Won't idle or stay running

haze5736 · March 23rd, 2012, 05:01 AM

I've been struggling with a non-idling/stalling bike since last fall. I just cleaned the carbs for the 3rd time and adjusted/checked the valves for the second. Every time I end up with the same result.
The bike will start just fine with the choke. And will idle at high rpms for a short time. Once the bike starts to warm up, within a minute, it seems that no combination of choke and idle speed will keep the bike running. If I keep throttling it, I can keep it running. But once I start backing the idle speed off it dies. I'd say about 3k rpm. And trying to add choke at that point does not help. At this point it seems to be running rich. I get some pops from the exhaust and can smell the fuel.
It sure sounds like a carb issue to me but I have no idea what to try next.
I've read as many similar posts as possible and it always seems like a good cleaning resolves the problem.
Please help.

csmith12 · March 23rd, 2012, 05:19 AM

Sounds like the idle jets are still dirty. What did you do to clean the carbs?

dbking321 · March 23rd, 2012, 05:27 AM

take out your pilot jet and hold it up and see if you can see light through it if you cant its plugged and its your problem.

haze5736 · March 23rd, 2012, 07:55 AM

I cleaned the pilot jets with carb cleaner and a piece of copper wire. I can see light through them. I did that for all of the 3 times I had them apart and cleaned. I followed a set of cleaning instructions to the letter and had carb spray coming out of all the right places and flowing well. That's why I'm at a loss. I did not touch the main jets. The instructions I used did not mention taking them out.

dbking321 · March 23rd, 2012, 09:20 AM

they just unscrew but that wouldnt be your idle problem. Is your airbox on righti know if theres a gap around the seal of the carb and boot it can cause idle issues

jmgrande · March 23rd, 2012, 09:33 AM

Spark plugs!

jmgrande · March 23rd, 2012, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmgrande

Spark plugs!

This sounds very similar to the issue I was having with my bike a couple weeks ago. I was planning on cleaning the carbs, but I installed new plugs first and it resolved the issue. It's worth a shot, won't cost you more than $10 and won't take long.

jmgrande · March 23rd, 2012, 09:41 AM

You may want to drain your gas and put in fresh gas. Shouldn't be an real issue, but just an idea.

haze5736 · March 25th, 2012, 08:56 AM

I cleaned the carbs for the 4th time Friday. Still no good. Determined not to be defeated by this bike I cleaned them a 5th time. This time using 2 cans of carb cleaner and blowing out the passages with compressed air after the cleaning. I also changed the spark plugs and drained the fuel tank. Viola, it finally idles. I did notice that there were some remnants of a blue sealer in the idle screw holes that seemed to be coming loose. I got all of that out.
Quite a bit of gunk came out of the fuel tank. I guess by the time I got the fuel filter on last year it was already too late. The funny thing is the inside of the carbs never looked dirty.
Got the carbs synched and she idles like a champ. What a PITA, but seeing as this is my wife's bike, and she's happy now, life is good.

jmgrande · March 25th, 2012, 09:19 AM

Awesome, I wish you did the plugs first before cleaning it again. You said it yourself, the carbs didn't look that dirty in the first place, so it was unlikely that was the problems.

Glad you got it running, seems my suggestions work

Safe riding!

Alex · March 25th, 2012, 12:49 PM

Nice work.

March 23rd, 2012, 05:01 AM	#1
haze5736 ninjette.org member Name: Bill Location: East Syracuse, NY Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 98 Ninja 250 Posts: 45	Won't idle or stay running I've been struggling with a non-idling/stalling bike since last fall. I just cleaned the carbs for the 3rd time and adjusted/checked the valves for the second. Every time I end up with the same result. The bike will start just fine with the choke. And will idle at high rpms for a short time. Once the bike starts to warm up, within a minute, it seems that no combination of choke and idle speed will keep the bike running. If I keep throttling it, I can keep it running. But once I start backing the idle speed off it dies. I'd say about 3k rpm. And trying to add choke at that point does not help. At this point it seems to be running rich. I get some pops from the exhaust and can smell the fuel. It sure sounds like a carb issue to me but I have no idea what to try next. I've read as many similar posts as possible and it always seems like a good cleaning resolves the problem. Please help.

March 23rd, 2012, 05:19 AM	#2
csmith12 The Corner Whisperer 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	Sounds like the idle jets are still dirty. What did you do to clean the carbs? __________________________________________________ Goal: Shake A Million Hands \| Look through the corners \| Track Day Prep \| Closest track? \| The Mid-Ohio School

March 23rd, 2012, 09:33 AM	#6
jmgrande YEAH! Custom name tag. Name: Jon Location: CT Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250R SE- SOLD to maverick9611 Posts: 525	Spark plugs! __________________________________________________ Don't touch it. Don't even look at it. Go on, get out, you heard me. Don't look at me either. Yeah, you better walk on. I'll hit an old man in public.

March 23rd, 2012, 09:41 AM	#8
jmgrande YEAH! Custom name tag. Name: Jon Location: CT Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250R SE- SOLD to maverick9611 Posts: 525	You may want to drain your gas and put in fresh gas. Shouldn't be an real issue, but just an idea. __________________________________________________ Don't touch it. Don't even look at it. Go on, get out, you heard me. Don't look at me either. Yeah, you better walk on. I'll hit an old man in public.

March 25th, 2012, 08:56 AM	#9
haze5736 ninjette.org member Name: Bill Location: East Syracuse, NY Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 98 Ninja 250 Posts: 45	5 times a charm I cleaned the carbs for the 4th time Friday. Still no good. Determined not to be defeated by this bike I cleaned them a 5th time. This time using 2 cans of carb cleaner and blowing out the passages with compressed air after the cleaning. I also changed the spark plugs and drained the fuel tank. Viola, it finally idles. I did notice that there were some remnants of a blue sealer in the idle screw holes that seemed to be coming loose. I got all of that out. Quite a bit of gunk came out of the fuel tank. I guess by the time I got the fuel filter on last year it was already too late. The funny thing is the inside of the carbs never looked dirty. Got the carbs synched and she idles like a champ. What a PITA, but seeing as this is my wife's bike, and she's happy now, life is good.

March 23rd, 2012, 05:27 AM	#3
dbking321 ninjette.org member Name: Eric Location: Etters pa Join Date: Mar 2012 Motorcycle(s): 09 ninja 250,93 vulcan 750 Posts: 92	take out your pilot jet and hold it up and see if you can see light through it if you cant its plugged and its your problem.

March 23rd, 2012, 07:55 AM	#4
haze5736 ninjette.org member Name: Bill Location: East Syracuse, NY Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 98 Ninja 250 Posts: 45	I cleaned the pilot jets with carb cleaner and a piece of copper wire. I can see light through them. I did that for all of the 3 times I had them apart and cleaned. I followed a set of cleaning instructions to the letter and had carb spray coming out of all the right places and flowing well. That's why I'm at a loss. I did not touch the main jets. The instructions I used did not mention taking them out.

March 23rd, 2012, 09:20 AM	#5
dbking321 ninjette.org member Name: Eric Location: Etters pa Join Date: Mar 2012 Motorcycle(s): 09 ninja 250,93 vulcan 750 Posts: 92	they just unscrew but that wouldnt be your idle problem. Is your airbox on righti know if theres a gap around the seal of the carb and boot it can cause idle issues

March 25th, 2012, 09:19 AM	#10
jmgrande YEAH! Custom name tag. Name: Jon Location: CT Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250R SE- SOLD to maverick9611 Posts: 525	Awesome, I wish you did the plugs first before cleaning it again. You said it yourself, the carbs didn't look that dirty in the first place, so it was unlikely that was the problems. Glad you got it running, seems my suggestions work Safe riding! __________________________________________________ Don't touch it. Don't even look at it. Go on, get out, you heard me. Don't look at me either. Yeah, you better walk on. I'll hit an old man in public.

March 25th, 2012, 12:49 PM	#11
Alex ninjette.org dude 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 Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	Nice work. __________________________________________________ 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)

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