Shut down on me. ( on freeway )

GAU-8 · February 21st, 2021, 07:12 PM

A few days ago.....Traveling about 85 mph on freeway. Riding in 6th gear. After passing a car, gave a liitle bit more gas to clear the distance between us, to move into lane, of car I passed. There was 0 acceleration. Nothing. There was no extra power on tap, but I wasn't losing any either. ( yet )

After about a mile, then it started losing steam. I pulled over. Overheat light went turned ON AFTER i came to a stop/idle. ( work was about 1/2 mile away, so I limped it on in. ( btw, temp light turned OFF after I started rolling started moving. )litteraly within 10 feet of moving.)

Died on me, at the entrance to my work. Had to push it about 1/4mile to parking garage ( that sucked.) At lunch, did some quick checking.

Fluids full. ( Oil, and coolant.) No appearance of leaks

Now that I have free time. Im going through the bike..here is what I have done so far.

Drained oil, removed filter: to check for broken bits. Silky smooth, and no particulates/grainy/chunks to be found.

Coolant : removal of radiator cap, shows full fluid. ( just below the return line to reservoir) resevoir is empty though! ( I just replaced this a few months ago!)

Spark plugs: dry, darker, but no ash/soot, damage/chunks.or oily/wet.

Cylinders: no appearance of damage. Very clean. ( dont have compression tester with me at the moment...forgiot it! DOH!)

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS.

I did valve/shims, approx 2000 miles ago. Possible cam bolts or something.... loosened up?

Thermostat/switch faulty..

Have a slow coolant leak somewhere, bubbles/pockets getting in radiator, and now have no circulation. ( as stated before, the prior resevior was leaking. Had it replaced. And that was a few months ago. With no issues, since/after replacement.)

Thoughts/ additional things to check?

Triple Jim · February 21st, 2021, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GAU-8

Cylinders: no appearance of damage. Very clean.

How can you see the cylinders? Are you talking about the outside of them or did you use a bore scope of some sort?

Exactly what to the plugs look like? Are they the same? A blown head gasket could cause a misfire and power loss, for example, and water getting to one cylinder would make its plug look different from the other one. Loss of coolant and bubbles corroborate this.

GAU-8 · February 21st, 2021, 07:54 PM

Plugs are same condition. Just tested against frame, and both are "krackin" with a strong fire.

As far as cylinders go. Just talking about the tops, visually. With a strong flashlight.

Just talked to a coworker. ( Harley rider) he wonders if the ninja might have a circuit, that when tripped has to be reset, by disconnecting battery for a few minutes. ( as per newer harleys, if they get tipped over, or overheat) havent heard of this for the 250. But figured I'd ask if you guys heard of this for the ninja.

On the radiator cap, i noticed a 1.1. Is that pounds of pressure? cap is looking worn. Wondering if that is suspect.

DannoXYZ · February 21st, 2021, 10:10 PM

No tip-over sensor on this bike.

Temp-sensors for radiator-fan and gauge warning-light are standalone circuits and doesn't connect to IC-ignitor.

Cap rating is bar so about 17psi. If cap was weak and leaking, you'd have full resevoir of coolant. Nothing in resevoir would indicate radiator is losing coolant and excess from reservoir is being sucked in when bike is cooling off.

post some photos of your plugs.

At this point, I'd recommend compression test.

GAU-8 · February 21st, 2021, 11:33 PM

I was mid-picture, then phone died.

Will be a few days before I can touch it again. ( since in parking garage, had to loosely button everything back up, so corporate doesnt get mad, with my playing "mechanic" on premesis. :P

But I'll have coworker in truck/deliver back home, where the rest of tools are, and get compression test done.

What I did see, was a little bit of wet/grime, in front of right side valve cover gasket, and hose with banjo bolt ( radiator hose to block) on right side was also wet/grime. Just in those two spots only. Not profusely wet. ( no indicators of spewing everywhere down the block.) Wondering if engine heat was burning off a slow leak. I'll provide pictures, when I get it back home.

Triple Jim · February 22nd, 2021, 05:44 AM

When I asked about the spark plugs I was referring to the color of the porcelain insulator of the center electrode. Coolant getting in to that cylinder tends to make that plug look really clean, or at least quite different looking.

GAU-8 · Today, 01:25 AM

I was able to finally do some work to it. ( still not home yet.)

After spending a few minutes to get it going, fired up. Sounds like warped/bent valve material. Tatatatatatatatata..

I also need to track down why it overheated, and why the temp light didn't turn on, when it did overheat. :/

Sucks.

jkv45 · Today, 07:36 AM

You don't think it may be something as simple as a fuel issue?

Clogged filters/screens or blocked tank vent problem?

Did it ever overfill the coolant bottle or pump coolant out the bottle's overflow?

It's ticking now when it didn't before?

DannoXYZ · Today, 07:36 AM

temp sensor is in bad position at top of flow circuit. When coolant level drops, sensor is measuring air space above coolant and not coolant itself. Bad design really.

GAU-8 · Today, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkv45

It's ticking now when it didn't before?

Its louder than the yoshi exhaust....... got a coworker to get it dropped off tonight.

https://youtu.be/DLvDQpHhRWA

jkv45 · Today, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GAU-8

Its louder than the yoshi exhaust....... got a coworker to get it dropped off tonight.

https://youtu.be/DLvDQpHhRWA

Pull the valve cover and take a look at the rockers and adjusters.

February 21st, 2021, 07:12 PM	#1
GAU-8 Socially inept. Yet FUN! Name: C Location: Houston Tx Join Date: Oct 2015 Motorcycle(s): Current machines- 1992 SECA II 600, 2006 Ninja 250, 2008 Ninja 250 Posts: 225	Shut down on me. ( on freeway ) A few days ago.....Traveling about 85 mph on freeway. Riding in 6th gear. After passing a car, gave a liitle bit more gas to clear the distance between us, to move into lane, of car I passed. There was 0 acceleration. Nothing. There was no extra power on tap, but I wasn't losing any either. ( yet ) After about a mile, then it started losing steam. I pulled over. Overheat light went turned ON AFTER i came to a stop/idle. ( work was about 1/2 mile away, so I limped it on in. ( btw, temp light turned OFF after I started rolling started moving. )litteraly within 10 feet of moving.) Died on me, at the entrance to my work. Had to push it about 1/4mile to parking garage ( that sucked.) At lunch, did some quick checking. Fluids full. ( Oil, and coolant.) No appearance of leaks Now that I have free time. Im going through the bike..here is what I have done so far. Drained oil, removed filter: to check for broken bits. Silky smooth, and no particulates/grainy/chunks to be found. Coolant : removal of radiator cap, shows full fluid. ( just below the return line to reservoir) resevoir is empty though! ( I just replaced this a few months ago!) Spark plugs: dry, darker, but no ash/soot, damage/chunks.or oily/wet. Cylinders: no appearance of damage. Very clean. ( dont have compression tester with me at the moment...forgiot it! DOH!) MY INITIAL THOUGHTS. I did valve/shims, approx 2000 miles ago. Possible cam bolts or something.... loosened up? Thermostat/switch faulty.. Have a slow coolant leak somewhere, bubbles/pockets getting in radiator, and now have no circulation. ( as stated before, the prior resevior was leaking. Had it replaced. And that was a few months ago. With no issues, since/after replacement.) Thoughts/ additional things to check?

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February 21st, 2021, 07:54 PM	#3
GAU-8 Socially inept. Yet FUN! Name: C Location: Houston Tx Join Date: Oct 2015 Motorcycle(s): Current machines- 1992 SECA II 600, 2006 Ninja 250, 2008 Ninja 250 Posts: 225	Plugs are same condition. Just tested against frame, and both are "krackin" with a strong fire. As far as cylinders go. Just talking about the tops, visually. With a strong flashlight. Just talked to a coworker. ( Harley rider) he wonders if the ninja might have a circuit, that when tripped has to be reset, by disconnecting battery for a few minutes. ( as per newer harleys, if they get tipped over, or overheat) havent heard of this for the 250. But figured I'd ask if you guys heard of this for the ninja. On the radiator cap, i noticed a 1.1. Is that pounds of pressure? cap is looking worn. Wondering if that is suspect.

February 21st, 2021, 10:10 PM	#4
DannoXYZ ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: AKA JacRyann Location: SF East Bay Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T EX250E EX250F Ninja250R-racer Ninja250R-street CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R VF500 CBR600RR VFR750 Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17	No tip-over sensor on this bike. Temp-sensors for radiator-fan and gauge warning-light are standalone circuits and doesn't connect to IC-ignitor. Cap rating is bar so about 17psi. If cap was weak and leaking, you'd have full resevoir of coolant. Nothing in resevoir would indicate radiator is losing coolant and excess from reservoir is being sucked in when bike is cooling off. post some photos of your plugs. At this point, I'd recommend compression test.

February 21st, 2021, 11:33 PM	#5
GAU-8 Socially inept. Yet FUN! Name: C Location: Houston Tx Join Date: Oct 2015 Motorcycle(s): Current machines- 1992 SECA II 600, 2006 Ninja 250, 2008 Ninja 250 Posts: 225	I was mid-picture, then phone died. Will be a few days before I can touch it again. ( since in parking garage, had to loosely button everything back up, so corporate doesnt get mad, with my playing "mechanic" on premesis. :P But I'll have coworker in truck/deliver back home, where the rest of tools are, and get compression test done. What I did see, was a little bit of wet/grime, in front of right side valve cover gasket, and hose with banjo bolt ( radiator hose to block) on right side was also wet/grime. Just in those two spots only. Not profusely wet. ( no indicators of spewing everywhere down the block.) Wondering if engine heat was burning off a slow leak. I'll provide pictures, when I get it back home.

February 22nd, 2021, 05:44 AM	#6
Triple Jim Guy Who Enjoys Riding Name: Jim Location: North Central North Carolina Join Date: Jul 2016 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250 Posts: A lot. MOTM - Oct '18, Aug '17, Aug '16	When I asked about the spark plugs I was referring to the color of the porcelain insulator of the center electrode. Coolant getting in to that cylinder tends to make that plug look really clean, or at least quite different looking.

Today, 01:25 AM	#7
GAU-8 Socially inept. Yet FUN! Name: C Location: Houston Tx Join Date: Oct 2015 Motorcycle(s): Current machines- 1992 SECA II 600, 2006 Ninja 250, 2008 Ninja 250 Posts: 225	I was able to finally do some work to it. ( still not home yet.) After spending a few minutes to get it going, fired up. Sounds like warped/bent valve material. Tatatatatatatatata.. I also need to track down why it overheated, and why the temp light didn't turn on, when it did overheat. :/ Sucks.

Today, 07:36 AM	#8
jkv45 Rev Limiter Name: Jay Location: WI Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): '06 SV650n, '00 Derbi GPR, '64 CA77 Dream 305, '70 CL450 Scrambler, numerous dirt bikes Posts: A lot. MOTM - Jun '18, Oct '16	You don't think it may be something as simple as a fuel issue? Clogged filters/screens or blocked tank vent problem? Did it ever overfill the coolant bottle or pump coolant out the bottle's overflow? It's ticking now when it didn't before?