ninjette.org

Go Back   ninjette.org > None of the above > The Ex-Ninjetters Lair

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old July 10th, 2014, 09:29 AM   #1
rawbert625
ninjette.org member
 
rawbert625's Avatar
 
Name: Robert
Location: moto town
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): the cool ones

Posts: 182
My bike died on me while riding down the highway!

I know longer ride a ninja 250, went to a cbr250r. However this is definitely the best forum I've ever been on for help!

I was riding back home yesterday on the highway when my engine suddenly died on me. No warning, no check engine light, no noise. I pull the clutch in and ride it to the shoulder of the road.

When trying to start it up the engine turns but wont fire up. I last changed the oil at 3,700 miles and am now at 7100. The glass sight shows it right on the lower end of the recommended amount when holding the bike up right. Could this be the cause?

Anyone have any other idea what could be wrong? bad spark plugs? battery? alternator?

Any input would be appreciated.

thanks in advance!
rawbert625 is offline   Reply With Quote




Old July 10th, 2014, 09:31 AM   #2
Alex
ninjette.org dude
 
Alex's Avatar
 
Name: 1 guess :-)
Location: SF Bay Area
Join Date: Jun 2008

Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE, '15 CRF110F, '13 TT-R50E

Posts: Too much.
Blog Entries: 7
Did you run out of gas?
__________________________________________________
Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org

ninjette.org Terms of Service

Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first.

The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)
Alex is offline   Reply With Quote


1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.
Old July 10th, 2014, 09:32 AM   #3
csmith12
The Corner Whisperer
 
csmith12's Avatar
 
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
Join Date: May 2011

Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track)

Posts: Too much.
MOTY 2015, MOTM - Nov '12, Nov '13
Did it start back up?

If not start simple;
Battery connections
Battery condition (fully charged)
Main Fuse

edit: yea... got gas? hahahaha
csmith12 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 09:41 AM   #4
salcuta88
ninjette.org guru
 
salcuta88's Avatar
 
Name: Vlad
Location: Weaverville, NC
Join Date: Jul 2014

Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250R (Sold), 2015 Rocky Mountain Soul (Runs on fat)

Posts: 404
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex View Post
Did you run out of gas?
HAHAHA!
salcuta88 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 09:44 AM   #5
xorbe
ninjette.org guru
 
xorbe's Avatar
 
Name: xorbe
Location: Bay Area, CA
Join Date: Jun 2013

Motorcycle(s): N650 (and others)

Posts: 408
I saw your post at cbr250 forum. It's not the first thread there on that topic. I don't recall the other threads having a definitive answer.

Maybe a suddenly failed neutral or kickstand or tilt or kill switch? Did you try turning the key off and back on before attempting to restart?

Both the CBR250R and the Ninja 300 (even post 2014 ecu fix) have too many reports of engine stalls out of the blue. The Kawasaki ECU update seems to have cured most people, but still some lingering reports. You never see threads like these in the CBR500 forum.
xorbe is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 09:44 AM   #6
Sirref
Private Joker
 
Sirref's Avatar
 
Name: Ben
Location: Towson, MD
Join Date: Nov 2012

Motorcycle(s): '99/'01 Ninja 250 "sketchy", '13 Ninja 300 "yoshi", '03 GSXR 600 "merlin"

Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Mar '14
trust me you'd know if it was anything major such as an engine seizure. When that happened to me the rear locked up and damn near threw me off the bike.

so, it's either gas or electrical and not motor related. A friend of mine who rides a cbr250r recently had to replace the battery because his stock battery had a bad cell so it's possible that it's the battery itself if csmith's list doesn't find the electrical problem already
Sirref is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 10:11 AM   #7
rawbert625
ninjette.org member
 
rawbert625's Avatar
 
Name: Robert
Location: moto town
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): the cool ones

Posts: 182
haha, yeah I checked for gas. Had just pumped some in that day.

I just drained the oil and checked the filter so see if there was any metal shavings in there. Found none.

It did not start back up. Starter keep turning but wouldn't fire up. Tried it in multiple combinations at different times: kick stand down clutch in, kick stand up clutch in, stand down/up neutral, etc.

It did not start back up. Starter keep turning but wouldn't fire up.
Going to check through cssmith's list next, then probably spark plug.
rawbert625 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 10:19 AM   #8
xorbe
ninjette.org guru
 
xorbe's Avatar
 
Name: xorbe
Location: Bay Area, CA
Join Date: Jun 2013

Motorcycle(s): N650 (and others)

Posts: 408
Okay that's a little different. In the other threads, the bike starts up after a minute or 3 or 4 attempts. Yah, check for spark. Gas: how about a possible failed vacuum operated petcock? Oh wait, the CBR has fuel injection, iirc. Sorry pregen carb here haha.
xorbe is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 10:38 AM   #9
csmith12
The Corner Whisperer
 
csmith12's Avatar
 
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
Join Date: May 2011

Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track)

Posts: Too much.
MOTY 2015, MOTM - Nov '12, Nov '13
Quote:
Originally Posted by rawbert625 View Post
haha, yeah I checked for gas. Had just pumped some in that day.

I just drained the oil and checked the filter so see if there was any metal shavings in there. Found none.

It did not start back up. Starter keep turning but wouldn't fire up. Tried it in multiple combinations at different times: kick stand down clutch in, kick stand up clutch in, stand down/up neutral, etc.

It did not start back up. Starter keep turning but wouldn't fire up.
Going to check through cssmith's list next, then probably spark plug.
Additional thoughts...

Make sure your ecu is cool and not overheated.
Check dat air filter yo.
I know your gunna charge the battery but check the voltage under load, my r6 will not start without enough charge but it will try to crank over.
When you turn the key on, do you get normal dash operation? Can you hear the fuel pump prime?
It's a thumper, you got a single coil. If it fails, it will not start but you should be able to break out the meter and ohm test it. But a quick spark test by grounding against the engine case should tell the tale easy enough. Check for wetness from gas while you have the plug out.
csmith12 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 10:55 AM   #10
rawbert625
ninjette.org member
 
rawbert625's Avatar
 
Name: Robert
Location: moto town
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): the cool ones

Posts: 182
Quote:
Originally Posted by csmith12 View Post
Additional thoughts...

Make sure your ecu is cool and not overheated.
Check dat air filter yo.
I know your gunna charge the battery but check the voltage under load, my r6 will not start without enough charge but it will try to crank over.
When you turn the key on, do you get normal dash operation? Can you hear the fuel pump prime?
It's a thumper, you got a single coil. If it fails, it will not start but you should be able to break out the meter and ohm test it. But a quick spark test by grounding against the engine case should tell the tale easy enough. Check for wetness from gas while you have the plug out.
I tried running it this morning and didn't start up. I'm sure the ECU was cool then. Yeah I get normal dash operation and can hear the fuel pump right away.

I'm super familiar with spark plugs. on what end's do I test for continuity? How do I check for wetness?

well actually let me just google it hhaha.

edit: Meant to say I'm NOT super familiar with spark plugs

Last futzed with by rawbert625; July 10th, 2014 at 12:02 PM.
rawbert625 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 11:01 AM   #11
csmith12
The Corner Whisperer
 
csmith12's Avatar
 
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
Join Date: May 2011

Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track)

Posts: Too much.
MOTY 2015, MOTM - Nov '12, Nov '13
Quote:
Originally Posted by rawbert625 View Post
I'm super familiar with spark plugs. on what end's do I test for continuity? How do I check for wetness?
You don't ohm test the plug, you test the coil pack silly. Checking for wetness is exactly what you would think it is. Is the plug wet from gas? Does it feel wet? Does it look wet? Does it smell wet? Does it taste wet? Maybe skip the taste test part.
csmith12 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 11:09 AM   #12
jkv45
Rev Limiter
 
jkv45's Avatar
 
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
Pull the plug and see if it looks normal. If so, ground it to the engine and crank it over - you should see and hear a sharp spark.

If that checks out fine, re-install it.

Remove the air filter and spray some Starting Fluid into the intake while cranking - any sign of life? If so, it confirms a fuel issue of some kind.

Because it's F.I. it may be something that you can't fix yourself if that's where the troubleshooting leads.
jkv45 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 11:19 AM   #13
Hero Danny
Inline 4!!!
 
Hero Danny's Avatar
 
Name: Danny
Location: MA
Join Date: May 2014

Motorcycle(s): 2008 CBR600rr, 1987 KLR 250

Posts: A lot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rawbert625 View Post
I know longer ride a ninja 250, went to a cbr250r. However this is definitely the best forum I've ever been on for help!
Damn right, so go sell your cbr and buy a ninja! Jk lol

Quote:
Originally Posted by rawbert625 View Post
When trying to start it up the engine turns but wont fire up. I last changed the oil at 3,700 miles and am now at 7100. The glass sight shows it right on the lower end of the recommended amount when holding the bike up right. Could this be the cause?
You should change your oil more frequently... no reason to wait over 3k miles for a change.

As for it being low, that's normal, since the bike was running it would read low. All the oil is inside the engine, lubricating parts, after it sits for about an hour then it will read the actual level.

I would go for sparks first.
__________________________________________________
Be careful. Remember you are
invisible
Hero Danny is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 11:31 AM   #14
jkv45
Rev Limiter
 
jkv45's Avatar
 
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
Quote:
Originally Posted by rawbert625 View Post
When trying to start it up the engine turns but wont fire up. I last changed the oil at 3,700 miles and am now at 7100. The glass sight shows it right on the lower end of the recommended amount when holding the bike up right. Could this be the cause?
The CBR doesn't hold much oil, so I personally wouldn't run more than 3000 mi before changing - as Mr. Hero suggested - 2000 is better.

For the CBR, I would run Rotella T5 semi-synthetic in 10W-30. 30 is the recommended weight for that engine, and T5 is a good choice IMO.

Honda GN4 10W-30 doesn't test out that well from what I've seen.

I don't think the oil change interval has anything to do with the issues you are having.
jkv45 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 12:05 PM   #15
rawbert625
ninjette.org member
 
rawbert625's Avatar
 
Name: Robert
Location: moto town
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): the cool ones

Posts: 182
Quote:
Originally Posted by csmith12 View Post
You don't ohm test the plug, you test the coil pack silly. Checking for wetness is exactly what you would think it is. Is the plug wet from gas? Does it feel wet? Does it look wet? Does it smell wet? Does it taste wet? Maybe skip the taste test part.
haha got it. I'll get to it and post my findings.

btw i mean to say I'm NOT super familiar with spark plugs haha.
rawbert625 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 12:06 PM   #16
rawbert625
ninjette.org member
 
rawbert625's Avatar
 
Name: Robert
Location: moto town
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): the cool ones

Posts: 182
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkv45 View Post
Pull the plug and see if it looks normal. If so, ground it to the engine and crank it over - you should see and hear a sharp spark.

If that checks out fine, re-install it.

Remove the air filter and spray some Starting Fluid into the intake while cranking - any sign of life? If so, it confirms a fuel issue of some kind.

Because it's F.I. it may be something that you can't fix yourself if that's where the troubleshooting leads.
cool thanks man. Yeah that's what I'm afraid of. Don't wanna take this to a shop and spend tons of money on labor!

Quote:
Originally Posted by jkv45 View Post
The CBR doesn't hold much oil, so I personally wouldn't run more than 3000 mi before changing - as Mr. Hero suggested - 2000 is better.

For the CBR, I would run Rotella T5 semi-synthetic in 10W-30. 30 is the recommended weight for that engine, and T5 is a good choice IMO.

Honda GN4 10W-30 doesn't test out that well from what I've seen.

I don't think the oil change interval has anything to do with the issues you are having.
Yeah I'm going to change it much more frequently now.
rawbert625 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 02:17 PM   #17
CZroe
CPT Falcon
 
CZroe's Avatar
 
Name: J.Emmett Turner
Location: Newnan, GA
Join Date: Apr 2009

Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F

Posts: A lot.
If you just added gas, I hope you didn't accidentally pump kerosene or diesel!
CZroe is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 10th, 2014, 02:27 PM   #18
CZroe
CPT Falcon
 
CZroe's Avatar
 
Name: J.Emmett Turner
Location: Newnan, GA
Join Date: Apr 2009

Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F

Posts: A lot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by xorbe View Post
I saw your post at cbr250 forum. It's not the first thread there on that topic. I don't recall the other threads having a definitive answer.

Maybe a suddenly failed neutral or kickstand or tilt or kill switch? Did you try turning the key off and back on before attempting to restart?

Both the CBR250R and the Ninja 300 (even post 2014 ecu fix) have too many reports of engine stalls out of the blue. The Kawasaki ECU update seems to have cured most people, but still some lingering reports. You never see threads like these in the CBR500 forum.
I never thought there was a link between the 250's overheating CDI reading RPMs incorrectly and the strange stalls people were experiencing, but now I wonder.

Kawasaki never officially updated them, though I bet they silently added a QA check since reports of the tach error dropped off over the years. It was never even acknowledged AFAIK. People had to prove there was a problem to their dealer and get it replaced under warranty though most, including myself, never bothered (during my warranty period the replacement was just as likely to have the issue and there seemed to be no issue other than bad RPM reading when hot).

I was one of the early J-model riders to get the unexpected stall with an engine that doesn't start until you wait long enough or open the fuel door. Over many thousands of miles I am confident that mine and many others are caused by a vacuum forming in the tank which is much more likely to happen after the tank has warmed significantly before riding it off. I have yet to hear of a CDI problem causing similar stalls, but there are some outliers that don't seem to be easily explained by "tank vacuum."
CZroe is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 23rd, 2014, 10:39 AM   #19
rawbert625
ninjette.org member
 
rawbert625's Avatar
 
Name: Robert
Location: moto town
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): the cool ones

Posts: 182
Okay, so update time. I haven't had much time to post lately.

I tried everyone's suggestions and none of them were it. I took it to the shop and they told me it had low compression. They took apart the top end of the engine and saw the problem.

It was blown Piston.
It was $678 to repair. $240 for parts $370 for labor and the rest is for an oil change and tax. My baby is all fixed now.

I asked what they think had caused it and they said most likely over reving it.
I do ride it hard, like around 9 or 10 rpm daily on a highway for about 20 miles one way. I always figured if I didn't redline all the time I'd be fine.

Well that's the story, thanks again for the help everyone! I know I can always count on this forum!
rawbert625 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 23rd, 2014, 10:40 AM   #20
rawbert625
ninjette.org member
 
rawbert625's Avatar
 
Name: Robert
Location: moto town
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): the cool ones

Posts: 182
here are some pics by the way!



rawbert625 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 23rd, 2014, 10:51 AM   #21
Panda
not an actual panda
 
Name: dan
Location: philadelphia
Join Date: Aug 2012

Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250, 2009 CBR600RR (Sold)

Posts: A lot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rawbert625 View Post

I asked what they think had caused it and they said most likely over reving it.
Maybe it's just me but that sounds fishy.
Panda is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 23rd, 2014, 11:08 AM   #22
Trailerboy531
Gear crash test dummy
 
Trailerboy531's Avatar
 
Name: Max
Location: South Bay (So. Cal)
Join Date: May 2011

Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250 race bike, 2014 ZX-636r

Posts: A lot.
Maybe now you've learned your lesson about switching from a Ninja to a CBR - we have two pistons, that way if you blow one you have a spare!

...or something like that.
__________________________________________________
CVMA #531
Trailerboy531 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 25th, 2014, 07:32 PM   #23
rawbert625
ninjette.org member
 
rawbert625's Avatar
 
Name: Robert
Location: moto town
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): the cool ones

Posts: 182
Quote:
Originally Posted by Panda View Post
Maybe it's just me but that sounds fishy.
I feel the same way...
rawbert625 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 25th, 2014, 07:33 PM   #24
rawbert625
ninjette.org member
 
rawbert625's Avatar
 
Name: Robert
Location: moto town
Join Date: Jun 2012

Motorcycle(s): the cool ones

Posts: 182
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trailerboy531 View Post
Maybe now you've learned your lesson about switching from a Ninja to a CBR - we have two pistons, that way if you blow one you have a spare!

...or something like that.
To be honest, I do miss the ninja.
rawbert625 is offline   Reply With Quote


Old July 26th, 2014, 06:43 PM   #25
broken neck
ninjette.org guru
 
Name: Thomas
Location: Montréal
Join Date: May 2012

Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250R Special Edition (sold), 2017 CRF250 Rally

Posts: 384
Hey Rawbert, sorry to read about your blown piston... Really annoying...

And now, for a big off topic,

I might need your help if you ever take your wheels off.

Short story, I'm still looking for a set of Vrossi wheels, but I wasn't lucky up to now...

I had the idea to see if the CRB250R wheels could fit on a Ninja 250R. I've looked on the Internet, but I think no one tried it or at least they didn't post it...

So, if you want to help me out, I'd like to know the outside diameter of the front and rear axle, the distance between the fork (where you put the wheel), same thing with the swing arm. And if you are really into it, the distance between the center of the front wheel to the surface where you fix the front rotor and same thing with the rear wheel, for the rotor and the sprocket.

Thanks

End of off topic...

Hope your new piston will outlast the first one...
broken neck is offline   Reply With Quote


Reply




Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Bike died while riding on highway sunspots 2008 - 2012 Ninja 250R Tech Talk 30 July 29th, 2013 06:31 PM
1992 Ninja 250 died while riding LT505 1986 - 2007 Ninja 250R Tech Talk 31 May 28th, 2013 04:25 PM
Ok, so my bike just died on me. arnoldc6 2008 - 2012 Ninja 250R Tech Talk 6 April 16th, 2013 04:35 PM
[topix.net] - Motorcyclist who died on Angeles Crest Highway identified Ninjette Newsbot Motorcycling News 0 June 27th, 2012 03:00 PM
Bike died while riding zem 1986 - 2007 Ninja 250R Tech Talk 44 June 1st, 2011 02:09 AM


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


Motorcycle Safety Foundation

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:30 AM.


Website uptime monitoring Host-tracker.com
Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Except where otherwise noted, all site contents are © Copyright 2022 ninjette.org, All rights reserved.