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**macgyver** · 02-08-2007, 02:58 PM

I don't think your bike is overheating. It sounds like it might be vapor locking. When you shut the bike off all the gas is evaporating. Try turning the bike off and turn the petcock to prime try and start it. Does it start right away? If so you might have a failing petcock or possible vaccume leak

**The CyberPoet** · 02-09-2007, 02:16 AM

I'm inclined to beleive that one or both of these things are happening:

(A) Most likely, and usually the culprit on any bike that doesn't get ridden regularly (or sat for a long period of time at a previous owners before you recently bought it): Your pilot jets (and possibly main jet) passages are dirty/partially blocked from dried fuel residues, which is causing your bike to run extremely lean and causes idle to hang. Running this lean also causes the engine to heat up far worse than it should be. Running a fuel system cleaner, like Techron, through your gas tank for the next couple tank-fulls will probably reliquify the waxy deposits that have built up (if it's just dried fuel remains that are the problem -- if it's rust or other debris, you're looking at tearing down the carbs and probably redoing the inside of the tank).

(B) A vacuum leak, usually far back in the intake system, such as the drain tube to the airbox being loose or disconnected.

The key is the fact that it's getting hot, but idling high for a while before dropping. Although in theory it could be overheating, odds are you would notice melting plastic belly fairings where they pass closest to the exhaust headers if it were truly overheating that badly in such cold weather.

PS - how long ago did you get the bike, and/or how long has it been sitting. This kind of old-fuel symptom usually takes at least couple months to develop.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

**steve053136** · 02-09-2007, 12:08 PM

I have had the bike for 2 years. i bought it from a dealership used. it was probably sitting there a while b4 i bought it. i just noticed the problem last summer. it has never sat for more than a couple weeks while i have had it.

about those tubes. i have a service manual and when i cleaned the air filter a while ago i noticed that in the book it showed 2 tubes that clipped on the air filter housing. the picture didn't show where they where coming from or where they went. My bike doesn't have those tubes.

I can scan the picture if your not sure what tubes im talking about

I looked in the manual and couldn't find anything about those tubes so i thought they where not important

Thanks for your help

**kwebbel** · 02-09-2007, 02:16 PM

There's one tube coming from the engine breather (the little square cover on top off the engine) it connects to the front of the airbox and a tube which connects to the underside off the airbox (draintube)
If you have a stock airbox those tubes should be there since they are connected behind the airfilter.

**The CyberPoet** · 02-09-2007, 03:53 PM

On the 98+, there are four tubes associated with the airbox aside from the velocity stacks connecting the airbox to the carbs.

Tube 1: connects from the top-center of the valve covers to the airbox. This is the vapor-recovery tube, and it's thick compared to the others.

Tube 2: This tube leaves the airbox on the lower left of the airbox and routes to your right foot, has a cap at the end. This is the airbox drainage tube, and should be drained at time of service, as well as if you knock the bike over.

Tubes 3 & 4 run from a lower common rail on the carbs up over the top of the airbox and fasten into retainers next to the airfilter opening. These tubes are there to let any changes in pressure at the float bowls equalize (as the fuel levels go up and down). They are routed the way they are for two basic reasons:
(A) To help prevent the fuel in the float bowls from spilling out if the bike goes down (gives it extra hose to travel through and store it until the bike is upright again); and
(B) so that any fuel vapors from the bowls end up next to the airbox intake, where, if the engine is running, they can be sucked back into the air filter and reburned. Since the distance is quite long for those hoses, very little vapor actually makes it all the way out without condensing and falling back into the float bowls.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

**steve053136** · 02-09-2007, 04:42 PM

Update:

i just pulled the tank off and saw that spark plug wire #4 was not connected to the spark plug, it must have rattled off.
i have new spark plugs and am going to put them in.
How tight do u turn the new spark plugs?

Do u think this was the problem? and was it overheating because it had to work harder with only 3?

as far as the tubes go, the one going from the bottom of the air box has a tube that goes down by right foot.
the top air tube looks good.

on the gas tank there is a nipple on the bottom in the middle, there is no tube connected to this

here are some picks:

are there supposed to be 2 tubes in those holders on the left and right?

**kwebbel** · 02-09-2007, 05:07 PM

Forums - KatRiders.com

http://www.katriders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=28258

Katriders.com Suzuki Katana Discussion Forums

**md86** · 02-10-2007, 04:33 AM

Yeah , um , not having a sparkplug lead connect will cause you some problems .

The plugs don't go in TOO tight . Just like in a car ..... turn them in by hand until seated , than a little bit more from there . What's it , like 8-10 ft/lbs or something ?

**The CyberPoet** · 02-10-2007, 10:23 AM

7 to 8 lb-ft is what you're shooting for on the plugs.

Basically one-finger tight on a small wrench without any trying at all. Can't trust a clicker-style torque wrench for a setting that low in my experience, but the beam type will give you a proper reading.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

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