Crankcase filled with fuel...help!!

[tcrave]

I was riding my gz250 to work a few days ago and about half way, the bike just dies. I figured I was out of gas because i knew I was running low, so I turned it to reserve and tried again...no luck, wouldn't start. I pulled it off to the side of the road, switched it to PRI for a few seconds, then back to reserve. It kept on cranking over like it wanted to start, but wouldn't. Then, it started leaking fluid. It looked and smelled like oil to me, but then I realized that the oil window was showing full.

So, I rolled it into a parking lot and went to get it after work. When I showed up, I had my gf meet me with a tank of gas. I poured the gas in the tank and tried to start it....nothing happened. The lights would come on, but all I could hear is a clicking sound. Then, gas started to leak like crazy! My buddy showed up with a trailer to take it back to my house, and then we finally figured out that it was leaking from a tube that comes from the carb and only happened when you rolled on the throttle. It spilled a lot of gas, but finally stopped. My buddy and his dad tapped on the carb lightly a few times because they said the floater might be stuck...still no luck.

We got the bike back to the house and I just let it sit on my trickle charger all night. Came back to it the next morning and still could only get a clicking noise....then all the sudden I see a wisp of smoke coming from the engine/carb (not really sure where, looked like from the carb). I let it set for a few minutes, then noticed if I repeatedly pushed the starter button that it eventually would start to crank over.

So, now it will crank over, but still won't start. I checked the oil level and now it is showing empty...yet i don't see any oil spots on the ground.

Anyone have any suggestions??? I am lost...

[blaine]

STOP!!! IT sounds like your crankcase may be filled with gas.You need to drain your oil & check & go from there.If you continue to try and start the bike without determining if there is fuel in the crankcase,you will damage the engine.If no fuel in the engine,than you will need to check the air filter,and drain the air box.
:) :cool:

[tcrave]

Thanks! I checked and there is fuel in the crankcase. I drained some of it out and it smells of fuel bad. I also checked the airbox and there was a bunch of oil in it as well.

I think I am going to make a more detailed topic to see if anyone has an solutions, or if you do :)

[tcrave]

So my bike quit running on the road and wouldn't start back up. It wouldn't turn over at all, but I finally got it to. Now, it won't start at all. I tried again today and finally got it to start for 2 seconds and then it quit. Under the advice of blaine, I quit trying to start it and started taking things apart.

To my dismay, when I started draining the oil out, there was fuel in the crankcase. I started taking the gas tank off to make things a little easier and noticed that when the petcock was "on" the fuel just kept running out of the hose when I took it off....and since the fuel is only supposed to come out when the bike is running, this tells me that something in the petcock may be messed up.

I also looked in my airbox and noticed that it has a good inch or so of oil in it, so I drained that out.

Does anyone have any suggestions to fix this??? Is the bike ruined??

Also, before all this happened, fuel was leaking like crazy out of the fuel overflow tube coming from the carb whenever you rolled on the throttle. My buddy took a little flashlight and tapped on the carb where the float should be and it quit leaking fuel there....but I still have the problem of fuel being in the crankcase.

Thanks!!!

[blaine]

Thanks! I checked and there is fuel in the crankcase. I drained some of it out and it smells of fuel bad. I also checked the airbox and there was a bunch of oil in it as well.

I think I am going to make a more detailed topic to see if anyone has an solutions, or if you do :)
You need to change your oil & filter.Clean out your air box,and replace the filter if it got soaked.You will need to take your carb off,and give it a good cleaning.I would also install a inline filter.
:) :)

[Water Warrior 2]

Sounds like you need to fix a stuck float in the carb and change oil as soon as possible. Gas in the oil is not a good thing.

[Water Warrior 2]

No need for 2 threads on the same subject. Stick to the first thread and we can help..........honest.

[blaine]

You need to change your oil & filter.Clean out your air box,and replace the filter if it got soaked.It sounds like the diaphragm ruptured in the petcock,.You can buy a rebuild kit,or replace the entire petcock.You will need to take your carb off,and give it a good cleaning. I would also install a inline filter.I don't think you done any damage to the engine.The crank case filled with gas,because the float in the carb is not strong enough to hold back the flow of fuel once the petcock failed.
:) :)

[tcrave]

Sorry!!! New person error! My apologies! I'll see if I can report it and see if the mod can merge the topics or delete one or something.

I don't want to do any more damage than is already done, so I am going to take every precaution I can. I already have an extra oil filter, so I'll definitely be changing the oil and filter. I got the air box off...well, I got it loose, still trying to figure out how to get the darn thing out of the frame, maybe once I get the carb out the air box will come.

I'm planning on cleaning out the air box, taking the carb apart and cleaning everything in there...I've never done it before, but it doesn't look too hard, guess we will see.

I don't really care whether I buy a new petcock or fix the one I have....which is cheaper/easier/recommended?

Anyone have any suggestions on where to get a carb rebuilt kit and a petcock? How about an air filter? The oil filter gave me a lot of troubles to find and I never did find an air filter....tried finding a carb rebuild kit and not very successful...

Thanks for you help and suggestions!!!

One more thing....how do I get all the fuel out of the crank case? I'm sure even if I drain it that there will still be residual fuel left...I also know fuel dries up pretty fast...should I just leave the oil cap and plug off and let it dry?

[tcrave]

Thanks!! Sorry again for duplicate topics. Will be doing the suggestions! Is there a difference between rebuilding a carb and cleaning one? Where do I get a kit? Where would you suggest getting an inline fuel filter at? How would that make a difference? It seems to me that a fuel filter would just filter the fuel...not really stop it from flooding the carb and getting in the crankcase...by that, I mean that I am ignorant on the subject, lol.

[Water Warrior 2]

First I would drain the tank and remove the fuel switch and clean both intank screens. An inline fuel filter can be bought from any auto parts store, small engine repair shop or most dealers. Use the recommended carb cleaner and just ride it as long as the carb is no longer flooding the engine. But you must change the oil and I would suggest the oil filter also.

[alantf]

It seems to me that a fuel filter would just filter the fuel...not really stop it from flooding the carb

That's quite true, but the carb is the achilles heel of the GZ. Any minute bits of gunk that that find their way into the carb will screw it up, so this is a preventative measure that won't solve your present problem, but is worth doing while you have the fuel system in pieces. :2tup:

[alantf]

You shouldn't need to remove the airbox from the bike. What you DO need to do, however, is look under the bike for the pipe that runs down from the airbox. Remove the circlip & plug, drain the tube, then replace the plug & clip. :2tup:

[blaine]

I don't really care whether I buy a new petcock or fix the one I have....which is cheaper/easier/recommended?

Anyone have any suggestions on where to get a carb rebuilt kit and a petcock? How about an air filter? The oil filter gave me a lot of troubles to find and I never did find an air filter....tried finding a carb rebuild kit and not very successful...

Thanks for you help and suggestions!!!

One more thing....how do I get all the fuel out of the crank case? I'm sure even if I drain it that there will still be residual fuel left...I also know fuel dries up pretty fast...should I just leave the oil cap and plug off and let it dry?
A rebuild kit is cheaper if you can get one from the dealer.You may get away with taking it apart and cleaning it.If the diaphragm is broken you will be able to see it.I doubt that you need a rebuild kit for the carb,just a good cleaning & install a inline filter to prevent anything getting into the carb again.A good air filter is the HIFLO-FILTRO:HAF-3503.The oil filter # is 136.They are about 1/3 the price of the stock units.Any dealer should be able to order them for you.Once you drain out the old oil,just let it set with the drain plug out for 20 mins or so,than your good to go.
Good Luck & keep us informed of your progress. :) :cool:

[tcrave]

You shouldn't need to remove the airbox from the bike. What you DO need to do, however, is look under the bike for the pipe that runs down from the airbox. Remove the circlip & plug, drain the tube, then replace the plug & clip. :2tup:

Done and done :) the reason I was wanting to take the airbox out was because I am a little OCD when it comes to taking care of my vehicles and cleaning them sometimes...wanting to give it a good cleaning and everything around it. But, if its too much trouble then I'll probably just skip it.

I am guessing that maybe the reason there was so much oil in the airbox was because when we trailered it home, we had to lay it down on its side because we didn't have the right kind of trailer.

I'm guessing the fuel got into the crankcase because my buddy tapped on the float and unstuck it. He thought he was fixing it, but I think that just made it worse. I read somewhere in my research that these bikes have a safety mechanism in the carb that when the petcock fails, the float gets stuck and lets the fuel go out the drain pipe instead of into the crankcase. I also noticed that before he did that, the oil window looked fine, then after he did, thats when it looked bad. Lesson learned though.

Thanks for your help!

[tcrave]

I don't really care whether I buy a new petcock or fix the one I have....which is cheaper/easier/recommended?

Anyone have any suggestions on where to get a carb rebuilt kit and a petcock? How about an air filter? The oil filter gave me a lot of troubles to find and I never did find an air filter....tried finding a carb rebuild kit and not very successful...

Thanks for you help and suggestions!!!

One more thing....how do I get all the fuel out of the crank case? I'm sure even if I drain it that there will still be residual fuel left...I also know fuel dries up pretty fast...should I just leave the oil cap and plug off and let it dry?
A rebuild kit is cheaper if you can get one from the dealer.You may get away with taking it apart and cleaning it.If the diaphragm is broken you will be able to see it.I doubt that you need a rebuild kit for the carb,just a good cleaning & install a inline filter to prevent anything getting into the carb again.A good air filter is the HIFLO-FILTRO:HAF-3503.The oil filter # is 136.They are about 1/3 the price of the stock units.Any dealer should be able to order them for you.Once you drain out the old oil,just let it set with the drain plug out for 20 mins or so,than your good to go.
Good Luck & keep us informed of your progress. :) :cool:

Well, unfortunately, the only Suzuki dealership around here went out of business a awhile back. They were fantastic, so it was pretty disheartening when they left. Maybe I can try the honda dealership or something.

I will go ahead and just try cleaning it. The part I am a bit worried about is that I read the service manual on this site and it said when cleaning, you are supposed to discard the jets and a couple other things and replace....

I'll go ahead and try to order an inline fuel filter too. Thanks for you help and I'll keep you updated! :2tup:

[jonathan180iq]

Topics merged.

I will leave it up to the individual posters to clean up repetition.

[Gz Rider]

...

[blaine]

Excellent explanation!!! :2tup: :)

[Water Warrior 2]

I am wondering what was the exact reason for transporting the bike on it's side rather than upright. You stated it was the wrong kind of trailer so what was the issue with the trailer ??

[tcrave]

I'm guessing the fuel got into the crankcase because my buddy tapped on the float and unstuck it. He thought he was fixing it, but I think that just made it worse. I read somewhere in my research that these bikes have a safety mechanism in the carb that when the petcock fails, the float gets stuck and lets the fuel go out the drain pipe instead of into the crankcase. I also noticed that before he did that, the oil window looked fine, then after he did, thats when it looked bad. Lesson learned though.


I'm not sure of exactly what happend when but I don't think tapping of the float caused any part of your problem.

As I understand it the system works something like this:

Fuel sits in your fuel tank and is held back by a vavle in the petcock. The engine provides vacuum to the petcock via a small tube in the back if the petcock. This vacuum opens the vavle while the engine is turning or cracking and the fule runs into the carb bowl.

The fuel raises the float in the bowl until the float rises so high that is causes a vavle/needle to shut off the flow of gas. The carb has lots of little holes/jets that then stuck the gas out of the bowl and into the intake for combustion. The float drops from lack of gas and the vavle/needle opens again allowing more gas into the bowl.

In your case it seems like two things had to have happened. First, your petcock seems to have failed because you describle fuel flow without the engine turning. That shouldn't happen.

Second, even if fuel does flow when it shouldn't, the float in the bowl should cat off the flow prior to overflowing the bowl. Tapping on the bowl could cause the malfunctioning vavle/needle to reseat itself and cut off the fuel and that would be a good thing. I can't see any harm comming from tapping the bowl.

All I see happening is that the two items failed (probably one failed quite a while ago) allowing your float bowl to overflow and once it did that the gas flowed into the cylinder and then into the crackcase. With the crackcase filled with oil and gas the cylinder was hydrolocked.

I have to say I was very impresses with Blaine's diagnosis given the description (no offense to you). It sounded to me at first read like you bike had become possessed by the devil!

Now go apologize to your buddy for ever having doubted him.
Ahhh...I actually have an idea now that you mentioned the vacuum valve. I was wondering what that was, I thought it might have been a vacuum, but wasn't sure. I took the petcock off and took it apart and everything in there looks fine. I saw some dirt on the filters attached to the tubes, but nothing beyond that. All the gaskets seemed fine and everything. I looked at the petcocks channels and realized there is nothing in the petcock to hold the fuel back...so I was wondering what the hell holds the fuel back, then I saw that tube. I am wondering if maybe the vacuum pressure in the tube actually holds the fuel and PREVENTS it from coming out and going into the carb?? Then onces the engine is running maybe the pressure stops and lets the fuel run?

I really did not see a single thing in the petcock that would stop the flow of fuel...that kinda scares me...well, I take that back, there was a little disc with a spring loaded...maybe that has something to do with it...but it looked fine to me, so I don't know how that could have failed.

I am wondering that maybe if my theory is correct, maybe the vacuum hose got disconnected and didn't provide the suction needed to prevent the fuel from flowing? Or maybe the vacuum fell off in the open position?

So it hydrolocked bad? Is it repairable?

Yes, I agree, blaine did a great job, so did you.

Well, I never accused him of doing anything wrong, that was just a theory I kept to myself. He is a diesel mechanic and knows just about everything there is to know about gasoline engines as well...and so does his dad, and both of them where there. He suggested to me not to mess with the carb and just to drain the crankcase out, put fresh new oil in it and a new oil filter, change the spark plug, and go from there. (provided that I had already drained the airbox.) I really would like to clean the carb, but at the same time, I don't want to do more damage that I need to. I have never taken a carb apart before so I only have a slight idea of what I am getting myself in to.

Thanks for you help!! :)

[tcrave]

I am wondering what was the exact reason for transporting the bike on it's side rather than upright. You stated it was the wrong kind of trailer so what was the issue with the trailer ??
It was just a flat trailer, no sides or anything. They didn't have much notice or idea on what was going on either, they both figured we could get it start up, so they only brought like 3 straps. Since we didn't have any sides to wedge the bike against, we didn't want to take a chance of it falling over or rolling or anything and we just laid it down for transport. Put a spare tire under it to protect the turn signals and blankets to protect the paint.

[blaine]

I am wondering if maybe the vacuum pressure in the tube actually holds the fuel and PREVENTS it from coming out and going into the carb?? Then onces the engine is running maybe the pressure stops and lets the fuel run?

I really did not see a single thing in the petcock that would stop the flow of fuel...that kinda scares me...well, I take that back, there was a little disc with a spring loaded...maybe that has something to do with it...but it looked fine to me, so I don't know how that could have failed.

I am wondering that maybe if my theory is correct, maybe the vacuum hose got disconnected and didn't provide the suction needed to prevent the fuel from flowing? Or maybe the vacuum fell off in the open position?

So it hydrolocked bad? Is it repairable?


The petcock works exactly the opposite.It needs the vacuum for the petcock to open and the fuel to flow.That way when the engine is not running,the petcock is closed.The hydro lock will be eliminated when you drain the old oil & change the plug.
:cool:

[Water Warrior 2]

We need suggestions for getting rid of any fluids that may be in the cylinder. Maybe spinning the motor over with the starter and the spark plug out.

[blaine]

We need suggestions for getting rid of any fluids that may be in the cylinder. Maybe spinning the motor over with the starter and the spark plug out.
Yes agreed.I should have stated that! :) :plus1:

[tcrave]

I am wondering if maybe the vacuum pressure in the tube actually holds the fuel and PREVENTS it from coming out and going into the carb?? Then onces the engine is running maybe the pressure stops and lets the fuel run?

I really did not see a single thing in the petcock that would stop the flow of fuel...that kinda scares me...well, I take that back, there was a little disc with a spring loaded...maybe that has something to do with it...but it looked fine to me, so I don't know how that could have failed.

I am wondering that maybe if my theory is correct, maybe the vacuum hose got disconnected and didn't provide the suction needed to prevent the fuel from flowing? Or maybe the vacuum fell off in the open position?

So it hydrolocked bad? Is it repairable?


The petcock works exactly the opposite.It needs the vacuum for the petcock to open and the fuel to flow.That way when the engine is not running,the petcock is closed.The hydro lock will be eliminated when you drain the old oil & change the plug.
:cool:
Hmm...that scares me because when I was draining the fuel from the tank, there was no way to stop it from coming out....as in even when it was in the "on" position, it still kept flowing out. When I took apart the petcock, everything looked fine from what I could tell...didn't see any broken or worn parts. Maybe I can take some pictures and see what you think.

Good deal on eliminating the hydro lock, thanks!

[tcrave]

We need suggestions for getting rid of any fluids that may be in the cylinder. Maybe spinning the motor over with the starter and the spark plug out.
Good point! I am really glad you brought that up! Thanks for saving me $50 and a huge headache! :)

[tcrave]

I think Blaine answered your question with regard to the petcock.

Hydrolock as I used it was an attempt to show what was happening inside of your engine. Almost everything in your engine had fluid of some sort in it. The fluid was oil, oil mixed with gas and straight gas. The fluid flowed down from your intake valves, I believe and filled up the engine below. That means the crankcase is full, the cylinder is full and even that space above the piston is full of fluid.

If the piston tries to move downward it would have to displace fluid below the piston. Some fluid could pass from the crankcase to the space above the piston by running through the piston rings but that space is small. You would also need more pressure on the piston to do this than your starter can provide.

If the piston tries to move up, then suction would be created below the piston preventing it from moving and if it did move, the fluid on top of the piston would tend to be ejected either out the exhaust valves (that could be a mess in the muffler) or out the intake valves (which is what I believe happend based on your description of squirting fluids). You might want to pop off the muffler and check it(not a hard job but if the exhaust bolts are seized from heat (normalish) you could have difficulties.

The point is the engine would not move with fluid all around it. Hydrolock is a good thing for you in this case as you would not want the engine to rotate in this condition anyway. The only part of you bike that should have suffered should have been the poor starter trying to turn that engine. I'm sure your starter is no worse for the wear though.

So, drain the engine and hydrolock is cured. Give it at least a half hour of drain time. More wouldn't hurt. I would drain it, get it running and then change the oil again as that would help wash out any hidden pockets of gas. You think your OCD??

I disagree with not cleaning (disassembling) the carb because the carb has shown a fault. I understand the thinking of fix one thing at a time but if you fill the bike with gas and that float bowl valve stick again, the float bowl would overflow again. If you want to follow his advice, the I suggest a minimum amount of gas should be put in the tank (The petcock would have to be in reserve for this) and you should do just enough to get the bike running to your satisfaction then clean the carb and change the oil (if the float valve leaks, there may be a little gas in your oil again).

I could also see getting the bike running and running the carb cleaners (seafoam) through it that many on this board use. I've never had need for them but seafoam seems to have cured a world of ills for carbs. A cleaner could easily fix the sticking float valve. Still change to oil when the carb issue is fixed regardless of how you do it.[/quote]
Thanks a bunch!! I will get back to answering this after work! :)

[Water Warrior 2]

We need suggestions for getting rid of any fluids that may be in the cylinder. Maybe spinning the motor over with the starter and the spark plug out.
Good point! I am really glad you brought that up! Thanks for saving me $50 and a huge headache! :)
Fluids in the combustion chamber don't compress like an air/fuel mixture. Major damage can result in some cases. A bent connecting rod is not uncommon.

[jonathan180iq]

Yeah. If you have to be totally certain, there is nothing wrong with pulling the plug and looking. Heck, shoot some compressed air in there and see if you blow some fluids around.

I'll be the liquids drained past the rings and you have nothing to worry about. You're not the only person to ever have a flooded engine.

[Rococo]

Guys, I had the same problem with the fuel mixed with the oil. Check your petcock valve diaphragm before.
I just replace the hole piece and the problem is solved.
I hope this help!
Good luck.

[tcrave]

Ok, I have taken the petcock apart, nothing looks wrong with it, but obviously something is, so I will have to experiment some more I guess. I emptied all the fuel and oil out of the crankcase, emptied the oil out of the air filter box, and took the spark plug out. I then cranked it over several times and nothing came out of the spark plug hole. I am guessing that all the fluids leaked all the way down to the crank case...I let the bike sit for several days. I left if all apart for the past few days just to let the fuel dry out as much as possible.

I think my next plan of action is to put a minimum amount of fuel in the tank and hook the petcock back on and see what happens. If I can't get that part to work, then no point in messing with the rest. I need to get that problem fixed first.

However, I have a question. I went to pick up some more mobile 1 synthetic oil and its $9 a quart. Money is getting tight for me right now and I really don't want to waste all the oil. Since I have drained all fuel and oil out and will be changing the oil filter, can I just put regular motorcycle oil back in now? If nothing else, use regular oil until I get it running, then change it back to synthetic later after I know everything is fine.

[blaine]

You can use Shell Rotella-T.It is reasonable priced & safe for your clutch.
:cool: :2tup:

[Water Warrior 2]

You can use Shell Rotella-T.It is reasonable priced & safe for your clutch.
:cool: :2tup:
Rotella T will work great or you can use the cheaper Rotella dino oil. Both bikes love the stuff and it is a 15-40 which will not do any harm whatsoever. Both are certified for motorcycle use.

[JWR]

Ok,

can I just put regular motorcycle oil back in now? If nothing else, use regular oil until I get it running, then change it back to synthetic later after I know everything is fine.

Do not put anything other than the recommended oils in this bike. Incorrect oils can mess up the oil lubricated clutch and give you a whole new problem to deal with.

With regard to money, if you don't have it this won't help but try to think of it like this. This bike gets stunning gas mileage when working properly and can save you tons in gas costs. Also, you are saving hundreds just by fixing this problem yourself. You should be able to find oil at 4-5 per quart (almost as cheap as automotive).

Oils of heavier consistency than 10w30 are not required to have additives to reduce friction which might cause clutch slippage. Most all motorcycle manufacturers recommend an oil viscosity of heavier than 10w30 as the standard oil for their products.

As long as the oil does not say energy conserving it will not hurt the clutches.
All 10w40, 15w40, 15w50 oils are O.K.
As mentioned Shell Rotella 15w40 dino oil is used by a lot of motorcycle riders.

JASO is an acronym that stands for "The Japanese Automotive Standards Organization." Among other things, they set standards for oil to be used in motorcycles.

Shell Rotella T 15W-40 conventional oil now lists on its packaging JASO MA as one of the specifications it meets, as does the Rotella website product page:

[tcrave]

You can use Shell Rotella-T.It is reasonable priced & safe for your clutch.
:cool: :2tup:
Thanks! Where do you find that stuff? The only stuff I could find at the local Wal-Mart is Mobile 1 and Valvoline, both $8-9/quart. Not really sure where else to look. I work at Target and I know we don't have any, I have looked at Autozone and O'Reilly's and I don't remember seeing anything like that there. The Suzuki dealership went out of business, unfortunately, but there is a Honda dealership....however they are usually overpriced on everything.

[tcrave]

Do not put anything other than the recommended oils in this bike. Incorrect oils can mess up the oil lubricated clutch and give you a whole new problem to deal with.

With regard to money, if you don't have it this won't help but try to think of it like this. This bike gets stunning gas mileage when working properly and can save you tons in gas costs. Also, you are saving hundreds just by fixing this problem yourself. You should be able to find oil at 4-5 per quart (almost as cheap as automotive).
See, thats the thing, I originally switched to synthetic oil because I was having troubles shifting into first, however I found out later than the bike is just not sychro'd for first gear and this is a common problem. I really didn't notice much, if any, difference between synthetic and regular oil. I read the manual for the bike and it says as long as it is 10w-40 and recommended for motorcycles, it is fine. It didn't say anything about synthetic vs. regular. However, my buddy is a diesel mechanic and is very knowledgeable about gasoline cars as well and he said never put regular oil back in a bike that has had synthetic oil in it.

I have the money, I just don't want to spend it. I don't like spending money unless absolutely necessary. If I need to spend the money, I will, I would just rather save a few bucks if possible. I would be okay at $4-5 a quart, I just don't like spending $9/quart.

[tcrave]

Oils of heavier consistency than 10w30 are not required to have additives to reduce friction which might cause clutch slippage. Most all motorcycle manufacturers recommend an oil viscosity of heavier than 10w30 as the standard oil for their products.

As long as the oil does not say energy conserving it will not hurt the clutches.
All 10w40, 15w40, 15w50 oils are O.K.
As mentioned Shell Rotella 15w40 dino oil is used by a lot of motorcycle riders.

JASO is an acronym that stands for "The Japanese Automotive Standards Organization." Among other things, they set standards for oil to be used in motorcycles.

Shell Rotella T 15W-40 conventional oil now lists on its packaging JASO MA as one of the specifications it meets, as does the Rotella website product page:
Thanks! So what are your thoughts on switching back to regular oil after using synthetic? do you think it is okay or should one stay clear of that?

[JWR]

Thanks! So what are your thoughts on switching back to regular oil after using synthetic? do you think it is okay or should one stay clear of that?


Sure it is O.K.
I believe that oil is slick.
Brand name means nothing to me.
I have a 1992 Geo Prism with 249,000 miles on it, I have used different oils in it with no problems.

I don't know why you could not find any Shell oil at your Wal-mart, I have never been in a Wal-Mart that didn't stock it.

[Water Warrior 2]

You might find Shell Rotella at a truck stop. It is a common oil for big rigs. Auto parts stores usually carry it. As for switching back to a conventional oil after using a synthetic you can stop worrying. On a couple of other forums I inhabit the riders have switched back and forth with oil with no ill effects. My Vstrom had Amsoil in it for 4 years before switching to conventional Rotella to save a lot of money. Amsoil popped up to $20 a U.S quart here in the GWN. $14 was acceptable but $20 is retarded.

[jonathan180iq]

Shell Rotella T is sold @ Walmart, as is heavy duty Delo 400 in a 15w-40.

Don't listen to horror stories regarding oil.

Just avoid anything that says "energy conserving", and you will be fine (synthetic or not).

All oils mix, as they all come form the same place. Even the fancy synthetics (Mobil 1/ Castol Syntec) are simply super-purified base dino oils. You have to spend some real $$$ to get 100% man-made synthetic product. And for daily riders, it's not worth it.

Oil is oil. If in doubt, chage it more often.

I've gotten to the point where I just pour in the cheapest crap around and change it often and consistently.

[CougarMeat]

This has been a great thread for me-- yet another rookie gz250 owner who flooded the engine via the prime setting on the petcock. If the bike just (like 30miles ago) had its carb cleaned and was running great before I dumped all that gas into the engine, could this have plugged a jet again? I've now drained the fuel/oil, swapped air/oil filters, drained the airbox, checked the sparkplug. She's quick to start on the first crank (with full choke of course). Jumps right into a healthy idle, then takes a dump after a few seconds. She'll keep going at a high rev with some throttle, but dies when going back to idle, even when warm and with no change to choke setting. Then she won't start. So I put it on the tender for 24hrs, come back, same thing.

In other threads, idle speed was brought up as an issue for these symptoms, but since she does achieve an ok idle, it's hard to believe that's the problem. New air filter is stock, so doesn't seem to be restricting airflow. Guess I'm hesitant to get the carb cleaned, and doubt I could keep it running long enough to pump through a sufficient quantity of cleaner.

I'm quite impressed with the number of capable troubleshooters here, y'all are awesome. :2tup:

[Water Warrior 2]

Are you easing back the choke when the bike starts. It make be getting too rich a mixture and overfueling. The GZ usually needs coke to start when cold but will rev up and die due to a rich mixture if the choke is not eased off as the cylinder warms up.

[alantf]

The GZ usually needs coke

Isn't that illegal? :whistle: :crackup

[Fawlty]

The GZ usually needs coke

Isn't that illegal? :whistle: :crackup


Only if consumed without rum!

[Water Warrior 2]

The GZ usually needs coke

Isn't that illegal? :whistle: :crackup
I don't think so. I've never heard of a bike being charged or even questioned about drugs.

[Water Warrior 2]

The GZ usually needs coke

Isn't that illegal? :whistle: :crackup


Only if consumed without rum!
I need another coffee. I can't think of a snappy comeback. My imagination got sidetracked with visions of popcorn and a movie. I have a bag of jellybeans too..........oh look something shiny!!!

[CougarMeat]

Are you easing back the choke when the bike starts. It make be getting too rich a mixture and overfueling. The GZ usually needs coke to start when cold but will rev up and die due to a rich mixture if the choke is not eased off as the cylinder warms up.


Yeah definitely. Bike is quick to warm and all. Was perusing another post for a chap who swapped air filters and found some possible solutions. I may be to quick to be ruling out airflow considering the replies there. I'll crank the idle up a bit and see what happens. Thanks for the (humorous) replies!