Grinding to a halt...part two

[Foxy]

Well I managed to get my Le Mans going again after the recent breakdown. Symptoms then were rough running, poor idle, followed by a feeling that I was running out of fuel. Flushed the fuel system, popped in five litres of fresh unleaded and she fired right up first time. Sounded a little rough when running round the block but seemed to improve. Idle was fine, power seemed fine.

 

Tonight I popped out to fill her right up so I could get out on her tomorrow. Started fine. Got down the road, noticed the engine sounded rough again. Seemed to be right hand cylinder. Then noticed a lack of power. Was just thinking about limping home to play it safe, and had got about a mile when she just cut out on me. Wouldn't restart at all. Got recovered back home, restarted briefly to see where ominous rattle was coming from. Started fine, definitely rough. Hard to tell where from as I was in a brick built garage so quicly turned off. Popped right hand rocker cover off, nothing immediately apparent. Something tells me my recent problems aren't simply a fuel issue.

 

History - in April this year the bike was thrown down pretty hard on the right hand side. Most of the damage was absorbed by the rocker cover and head guard. Since then have serviced it myself. Valve clearances on both sides were a tiny bit out and corrected. The bike is a 2004 machine and has covered somewhere in the region of 15,000 miles - can't be more exact as the odo packed up a couple of months ago.

 

Before I start major surgery I was wondering if this prompted any suggestions from my esteemed colleagues?

[BRENTTODD]

I would check to make sure the tank is venting properly and that your fuel filter is not starting to plug up

[Guzzi2Go]

Well, I had pretty much the same symptoms on my old CX 500 till yesterday, when I exchanged spark plugs for a pair of new ones. It would start OK, run when cold more or less ok, and started loosing/gaining power when warmed up. Made the ride to a local motoshop rather interesting...

 

But i guess you already checked/replaced the spark plugs and set the correct gap between electrodes.

 

Well, now you have it. Two answers saying it is either fuel/air or ignition. Now you know exactly as much as before.

[Foxy]

Had chance to have a quick fiddle this evening. Soon found a problem, hoping it is the problem. Popped RHS rocker cover, and checked valve clearances. Intake was fine, exhaust was tight - about three and a half thou clearance, maybe a touch more. Should be six thou. Have corrected, but unable to start up to verify as "someone" left the ignition switched on leaving the battery flat. Battery is on charge, next step will be retorquing heads and checking valve clearances all round, plus fresh plugs. Will see what that brings.

[jrt]

My initial guess would be that it is either coil or plug related and I'd check the coils first. Pop the tank off and verify that all the electrical connections are good.

Carl had a weird one earlier this year- anytime he pulled over 5K or 6K or something like that, his main fuse would blow.

[Guest Phil_P]

Well I've got to say, check the relays, if they're Siemens 23073 then swap them out.

[BrianG]

Well I've got to say, check the relays, if they're Siemens 23073 then swap them out.

 

 

This motorcycle is just like my Porsche 928........ if something runs amok, first chgange out the associated relay. If that's not it, revert to normal diagnostic proceedures.... <_>