RPC3
XS650 Addict
Update - please jump to the bottom of this thread, issue is electrical
Hi Guys,
Need some help troubleshooting when I get home tonight. Took my bike to work (about 8 miles, a few lights) and roughly 5 miles in I had a few...I don't want to call them surges, but bogs or dead spots that made it seem like I was hitting bumps in the road (which was my initial reaction, guessing it was due the engine bogging and my momentum surging forward a bit as the engine would kick in/out). This kept up on steady throttle for about a quarter mile (on and off) so I pulled over to check everything out.
I didn't see any hoses that came disconnected, carbs were still seated, checked numerous bolts and some wiring connections and everything looked normal. Went to start the bike up and the e-start wouldn't work (push button, no response/sound/just a dead button). This could be unrelated, but its worked perfectly as long as I've owned the bike until now, so worth mentioning.
Was able to kick start the bike and made it the rest of the way to work with the only real noticeable off characteristics being a slightly high idle and perhaps a lack of power/smoothness under full throttle, but it cruised at a maintained speed fine.
So assuming I can make it home okay later, I'm curious to know where you would start the trouble shooting process. I'll check out the soldering/connection on the e-start to see if that can be ruled out as a simple wiring issue.
Bike is 78 standard, stock engine/electrics. Only thing I changed recently was the tail light bulb (1157, previous bulb had a filament burn out). I don't have fuel filters on the bike, tank is pretty clean, but initial thought was maybe a blockage in one of my carbs that was causing some fuel starvation intermittently to one cylinder. I've never checked my rotor/charging system because its always just worked, but if there are signs of a charging issue I could check that. I've never messed with the carbs, but I did set cam chain tension and valve height per manual about 500 miles ago and its been fine since, but I didn't touch the points so the timing/points could be in need of servicing.
Just looking for ideas, who knows – the ride home might tell me all I need to know.
Hi Guys,
Need some help troubleshooting when I get home tonight. Took my bike to work (about 8 miles, a few lights) and roughly 5 miles in I had a few...I don't want to call them surges, but bogs or dead spots that made it seem like I was hitting bumps in the road (which was my initial reaction, guessing it was due the engine bogging and my momentum surging forward a bit as the engine would kick in/out). This kept up on steady throttle for about a quarter mile (on and off) so I pulled over to check everything out.
I didn't see any hoses that came disconnected, carbs were still seated, checked numerous bolts and some wiring connections and everything looked normal. Went to start the bike up and the e-start wouldn't work (push button, no response/sound/just a dead button). This could be unrelated, but its worked perfectly as long as I've owned the bike until now, so worth mentioning.
Was able to kick start the bike and made it the rest of the way to work with the only real noticeable off characteristics being a slightly high idle and perhaps a lack of power/smoothness under full throttle, but it cruised at a maintained speed fine.
So assuming I can make it home okay later, I'm curious to know where you would start the trouble shooting process. I'll check out the soldering/connection on the e-start to see if that can be ruled out as a simple wiring issue.
Bike is 78 standard, stock engine/electrics. Only thing I changed recently was the tail light bulb (1157, previous bulb had a filament burn out). I don't have fuel filters on the bike, tank is pretty clean, but initial thought was maybe a blockage in one of my carbs that was causing some fuel starvation intermittently to one cylinder. I've never checked my rotor/charging system because its always just worked, but if there are signs of a charging issue I could check that. I've never messed with the carbs, but I did set cam chain tension and valve height per manual about 500 miles ago and its been fine since, but I didn't touch the points so the timing/points could be in need of servicing.
Just looking for ideas, who knows – the ride home might tell me all I need to know.
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