Pushing your bike in full gear in the sun... sucks!!

[goose491]

I was cruisin' along and felt a sudden loss of power. Like real
sudden... like my tires melted and started sticking to the pavement,
then let go, the stuck again, then let go. Then the rpms started
dropping despite throttle. I moved over to the right, started
downshifting and she cut out as I came to a stop.

I tried restarting and it wouldn't. This was in a terrible spot so I repositioned my inside mirror so that I could see as I stood on the curb and walked the bike. I got to a place where the road was wider and stopped there to try a few more times. It would start, stutter, stop. I got to thinking there was something clogging the fuel lines or something (probably the way it sounded or the way it died) I switched the selector to prime, shook the bike and tried again and she started.

Got on and decided to try and ride it to the nearest station. It sounded fine, felt fine... but died out the same way shortly after switching the fuel selector back to fueal. Same story. I eventually got it to a station and filled up. I wasn't worried about running it because it ran and sounded great! But then would just... die.

Anyhow, after filling up, I oppened up the throttle in neutral... like BLASTED it for a bit, then went along on my way... no
problems. Shrug???

Any ideas?

Nick

[StblJmpr]

Not to note the obvius, but you think you ran out of gas? Did you try turning to your reserve?

[macgyver]

if the bike only stays running when on prime you more than likely either have a vaccum leak from the carbs or the pet cock is shot

[goose491]

Not to note the obvius, but you think you ran out of gas? Did you try turning to your reserve?

My tank was low... but not that low.

I've run out of gas before in a hippy van (don't ask) and the way the power left the vehicle felt similar. The thought: "You idiot, you've run out of gas!" did cross my mind... but the needle was just in the red where I've seen it well into the red in the past.

[StblJmpr]

Re: Pushing your bike in full gear in the sun... sucks!!

Anyhow, after filling up, I oppened up the throttle in neutral... like BLASTED it for a bit, then went along on my way... no
problems.

if the bike only stays running when on prime you more than likely either have a vaccum leak from the carbs or the pet cock is shot

I would say the petcock is fine. he was able to ride later.

[goose491]

if the bike only stays running when on prime you more than likely either have a vaccum leak from the carbs or the pet cock is shot

Hmmmm, well after filling up I ran the rest of the way into the office with the selector on "fuel"...

Perhaps, while running low on gas, I got myslef a vapor lock, which righted itself after filling up???

...or is that wishful thinking?

REAL nice looking Kat btw macgyver

Nick

[brooder]

Don't trust the fuel gauge. It's there for an "approximate" amount of fuel. You know it's reserve time when the bike starts sputtering.

[dyran]

Your oil is low, fill it up and all will be good.

[macgyver]

Well i would keep an eye on your fuel level and let us know if it does it again. so your saying you turned the pet cock to where it says "fuel" at the top?? i didnt know the petcock turned up that far. i have had my gauge about halfway into the red and did not experience any problems but then i always fill it right back up when it gets that low. [/quote]REAL nice looking Kat btw macgyver

thank you for the compliment. i have more pics of my bike in the members rides section if you want to check them out. i was thinking about replacing the red windscreen with a smoked color and replacing the red grips with black or carbon fiber. do you think that would look good?? btw the bike was red and white before it was painted the gun metal silver color it is now thats why the red screen and grips are on it.

[goose491]

Your oil is low, fill it up and all will be good.

Good Call!!!

That means I've wasted the last 30minutes changing my blinker fluid though.

[goose491]

Well i would keep an eye on your fuel level and let us know if it does it again. so your saying you turned the pet cock to where it says "fuel" at the top??

No no, it was "On".

Put it to "Prime" and shook, it started. Put it to "On" while riding and it died out again. It's in "On" position now that I've filled up.

I'm hoping it was the vapor lock and not junk in the system. I guess I'll know for sure when I ride home tonight.

i was thinking about replacing the red windscreen with a smoked color and replacing the red grips with black or carbon fiber. do you think that would look good??

I'm sure it would look good yeah. Though I sorta like the red screen and grips on the dark bike. Sorta just a small hint of something different you know?

N

[lucifers_ride]

Did you try Reserve?????? If I remember correctly, the Prime runs off the reserve. Just an idea..........

Edit: It prolly would have been fine to RUN on prime, just make sure you turn it off prime when you shut it off....... Your running off the same fuel lines. Just prime is constant flow and ON/RES is vacuum flow.......

[goose491]

I didn't. But then I hadn't seriously considered that I was just running out of fuel.

I'll let you all know after my ride home tonight. If I don't have any problems.... it means I was just a numpty this morning, running out of fuel.

[woobie]

How much gas did it take to fill up? I hit reserve when commuting at 250-260kms.

I ended up putting about 15L in tonight after doing 250kms.

[The CyberPoet]

The guage varies from bike to bike, and on some you hit RES below the red, on others closer to the top of the red zone. As the bike ages and the sender unit gets coated with fuel residues, the resistance changes too and you can have your readings change (very slowly, but still different than new).

I'm about 99% sure that you dropped below the taller fuel pick-up connected to the ON position, and switching to prime in this instant did the same as switching to RES would have. Symptoms match a fuel-starved engine at speed (and as the engine kicked off, it sloshed the fuel, putting more at the pick-up, so it'd kick on again, then off, then on until it finally sputtered out totally). In such situations, switching to PRIME for 60 seconds before switching back to RES is wise, so the carbs refill from their now-bone-dry state.

TIP:
Reset your trip odometer when taking on fuel -- if your fuel gauge dies, you'll still have an idea of your approximate range.

CAUTION:
If you couldn't make it to the next gas station on the reserve/prime setting, you may have a fuel leak. Pinched tank drain lines (& vapor lock) are normally a problem for full tanks far more than nearly empty tanks because of the weight of the fuel.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet