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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Bike problems, requesting diagnosis/suggestions.
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Message started by eviaris on 07/29/08 at 19:19:20

Title: Bike problems, requesting diagnosis/suggestions.
Post by eviaris on 07/29/08 at 19:19:20

Hi all, below is a thorough description of some of the problems I've been having with my new Savage. I would love this bike if I could actually ride it. :(

Any help or suggestions on how to fix the problems would be greatly appreciated! I plan on taking it to a mechanic as soon as I can afford for somebody to take it, but I would like to know what may or may not be the problem before throwing down a bunch of cash on it, or even if it's worth it.

PREVIOUS PROBLEMS:
So, I bought a 2001 Suzuki Savage on Craigslist...

As soon as I bought it, I filled it up and headed home. After about 25 miles of 70 mph interstate riding, it started sputtering and backfiring so I pulled over. It never shut off completetly, and I began again. Upon reaching ~70 mph again, it did the same thing and completely stopped combusting as I pulled over. I then decided to keep the speed below 65 just to get home, and it ran fine the rest of the way.

As soon as I could, I brought it to a mechanic to get a 4000 mi tune-up and a diagnosis of the problem. They completed the tune-up, and said the problem was probably just dirty and/or stale fuel. They recommended I use some fuel cleaner.

I continued to drive it to work (15 mi one way) for little over a week, with a few occurences of the same problem. I take it to a friends who has mechanical experience and is willing to take a look at it. We drained the fuel, which seemed clean and proceeded to drain the carburetor bowl. Ah hah! There was a separate bubble of liquid sitting at the bottom of the cup about a centimeter in diameter and about 2-3 mm thick. I attempt to ride it around for a few minutes reaching 80 mph and never having a problem. I eventually leave to return home.

CURRENT PROBLEMS:
I attempt to stay going 75 mph on the interstate for about 40 min, which is most of the way home. No problems. The first time I have to slow down and speed back up was to merge onto a different interstate. As soon as I roll back onto the throttle, it lugs and backfires but then jerks back to normal speed. It does it again when accelerating out of another turn. I eventually make it home and shut it down.

The next morning, I go out, put the key in an attempt to start it up. Absolutely nothing happened. No clicking noises, nothing.

The next day, I buy a cheap metric socket set so I can get to the battery. The battery's electrolyte level is fine, so I attempt to push start it. It starts on the second try. I let it idle for a bit, and it sounded fine. I rolled on the throttle in neutral a few times, and it felt and sounded fine. I attempt to ride it down the road some, and every time I roll on the throttle more than about 10 degrees within half a second, it lugs, backfires quietly, and eventually jerks to that particular throttle level after about 1-2 seconds. It does the same in second gear. If I accelerated extremely slowly, it would act normal. For about 35 min, I switch between trying to ride it and letting it idle so as to charge the battery. I eventually shut it off, and immediately hit the start button. Nothing.

Title: Re: Bike problems, requesting diagnosis/suggestion
Post by T Mack 1 on 07/29/08 at 19:35:05

First, the sputter sounds like it may be either a carb problem, or weak spark issue.

You didn't say if the carb was cleaned, you only said it was drained......

Weak spark could be the battery, or a dirty plug, or a incorrectly gapped plug, or a bad sparkplug wire, or a spark resistor that has seen better days.

The sputter at speed could also be a vacuum leak in the fuel petcock system. The hose can get loose thus letting air in and at speed the vacuum is lower..... which would shut off the fuel a bit. By having people work on the bike they may have pushed the hose back on without even thinking about it....

EDIT: Check the FREE things first.

EDIT 2: Not starting..... Remember there are safetly interlocks...... they get the best of us .....

Title: Re: Bike problems, requesting diagnosis/suggestion
Post by Paladin. on 07/29/08 at 19:54:04

The vacuum leak thing can be checked very easy, simply switch the petcock to PRI as soon as it starts and if it stops than it is a problem with the vacuum not holding the fuel on. If it is a borderline thing then on a long steady cruise you could slowly be using more fuel than is coming thru the petcock and eventually starve out.

My Y2K was pulling that on my LA-OKC trip, and switching to PRI eliminated the problem. City riding is not a problem as I am fully off the throttle almost as much as fully on.

Title: Re: Bike problems, requesting diagnosis/suggestion
Post by eviaris on 07/29/08 at 20:54:32

Thanks for the help guys.

I did forget to mention that I placed about 1/2 a bottle of STP fuel injector/carburetor cleaner the day before I brought it to my friend's house, and I burned about 3/4 of the main tank's fuel with it before replacing the gas.

Also, earlier, after I push started it, I set the petcock to PRI with no change in idle activity or performance. It still lugged, then jerked when attempting to accelerate.

FYI, after it lugs/backfires/jerks, it will run at that steady speed fine as long as I don't accelerate, and I can roll hard on the throttle in neutral and it seems fine. It's only when attempting to roll on the throttle while in gear that causes symptoms.

Title: Re: Bike problems, requesting diagnosis/suggestion
Post by Max_Morley on 07/29/08 at 21:30:36

Check the spark plug or carbon fouling. Max

Title: Re: Bike problems, requesting diagnosis/suggestion
Post by verslagen1 on 07/29/08 at 22:27:56

392A353D2E352F5C0 wrote:

That stuff is for a car, so full bottle for an 14 gal tank. And you put 1/2 in a 2 gal tank? way over did it. What is it 6 oz's? 1 oz per gal would be my guess.

BTW, had a 2stoke 125cc bike. used to have to clean the plug every so often. then started using 'gas miser' about an oz in 1 gal tank. stopped having to clean the plug afterward.

Title: Re: Bike problems, requesting diagnosis/suggestion
Post by mornhm on 07/30/08 at 05:16:53

Have you checked the battery voltage?

Title: Re: Bike problems, requesting diagnosis/suggestion
Post by eviaris on 07/30/08 at 07:04:43

I need to pick the tools to check the voltage. I plan on doing that today.

As for the carb cleaner, I read here that it wouldn't hurt to put half a bottle in it if it's the first time in a while, so I did. And, the gas was replaced the day after.