Cutting Out

[connor]

So after my HiD light fitting fiasco, I now have a new problem, when riding along at say 50-60 when I slow down to a stop pull the clutch in the bike dies, give it a few seconds and it will start from the button, now I had the day off yesterday so that I could remove the HiDs, so I had the tank off drained that, drained the carb, took the top off it checked the float blew air through it all and the fuel tap, there was no water in the petrol(A problem on my kind of bike) so its not that, put it all back together and alls good in the garage, it revs up and down no problem, so out on the road this morning and its cutting out, could it be a fuel issue or just that its fookin cold in the morning and thats having an effect?

I'm stumped any ideas? its abit of an arse when it cuts out at the lights and I have to jump off and push it to the side.

So i'll open it up to the PB massive as I'm sure somene on here will be able to help.

Oh by the way its a 125.

[gregtrx]

Check your sidestand switch isn't knackered, maybe the vibration is breaking the contacts? Taking the wires off is usually a good way to check if it unplugs.

[lorenzo]

I'd guess that your float in your carb is sticking since you've drained. either A: tap the side of it a bit with something pointy, or B: take a look in the haynes and see what it says about setting carb float heights. It could of course be the cold, in which case, just tweak your idle up a bit. I'm assuming that it cuts out in a sort of spluttering to a stop sort of way, over a second or so, rather than being gone in an instant like you'd switch it off?

[connor]

Check your sidestand switch isn't knackered, maybe the vibration is breaking the contacts? Taking the wires off is usually a good way to check if it unplugs.

it doesn't have a sidestand switch so thats ok.

It could of course be the cold, in which case, just tweak your idle up a bit. I'm assuming that it cuts out in a sort of spluttering to a stop sort of way, over a second or so, rather than being gone in an instant like you'd switch it off?

yep exactly that, however it didn't do it on the way home so I'm leaning more to the cold side of things, cheers for the advice peeps.

[addiction269]

could it be carb icing?what bike do you have? i used to use silkolene pro fst never had a problem again.

[lorenzo]

I'm still suspecting float levels that hadn't settled quite right, or perhaps an idle jet blocked by some grot that's since passed through the system.

[connor]

could it be carb icing?what bike do you have? i used to use silkolene pro fst never had a problem again.

Its a Sachs XTC 4 stroke.

ran it to work ok this morning, let it warm up a bit longer then ran with a small amount of choke and it ran fine, no cutting out, so again I think its cold.

[bezzer]

, when riding along at say 50-60 when I slow down to a stop pull the clutch in the bike dies, give it a few seconds and it will start from the button

Classic carb icing symptoms as Addiction said. Won't happen everyday, just depends on the temperature and moisture in the air, doesn't happen in freezing weather as the moisture drops out of the air but a few degrees above you can get it, Pro-Fst will cure it. Some bikes are prone to it others never have a problem, used to have a GS650 that suffered chronically with it.

[connor]

cheers guys I shall be getting some of that over the weekend.

[bigbadmad]

Another vote for FST Pro. Try Busters Connor.

[kwakbiker]

If your stuck and run out of FST halfords do some stuff called Wynns dry fuel which does the same thing

[addiction269]

its good stuff i used it on my old stroker and a zzr - kwaks are prone to it - i think its the ram air not sure though but let us know if it helps

[Highlander]

Hi all,

I have a different cutting out problem too on an old XT600 single I got recently(only 16k on the clock though). After about 300 miles of problem free biking I was riding home in the rain for the first time the other night and after a few miles it started stuttering and popping/backfiring! A strange combination and I had to heavy hand the throttle to avoid the stuttering but still didn't rev like it should.

When I had to slow right down at a junction the revs went down and it cut out, couldn't start so I stared pushing and after 3 or 4 minutes (rain had stopped) it started up fine again.

I had a look at it and couldn't see any problems. Wanted to check the spark plug condition but it's a pain to get at on the XT.

Been on one run in the dry since and no problem so I think it's rain related, but I can't think how it's so stop/start with the rain and that it backfires like the fuel mix is changed, I would have thought a more straight electrical cut out if the spark plug/wires get damp. Ideas?

[dodgy_tom]

@Highlander- Are your lights working ok or do they flicker? (pondering reg/rect). Have you got a fuel filter in-line? Wondering if you've got some crap stuck in the carbs. It can't be that hard to get at the plugs, the old XT's are designed for mega miles and running on shonky fuel, have a nose.

[Highlander]

@Highlander- Are your lights working ok or do they flicker? (pondering reg/rect). Have you got a fuel filter in-line? Wondering if you've got some crap stuck in the carbs. It can't be that hard to get at the plugs, the old XT's are designed for mega miles and running on shonky fuel, have a nose.

Lights/electrics are fine and I rode last night/this am (in the dry) just fine. I don't know about fuel filter.

I am now thinking it's more likely the spark plug 'cause if it stutters and doesn't burn on every cycle then there could be excess fuel on the next cycle which causes the popping. I'll have another try at the plug today, probably need a deep socket to get at it.

Could there be a washer missing where the plug should seal against the motor case or should it be integrated on the plug - I can't remember more than a normal screw thread which might let moisture in if it's worn. Replacing plug and HT lead shouldn't be too difficult or expensive.

[Highlander]

OK, so I found the plug a looks like it was a little rich, but not ugly.

Replaced the HT lead, now waiting for the next 'wet' run ... once today's snow has melted!