Diagnosis and suggestions please.

[HisNibbs]

Symptoms:
Motor cuts out while ticking over , no input to the bars etc, adjusted idle up to nearly 2K still does it. Dash lights etc. all ok, no flicker or reset and will immediately restart.
“Cough” while running at any time.
Motor cuts out when pulling off, sometimes feels like it has gone onto one and may pull through.

Motor still seems to go well most of the time and the problem is rarely felt on the open road where it can be given a little stick.

All occur randomly but more frequently when hot often accompanied by a bit of a bang and when leant over pulling into traffic, focusing moments.

Suspected culprit :
A lot of water has entered the tank recently because the run off was blocked and I didn’t get around to fixing that until these symptoms started.

Tried so far:
Thrashing it;
Drained the tank and thought that had fixed it until 20 miles or so then just the slightest “cough” which has now degenerated to an asthma attack;
Side stand switch cleaned and wiggled around a bit;
Kill switch on and off a couple of times.

Other issues to concider:
Over due a valve check;
Ordered new plugs but will be next week before I get them;

Thoughts appreciated.

[blinkey501]

Injector cleaner

[HisNibbs]

Thanks Jay.

I'll see if I can get some on my way into work tomorrow.

[Aladinsaneuk]

i would also suspect the injectors..... just check the coil leads are snug.....

BUT

as you can, i would call griff and double check

oh - its both cylinders that stop, not just one? and do you have an alarm?

[D-Rider]

Air filter clean?
Plugs clean, properly gapped and properly tightened?
TBs balanced?

Sometimes when these things are not quite right it can be more prone to such things.

Of course it could be an actual problem but no point assuming so straight away.

[HisNibbs]

Air filter is clean:

Plugs are iridium but have done about 40,000 miles so I'm happy to replace as a matter of course.
TB done by Griff not more two years ago.

None of these I think would cause a sudden cut off on both cylinders. (It is rarely that it feels to have happened on only one.)

Regarding plugs and leads, with two plugs a cylinder again I think unlikely but I will check when I check the valves and replace the plugs.

I do have an alarm which apart from beeping at me and going off when I don't want it to hasn't caused a problem, in fact may have saved me once or twice given the screw driver damage evident in the ignition lock. That again was a very long time ago so not on my list of suspects.

Unless the injector cleaner does the trick it looks like I'll either not make Norfolk or face the ignominy of bringing my daughter's car.

Oh and thanks all for your input.

[Aladinsaneuk]

if you are in the car bring your leathers and lid....

[DavShill]

Keith - I had a cut out problem last year. Not as severe as yours sounds but happened on the overun or when stopped in traffic - engine just quietly died.
Checked the usual stuff as you've described and gave a couple of doses of the special injector cleaner DRider recommended. Not cheap but seems to have done the trick.

BG-44K
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keyw ... le3ntire_b

[D-Rider]

Yes - most injector cleaners don't do a very good job but BG-44K and AR6400 have a bit more "umph" and do a far better job.

[HisNibbs]

Thanks again.

I've done about 40 miles with an injector cleaner and so far things are worse. I will try your recommendation though. I'm not going to take the bike to Norfolk as it is a bit dodgy at times to ride and it may be a more seriouse fault. So next weekend I plan to strip it back for a valve check and plug swap. I have bought some connector cleaner and some compressed gass spray so along with a close inspection of the plugs I can give it a little check over and clean up.

[D-Rider]

These dodgy Black Falcos .........

See you later in Norfolk

[Panda]

HisNibbs - this sounds exactly like the way my Falco was playing up last year. It took a while and a couple of visits to my local independant garage, but finally got it sorted.
Problem was the insulation on a wire being worn away where it touched the engine block. Was sorted by wrapping offending wire in some old bicycle inner tube and duck tape.
It's a bit fiddly to get at but wire located on left side of engine in space between frame spars and bottome of petrol tank - towards the front of the rear cylinder. There's a small group of wires than branch off from the main harness - no idea what they're all for or where they go but looked like the worn wire was heading to a cam sensor or some such.
Whatever....easily fixed once diagnosed and no coughs, splutters or stalling for 5k miles since.
Hope this fixes it.

[HisNibbs]

Fingers crossed...

I stripped the rear cowel off but nothing looked suspiciouse so I had the tank up and air box off to follow up on Panda's lead. Even knowing the problem might be there it was hard to spot. Digging in there pretty deep there was one small rather dirty grey wire that looked a bit flat and was rough to touch... then the glint of copper.

Been on a test ride and it's looking good.

Thanks all, thanks Ridersite and special huggs to Panda, I might never have found that without your input.

[DavShill]

Now that sounds very promising............................because I have just had the ride home from HELL

Engine was cutting out, first on the over-run after closing the throttle, then on an open but steady throttle, then gradually got worse. I was having to stop, switch ignition off then on again, ride for not very far then engine dies again. Feels just like it's starved of fuel but rather than cough an splutter it just cuts out, then sometimes just coughed back into life. Must have happend over 20 times !!!! I'm thinking it could be electrical now.
Need to have a good look under the tank and around the top of the engine block.

If I can't sort it out it could be the end of a baeutiful friendship. I really love this bike but I ride for pleasure and cannot put up with the uncertainty and potential unreliability every time I go on a long run.

Any way - will keep you posted.

[old git]

Now that sounds very promising............................because I have just had the ride home from HELL

Engine was cutting out, first on the over-run after closing the throttle, then on an open but steady throttle, then gradually got worse. I was having to stop, switch ignition off then on again, ride for not very far then engine dies again. Feels just like it's starved of fuel but rather than cough an splutter it just cuts out, then sometimes just coughed back into life. Must have happend over 20 times !!!! I'm thinking it could be electrical now.
Need to have a good look under the tank and around the top of the engine block.

If I can't sort it out it could be the end of a baeutiful friendship. I really love this bike but I ride for pleasure and cannot put up with the uncertainty and potential unreliability every time I go on a long run.

Any way - will keep you posted.

I had cutting out problems earlier this year, I cut out the imobaliser and also replaced the spark plug leads, just incase. Have not had any problems (touching wood) since.
Check the plug/HT lead connection, the new ones I have a forkin tight, in retrospect the old ones were as loose as a very loose thing.
Maybe my problem was a loose cap, with the vibrations sometimes it was working, others not. Like you Dave, stoped turned on & off, everything was fine.
Now it maybe was the imobaliser thing as well, I don't know but check the HT leads is easy first. Best of luck