I can't figure it out..

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by schooler94

Hey guys, I just joined the forums, and I've been having some problems with my '07 GZ250. Last Thursday night I rode it to school and it was pretty damn freezing after class (High 50's, cold for me) and my seat was wet with dew. I hopped on it and tried to start it and I wouldn't turn over. The battery was fine, the starter was fine, but it just wouldn't start. So I tried to start it with the choke all the way on for quite some time before it finally fired up. I let it warm up for a few minuted and froze my ass off the whole way home with no problems. I let it sit in my backyard for a few days while I was busy working and whatever, then I tried to start it up and it wouldn't start again! It wasn't even cold outside, probably like 75 degrees. Anyway, whenever I would try to start it after that it would take somewhere around 10 tries and then finally turn over (choke all the way on) and whenever I would let off the throttle, say to slow down at a stoplight, it would stall on me! Even with the choke all the way on... so I took it home, changed the spark plug, didn't help. I looked at the air filter to see if it was dirty, it looked pretty clean, but I can't see the inside, and I don't have an air compressor to blow it with. The housing was dry and spotless though. So, I figured it must be the carburetor. I removed it by myself (with absoltely no prior knowledge of anything to do with motorcycles, just little knowledge of cars) with the help of a users manual on this site. So I removed the carb and took it into a shop to have it professionally cleaned. I got it back yesterday and put everything together, and added a new inline fuel filter. I put in a gallon of fresh premium gas and tried to run it and the same thing happened. So I carefully drove it back to the shop and thhey said 50 bucks to check it out and fine tune everything. He said it probably just needs to be tuned now, so hopefully that's it and I don't need anymore work done. Anybody know what else it could be than just a tune? Thanks

Nowhere in your statement did you say you turned off the choke when the problem first started. Yes, when it is cooler out you will need the choke on but you can't just leave it on for the entire ride. Did you indeed turn off the choke after the bike warmed up a bit prior to riding home when the problem first showed up?

[schooler94]

My mechanic figured it out! But its not a simple problem. For some reason the exhaust valve won't close all the way so it's leaking a lot and the engine doesn't have the pressure to stay running when not on the throttle. He adjusted the valves so it would run, but I gave him the ok to open it up and figure out the cause so I don't create further problems by riding like that. His estimate was $250 for labor and no more than $400 if it needs an expensive part

[PimpS]

Geeez! 400$ Some serious shit has happened to the geezer!

[alantf]

Sounds like the valve wants grinding in, for some reason.

[raul10141964]

the lean running can cause overheat on the exhaust valve or if the valve is set to tie will prevented
from close properly and course damage

[jonathan180iq]

I've been away for a little bit.
As I read the story more, I felt like the valves needed to be checked. When everything else is as it should be and you still have problems starting from cold, then a valve check/adjust is where to go.

Since you've already been told this by your mechanic, and he got it to run fine by adjusting the valves, why are you giving him $400 dollars again? The valves will work themselves out of whack over time. It's more common for them to tighten, but they will also slacken a bit. It always varies.

If the original owner never had the initial valve check done, then 6,000 was way over due.

These things need at least a little choke in any season other than Summer, in my experience. After the bike is on the road and up to speed, start turning the choke back off. It should be completely unused within the first few miles.

[schooler94]

Finally head back from the mechanic yesterday after him having my bike for 5 weeks... They ordered a new head gasket because the compression was low and he said it was leaking, the shipment with my head gasket got lost and the mechanic didn't have the courtesy to call me and let me know what was going on. Finally, last Thursday, when I called to bug them again they said they got the head gasket installed and the problem still isn't fixed, and they were supposed to call me after they had it figured out. I never heard from them, so Yesterday I called again and he said he was going to take a look at it right then and will call me back. They called back around 7:30 pm and said either the head was warped, or the valves were bent, and they overlooked it when they had the head open to install the head gasket. He wanted $1300 to order a new head kit and valves. How do I even know this will fix it after the last two problems turned out to not even be right... So I told him I will come pick it up either today or tomorrow and part it out. I can't find any heads online, or I would take care of it myself, and save the hassle of a mechanic who doesn't communicate. Anyway, after I get it back I'll rip it apart and sell everything... I'm out $1500 if I can get $1000 for all the parts. And I only got to ride the bike for a week or two. I'm never buying used stuff again.

[raul10141964]

take the head to a machine chop.
I am auto mechanic an they ask about $100.00 for a 4 cylinder head

[schooler94]

Can they fix a warped head like that though?

[mrlmd1]

BTW - there's absolutely no reason to use premium fuel in these engines. It will not run better, the power and mpg is worse, and you are wasting your money.