I think its dying.... : (

[Porkchop]

I have a bad feeling my vf just took its last breath. But the circumstances seem extremely weird.

I got off work yesterday evening and decided to get out for a quick jaunt since it was so nice out. I only expected to be out for about a half hour and get some gas. Bike ran great, and got to the gas station. Filled her up with fresh 89. Started up fine, and rode for another 8 minutes or so. I made a left hand turn onto the country road that leads like 5 miles to my house, and the bike didn't react to the throttle and died (ironically in the parking lot of a shut down Harley bar. ) Hit the starter, bike wouldnt take. Put the choke on, hit the starter, bike wouldn't take. I started to wear the battery down, so I called my buddy to help me push start it. I've push started this bike a million times, so I know what feels right and what doesn't. On the very first push I knew something wasn't right. It almost feels like the motor or tranny is seized. When he dumped the clutch, instead of rolling the motor over, the rear wheel just locks and slides. But I rolled into the parking lot on both engine and in gear???

I'm just so fu**ing confused, tired, and pissed. I almost want to sell the bike right now and wash my hands of it. I love the 500 to death and would love to buy a mint model down the line, but this bike is such a hassle. I didn't end up having "deep enough credit" to get the gsx650f, even though I have a 710 something credit score. Credit is fucking retarded. I dont know what to do....

[derf]

Put it on a charger overnight, then remove the plugs and turn the engine over to make sure its not hydrolocked with bad fuel. Then try again with some 91 non ethanol fuel.

My first thought is bad fuel, only because you rode there fine, filled up then it died. The 8 minutes you rode is just enough time to drain the good fuel from your fuel line and carbs.

It could have locked the rear for any number of reasons, one being that the carb was still dumping some fuel in the motor after it died.

Anyone else have any ideas?

[Trip]

This definitely sounds like a classic case of bad fuel.

[Porkchop]

Originally Posted by derf

Put it on a charger overnight, then remove the plugs and turn the engine over to make sure its not hydrolocked with bad fuel. Then try again with some 91 non ethanol fuel.

My first thought is bad fuel, only because you rode there fine, filled up then it died. The 8 minutes you rode is just enough time to drain the good fuel from your fuel line and carbs.

It could have locked the rear for any number of reasons, one being that the carb was still dumping some fuel in the motor after it died.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Thanks! When I get it home, I will definitely get it on the charger. Unfortunately the poor girl gets to spend her second night in the back lot of a church.... in the pouring rain. Work all day and noone to help with a truck leaves me with no option. Tomorrow morning i will have my brother slowly tow me home with a tow line.

Originally Posted by Trip

This definitely sounds like a classic case of bad fuel.

Effing arab owned Sunoco.....

[derf]

Originally Posted by Porkchop

Thanks! When I get it home, I will definitely get it on the charger. Unfortunately the poor girl gets to spend her second night in the back lot of a church.... in the pouring rain. Work all day and noone to help with a truck leaves me with no option. Tomorrow morning i will have my brother slowly tow me home with a tow line.



Effing arab owned Sunoco.....

Happened to me twice this year (seems to be happening more lately), once on the KLR coming home from riding the BRP in october, and once in CT. Both times I was lucky enough that the bike sorta ran, as well as a bike can run under 2500rpm anyway. Both times I limped to a gas station, dumped fuel and filled up fresh, problem gone.

[No Worries]

Did you run your petcock on "reserve"? Water is more dense than gas, so it sinks to the bottom of the tank. The reserve stem inside the tank is on the bottom, while the main stem is a couple inches higher and will draw gas instead of water. I think they still sell "Dry Gas" an alcohol that mixes with the water and burns it.

For hydrolock, one or more float needle/seats has to be dumping raw fuel into a cylinder and that usually happens when the bike sits for a while and the petcock is messed up or left in the "prime" position.

['73 H1 Triple]

Originally Posted by Trip

This definitely sounds like a classic case of bad fuel.

All the crap that is added to "today's gasoline formula" isn't any good for older bikes ( and especially boats ).

If it were mine, I'd drain that gas and get premium from another gas station. Drain the fuel bowls if you can too. If you can afford the extra $$, a couple gallons of leaded race fuel might help ( at least it would remove gasoline as the problem).

Jeff

[Porkchop]

Finally got her home after three nights out in the lot. Ripped the tank, airbox, and filter off. Plugged her into the tender, so we'll see if it rolls over tomorrow. If the starter is rolling the motor over but I'm not getting fire, I'm pulling the carbs and taking them in. I've been putting off getting them professionally cleaned and synced for a couple months now, so there is no better time I guess. Might as well check the plugs too, and then go from there...

[101lifts2]

Sometimes when you fill up you will end up with a good amount of water making the engine stall.

[Particle Man]

Hydrolock = teh suck