2004 idle problem

road_rascal · March 17th, 2011, 02:28 PM

Spring has somewhat sprung here in MN. I fired up the Ninja and took it for a short cruise. The engine takes a few seconds to come back to idle after closing the throttle. I checked for air leaks by spraying carb cleaner around the intake and didn't find any. The idle also isn't stable- I seem to have to manually adjust it using the idle set knob (screw?). I'm the third owner, the bike only had 3400 miles on it, and the previous owner said he went through it last year when I bought it (carb cleaning, valve adjust, etc). I'm drawing a blank here. Any suggestions before I start tearing everything apart?

"A" · March 17th, 2011, 02:37 PM

Mix fresh fuel and SeaFoam and ride it like you stole it for the whole tank.. that usually works for me.

kkim · March 17th, 2011, 02:40 PM

sounds to me like the pilot jets are clogged from sitting. you can try some seafoam to the gas to see if you're lucky enough to clean them out w/o disassembling the carbs.

if not...
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=65198

road_rascal · March 17th, 2011, 02:51 PM

I dumped Seafoam in the tank when I bought it last year and also before I stored the bike. It acts like the choke isn't closing all the way- you blip the throttle and it hangs for a bit then drops back down to idle. I'm probably going to check the valve adjustment anyways, just for my own piece of mind. I need to change the timing belts in my Goldwing so I'll have all the tools out.

Thanks for the link kkim. I should have searched but I'm old and lazy.

kkim · March 17th, 2011, 02:59 PM

do as suggested and change out your fuel with a fresh mixture of gas/seafom. also, if you feel adventurous, drain the float bowls to get rid of whatever gunk/spooge that may have collected in there from storage.

old and lazy... welcome to the club.

road_rascal · March 17th, 2011, 03:42 PM

Well, I drained the floats before I parked the bike and I didn't see and garbage. The PO also put in an inline filter and that looks clean. If I get a chance this weekend (or perhaps tomorrow on the way to work) I'll wring it's neck out and see if the idle clears up. The carb writeup you posted looks very easy. I'll probably rips the carbs apart for gits and shiggles and see if they look clean. The only thing that's bugging me is the valve clearance. I've read where if the valves were out of spec the bike won't idle properly. I trust the guy I bought the bike from- he's a BMW nut and when he said he adjusted the valves I had no reason to doubt him. Old and lazy, plus serious adult ADHD. Thanks for the tips.

kkim · March 17th, 2011, 04:18 PM

if the bike was running without the present problems before you parked it, I can't see how the valves are the issue now. you are correct that valves being out of spec have caused others idling problems in the past... I just don't see valves as the source now, if the present problem you're having has only developed since storage.

mrlmd · March 18th, 2011, 07:43 AM

You "dumped" Seafoam into the tank - how much, at what dosage level? Anything over 1 1/2 - 2 oz./gal of fuel can make the bike run like crap. Just run the bike and get rid of everything in that tank and fill up with fresh gas before you start tearing everything apart and give yourself another problem. It's very unlikely it's related to valves being out of adjustment.

road_rascal · March 18th, 2011, 11:16 AM

No, I used the proper mixture of Seafoam. I use that stuff all the time for my outdoor power equipment. I think there may be a vacuum leak somewhere. I'll have to take a better look at it when I have time this weekend.

coondog · March 18th, 2011, 06:12 PM

it might occur to you as others onsite that "seafoam" whatever it is, is not as specialized as say stabil or a couple of other winterizers out there. I think it works in some areas but not others whereas stabil works from alaska to florida, just make sure you ride your bike after putting it in the tank so it circulates, and you can be off on the measurement a bit and no payback.

kkim · March 18th, 2011, 08:15 PM

there have been members who have used stabil for winterizing and have still had problems with starting it in the springtime.

road_rascal · March 18th, 2011, 09:29 PM

I've had better luck with Seafoam than Stabil. My Goldwing is still a b!tch to start the first time in the spring. I've always filled my bikes with non-oxy gas before I store them. I've always had problems starting my lawnmower and snowblower when I use Stabil. Never with Seafoam.

road_rascal · April 6th, 2011, 09:30 PM

Update- I was finally able to get out and ride the 250 a bit (after getting my Goldwing out of storage and flogging that beast for awhile). After a 1/2 hour freeway run the bike runs much better. I did have to fiddle with the idle screw a bit to get it to stay at 1500 rpms or so. I still think the idle circuit may be slightly clogged as it's not a real steady idle- still hunts between 1300 and 1700 rpms.

kkim · April 6th, 2011, 09:35 PM

keep on riding it and if you're lucky, it will improve. if not, you know what you need to do.

March 17th, 2011, 02:28 PM	#1
road_rascal ninjette.org member Name: ___ Location: ___ Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): ___ Posts: 160	2004 idle problem Spring has somewhat sprung here in MN. I fired up the Ninja and took it for a short cruise. The engine takes a few seconds to come back to idle after closing the throttle. I checked for air leaks by spraying carb cleaner around the intake and didn't find any. The idle also isn't stable- I seem to have to manually adjust it using the idle set knob (screw?). I'm the third owner, the bike only had 3400 miles on it, and the previous owner said he went through it last year when I bought it (carb cleaning, valve adjust, etc). I'm drawing a blank here. Any suggestions before I start tearing everything apart?

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March 17th, 2011, 02:37 PM	#2
"A" vampire Name: A Location: IT Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2 many 2 list Posts: A lot.	Mix fresh fuel and SeaFoam and ride it like you stole it for the whole tank.. that usually works for me.

March 17th, 2011, 02:40 PM	#3
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	sounds to me like the pilot jets are clogged from sitting. you can try some seafoam to the gas to see if you're lucky enough to clean them out w/o disassembling the carbs. if not... http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=65198

March 17th, 2011, 02:51 PM	#4
road_rascal ninjette.org member Name: ___ Location: ___ Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): ___ Posts: 160	I dumped Seafoam in the tank when I bought it last year and also before I stored the bike. It acts like the choke isn't closing all the way- you blip the throttle and it hangs for a bit then drops back down to idle. I'm probably going to check the valve adjustment anyways, just for my own piece of mind. I need to change the timing belts in my Goldwing so I'll have all the tools out. Thanks for the link kkim. I should have searched but I'm old and lazy.

March 17th, 2011, 02:59 PM	#5
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	do as suggested and change out your fuel with a fresh mixture of gas/seafom. also, if you feel adventurous, drain the float bowls to get rid of whatever gunk/spooge that may have collected in there from storage. old and lazy... welcome to the club.

March 17th, 2011, 03:42 PM	#6
road_rascal ninjette.org member Name: ___ Location: ___ Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): ___ Posts: 160	Well, I drained the floats before I parked the bike and I didn't see and garbage. The PO also put in an inline filter and that looks clean. If I get a chance this weekend (or perhaps tomorrow on the way to work) I'll wring it's neck out and see if the idle clears up. The carb writeup you posted looks very easy. I'll probably rips the carbs apart for gits and shiggles and see if they look clean. The only thing that's bugging me is the valve clearance. I've read where if the valves were out of spec the bike won't idle properly. I trust the guy I bought the bike from- he's a BMW nut and when he said he adjusted the valves I had no reason to doubt him. Old and lazy, plus serious adult ADHD. Thanks for the tips.

March 17th, 2011, 04:18 PM	#7
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	if the bike was running without the present problems before you parked it, I can't see how the valves are the issue now. you are correct that valves being out of spec have caused others idling problems in the past... I just don't see valves as the source now, if the present problem you're having has only developed since storage.

March 18th, 2011, 07:43 AM	#8
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	You "dumped" Seafoam into the tank - how much, at what dosage level? Anything over 1 1/2 - 2 oz./gal of fuel can make the bike run like crap. Just run the bike and get rid of everything in that tank and fill up with fresh gas before you start tearing everything apart and give yourself another problem. It's very unlikely it's related to valves being out of adjustment.

March 18th, 2011, 11:16 AM	#9
road_rascal ninjette.org member Name: ___ Location: ___ Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): ___ Posts: 160	No, I used the proper mixture of Seafoam. I use that stuff all the time for my outdoor power equipment. I think there may be a vacuum leak somewhere. I'll have to take a better look at it when I have time this weekend.

March 18th, 2011, 06:12 PM	#10
coondog ninjette.org sage Name: john Location: Palm Beach County, Fl Sligo County, Eire Join Date: Dec 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2005 ninja 250 street fighter, 2008 street fighter ninja 500, 2001 nsr 125 Posts: 812	it might occur to you as others onsite that "seafoam" whatever it is, is not as specialized as say stabil or a couple of other winterizers out there. I think it works in some areas but not others whereas stabil works from alaska to florida, just make sure you ride your bike after putting it in the tank so it circulates, and you can be off on the measurement a bit and no payback.

March 18th, 2011, 08:15 PM	#11
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	there have been members who have used stabil for winterizing and have still had problems with starting it in the springtime.

March 18th, 2011, 09:29 PM	#12
road_rascal ninjette.org member Name: ___ Location: ___ Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): ___ Posts: 160	I've had better luck with Seafoam than Stabil. My Goldwing is still a b!tch to start the first time in the spring. I've always filled my bikes with non-oxy gas before I store them. I've always had problems starting my lawnmower and snowblower when I use Stabil. Never with Seafoam.

April 6th, 2011, 09:30 PM	#13
road_rascal ninjette.org member Name: ___ Location: ___ Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): ___ Posts: 160	Update- I was finally able to get out and ride the 250 a bit (after getting my Goldwing out of storage and flogging that beast for awhile). After a 1/2 hour freeway run the bike runs much better. I did have to fiddle with the idle screw a bit to get it to stay at 1500 rpms or so. I still think the idle circuit may be slightly clogged as it's not a real steady idle- still hunts between 1300 and 1700 rpms.

April 6th, 2011, 09:35 PM	#14
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	keep on riding it and if you're lucky, it will improve. if not, you know what you need to do.