Stalling/Choke problem

[Gaugdog]

Hi all,
I'm pretty new to this forum but I thought I'd put this out there as I wanted to see what everyone's thoughts were. I just bought my GZ250 two days ago from a bike shop here in the area. It was used as a trainer bike for the MSF courses and had about 250 miles on it, it's a 2007 model by the way, beautiful dark blue/purple. I love it. Anyway, I've been riding it around for the last couple of days, just around the nearby neighborhood, not really getting above 40 mph or so.

Yesterday I was driving through said neighborhood and as I was nearing a stop sign it puttered out and died. I coasted up to the stop sign and tried to restart it, as I'd been riding it all evening, and nothing. I went ahead and pushed it out of the way of traffic and then tried to start again. Nothing. I then applied about half choke and it started up kind of sputtering with a noticeably higher idle than before albeit somewhat rough. I figured I might as well get moving back to home and as I drove the engine was running faster, probably because I had it half choked and made it home although it was feeling pretty rough and jerking a bit.

My best guess is that the carburetor and/or fuel line got something clogging them up at some point. It has nearly a full tank of gas. It's the only thing I can think of that would make it behave like that. Any time I try to push the choke all the way forward it dies. So I have to keep it somewhat choked or applying throttle to make it run.

I called the moto shop I bought it from today, the first guy I got in the service dept tried to tell me to check the plug and see if it was fouled up or not. I can't imagine it being the plug, since it started choking up all of a sudden, and since I've only put 27 miles on it since I bought it, and it was running perfect up until this point. The second guy I talked to suggested that it was the carburetor/fuel line and that sounded much more plausible. What are your guys' thoughts on this? Has anyone else had this happen? Good thing I've got the warranty on it. I'll be taking it to the shop today, I hate to though, I want to keep riding it. I've only had it two days!! Thanks for your feedback.

[jonathan180iq]

Definately take it to the shop. Having only had it for two days there is no way that you messed up anything, unless you went piddling around with the carb which I doubt.

It's almost certainly a carb issue. I'd leave cleaning the carb up the shop, if they're honest, that is.

There are a couple of things that you can do without running the risk of messing anything up.

First, make sure that the air filter is clean and that the opening isn't clogged up with something. It's under the left hand side cover. Also, just take a look up under the tank and make sure that all of the little rubber hoses that you can see are attached to something at both ends. Finally, there is a little "S" hose that sits right above the sprocket cover, also on the left side. Make sure that it is in good shape and runs from the crankcase to a little spout on the air filter housing (that's the hard plastic box that the air filter sits in."

You won't have to take anything apart and you'll also learn a little about the bike while you're doing it.

Keep us posted.
Jonathan

[Easy Rider]

You won't have to take anything apart and you'll also learn a little about the bike while you're doing it.


+1.....what he said! :tup:

Sure sounds like a fuel delivery.....or contaminated fuel ....problem.
I would certainly let the shop handle it.
And if you are very far from the shop, I'd arrange for a "chaser car" to go along, just incase if fails altogether before you get there.

These things are usually rock solid. Hopefully this will be your only problem.

[Gaugdog]

Thanks everyone on your input. Here's an update
The dealer called me yesterday after having taken the carb off and said there was a set screw of some kind that had vibrated out when I was riding, hence the sudden change in performance. Unfortunately the shop didn't have this type of screw lying around and is having to order it overnight. Should be in tomorrow, and hopefully the bike fixed then. So far my bike's been in the shop longer than I've had it. Hopefully this won't be the trend. I've no reason to believe that. I just really want her back!!!!

[jonathan180iq]

Once the bike is properly tuned, it should stay that way for awhile, as long as you take care of it. It's about as simple as it gets in motorcycling.

Hope it all works out.