempting to revive my 250 from its hibernation. If its been running alot with the choke on your plugs might be fouled (as mine were). Luckily new NGK's for our bikes our cheap and easy to replace. If the plugs don't do it then you'll have more work ahead of you. I needed to sync my carbs pretty badly and since i couldn't get it idling properly i decided to bite the bullet and pull the carbs. After about 30 minutes of swearing and bruised knuckles i got them out and drained the float bowls. I took the cover off the float bowls and used a cheap plastic syringe to drip seafoam onto the main and idle jets and all valves i could see. I let it set for an hour and then did it again, visually synced the carbs and rebuilt the carbs and put them back. Also while i had the tank off I figured i'd drain it and start off with fresh gas. Once i got everything back in it fired after only a few tried and idle'd perfectly. It'd also be a good idea to run some seafoam with your first few tanks to make sure everything's squeaky clean

March 21st, 2010, 02:07 PM	#3
mrkyo ninjette.org member Name: Ken Location: Earth Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 08 Kawi Green 250R Posts: 21	update: I reversed the mod that I did during the winter today, removed the 2 washers, that helped to get my RPM back to normal high now, bike doesn't have to rely on full choke to warm up. However, the RPM is a bit unstable now if i switch to half choke (it goes up and down between 1200-2000), and I still have to deal throttle lags... Hawkman12: thanks for the advice, I think I do need to change spark plug now, if putting in fresh gas doesn't help, hopefully that get me to somewhere...

March 21st, 2010, 06:51 PM	#4
09black250 dreams of riding Name: Nate Location: Oakdale, CT Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): none...bank loan... Posts: 12	It sounds like a fueling problem to me. If you have to leave the choke on to have it idle, that usually means it is not getting the required fuel for the air it is bringing in. When it is cold, this is normal, but after warm-up still needing the choke is evidence of inadequate fuel supply. The stalling or bogging when you try to open the throttle is also evidence of this. When you open the throttle, the engine vacuum should pull fuel into the engine from the carb. If there is gunk or bad gas, you are not matching the fuel supply to the air it is inhaling. I know the bike has a lean tendency stock, and that is why the needle shim trick works. Check your shutoff valve and fuel filter (if equipped). Hope this helps.

March 26th, 2010, 08:54 AM	#5
mrkyo ninjette.org member Name: Ken Location: Earth Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 08 Kawi Green 250R Posts: 21	update: I went back to start the bike to let it warm it up yesterday before adding seafoam inside the tank...the bike started without any problems with choke on.....I let it idle for a good 5 minutes before switching to half choke and ran it for another couple minutes...i then let it run without choke, bike didn't stall this time, but it did struggle at about 800 rpm , i raised it up by turning the idle screws...it consistently idled just below 1500rpm now ... i found it strange, the bike is now back to the condition where it was before I put it away. All the problems seemed gone now and i haven't even used seafoam yet...i let it warm up a bit and went out for a 20 minutes ride to make sure. Again, bike seemed fine during riding, it idled perfectly, the throttle is responsive as it was before. All the problems mentioned previously are now solved.

March 26th, 2010, 10:41 AM	#6
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	what size washers did you use?

March 26th, 2010, 10:20 PM	#7
mrkyo ninjette.org member Name: Ken Location: Earth Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 08 Kawi Green 250R Posts: 21	^ I used the #4 stainless washers from Hillman. But I used for 2 for each carbs for my stock bike. I guess it's too rich to cause it running funny or i did something wrong during the mod.

March 26th, 2010, 10:25 PM	#8
Davidb1986 ninjette.org member Name: David Location: Waxahachie Join Date: Dec 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250r SE green with Monster energy decals!!! Posts: 223	I had that problem a few months ago and took my bike to a bike shop and they said it was the spark plugs. They installed them and it run good as new.

March 26th, 2010, 10:28 PM	#9
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	yep, those are the correct washers. Have you done any intake or exhaust mods?

March 27th, 2010, 08:44 AM	#10
mrkyo ninjette.org member Name: Ken Location: Earth Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 08 Kawi Green 250R Posts: 21	no mods, bike is completely stock...yeah, i thought those are the correct washers....so i must done something wrong when i put the washers inside...

March 27th, 2010, 11:34 AM	#11
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	how does the bike run w/o the washers? perhaps your bike doesn't need them. I would recommend you try pulling the airbox snorkel out and try 2 washers again.

March 28th, 2010, 09:32 PM	#12
mrkyo ninjette.org member Name: Ken Location: Earth Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 08 Kawi Green 250R Posts: 21	it runs just fine w/o washers..i have to admit that i did the washer mod just because it's recommended by others..anyways, after all the headaches to remove and put back the carbs..i think i just leave it as it is now...