First ride in over 7 months!!!! Runs like crap!!!

[Semper-guzzi]

So I did an oil change and pumped up the tires in my jackal and took it off the battery tender to take it for a spin. First 35 miles were good. Bike ran fine and smooth. I shut it off and got some parts for the bug and when I turned it on, it was a warm start, but cranked over finally on the 3rd try. The first and second try ended in a really loud back fire. It won't hold an idle well and was popping with very little throttle input. Very rough. Oh yeah, and the fuel pump sounds weak as hell when you turn the ignition on. Normally it's a loud whirr sound that let's you know, hey I'm here and and working, now it sounds weak like it's about to die. I got some fresh fuel and it was running better but not good. Can the fuel pump be capping out and starving it of fuel under such little throttle inputs causing it to run like crap? I need to replace the fuel hoses as they are cracking and old anyways, I'll order a fuel filter but is there something else I should check?

[Mark Harpell]

Sounds like a coil getting hot and mis firing.....fuel pump noise could be a bad filter....probly whould replace it anyway....

[fotoguzzi]

first thing I'd do is load test the battery and see if your "tender" did more than tend.

[guzzisteve]

Yes, check petcock & screen.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Sounds to me like something causing low Voltage at the pump and ignition coils.
The front relay perhaps, swap the first 2 with others.

Make sure the electric petcock is opening.

If the bike has spent much time outside it may be the fuel filter plugged


Check the Voltage to chassis at the fuses and front relay 78 contact.

[pete mcgee]

Fresh fuel.
May not help, but it won't hurt.
Modern fuels have a limited shelf life.
Check the advice in the above posts.

[malik]

Spark plugs & HT leads? Try the easier stuff first.

[atavar]

StarTron and fresh fuel.  Cheap and easy first test.

[bad Chad]

StarTron and fresh fuel.  Cheap and easy first test.

Thats what I would do first.  And clean the pet cock filter like Steve said.

[JJ]

It's never a good idea when bikes "sit anywhere" for >7 months....   Good luck with sorting it all out.

[smdl]

It's never a good idea when bikes "sit anywhere" for >7 months....   Good luck with sorting it all out.

That's a normal winter for me...   

Shaun

[Wayne Orwig]

Sometimes I have a bike that sits for days on end unridden, because I'm on another bike.

I would sure check for a loose throttle body. The backfire may have popped one loose. Sounds like you have a lot of other things going on there though.

[Semper-guzzi]

When I stopped for fresh fuel, I put some of that injector cleaner stuff in, but the pump still sounded weak. It wouldn't hurt for new plugs and wires, I haven't replaced those yet, I'll look into the relays as well. Thanks.

[fotoguzzi]

Sounds to me like something causing low Voltage 
 

Have you tested battery voltage?

[OlDogface]

Replace the battery and fuel (might toss a couple of ounces of Seafoam in there) then ride every day for at least the next 7 months.

[Kiwi_Roy]

When I stopped for fresh fuel, I put some of that injector cleaner stuff in, but the pump still sounded weak. It wouldn't hurt for new plugs and wires, I haven't replaced those yet, I'll look into the relays as well. Thanks.

Pump sounds weak, then measure the Voltage on it at the right hand relay one of the purple wires goes to the pump, should be 12 Volts at idle.

Referring to the diagram I posted above.
The petcock also needs to open, measure it's connected at the petcock fuse F1, pull the fuse out and measure from the bottom contact to chassis, should read ~33 Ohms
OR
Turn the key On, don't start the bike, pull fuse 1 you should hear the petcock click each time you touch the fuse back in place or you can measure the current it draws, about 0.4 Amps.

My EV had that nasty carbon core plug lead, it wasn't making contact at the coil end of one lead causing it to miss badly under acceleration, new copper core leads fixed that. You can check the leads with a multimeter, from the cap to chassis should read about 8K on both sides.

[JJ]

That's a normal winter for me...   

Shaun

I remember when I lived in upstate New York (dreadful winters...), we used to get excited when the roads were clear, and cold or not, we fired the bikes out and rode them when we could!! :1:

[smdl]

I remember when I lived in upstate New York (dreadful winters...), we used to get excited when the roads were clear, and cold or not, we fired the bikes out and rode them when we could!! :1:

Yep, but the big concern for spring here is how soon they get around to sweeping the roads.  All the accumulated salt and sand makes for a corrosive and dangerous combo!  Still, we carefully pick our way through the crap to get to the main roads which are generally swept clean early on.  Nothing beats the joy of the first ride of the season!

Cheers,
Shaun

[atavar]

This may sound silly but I sort of appreciate the sand on the corners in the spring.  It keeps me sane and cautious until I get my reflexes and balance toned back up again.  A little controlled practice on unsafe road conditions is not all bad.

[Semper-guzzi]

I'll bust out the old trusty free multimeter I got from harbor freight. I'll check what you say and ride the bike to autozone and get the battery load tested. You see, I bought a battery a while back but never replaced it, so that's just sitting in my cabinet, it's a good 3 or 4 years old itself, so the battery might be going. Never thought of that. If it does happen. To be a faulty pet cock or fuel pump, how hard are they to swap out. And where is the fuel filter located on the jackal? I need a new one for the old bug so I might as well get two.

[fotoguzzi]

what is the battery voltage before you turn key on? should be greater than 12.5.. what does it drop to when you crank the starter?

[bad Chad]

Brother start with the easiest stuff first, then work your way down the line.

[Tom H]

Sometimes I have a bike that sits for days on end unridden, because I'm on another bike.

I would sure check for a loose throttle body. The backfire may have popped one loose. Sounds like you have a lot of other things going on there though.

I was thinking about the loose injector as well. Easy to check.

When I tried some injector cleaner in the tank, the bike pinged and generally didn't run well until it was gone. Maybe it was the amount I used, didn't try the stuff again, at least so far.

Tom

[Kiwi_Roy]

  The first and second try ended in a really loud back fire. It won't hold an idle well and was popping with very little throttle input. Very rough. Oh yeah, and the fuel pump sounds weak as hell when you turn the ignition on. Normally it's a loud whirr sound that let's you know, hey I'm here and and working, now it sounds weak like it's about to die. 

This is why I suggested measuring the Voltage at the pump while idling, I don't think it's as simple as a battery problem but I thought you might have something dropping Voltage to the Pump, Ignition Coils and Injectors.

Measure each of the spark leads to chassis, this checks the leads and coil connections, should be both the same about 8k from memory.

The fuel filter is between the rails under the tank, you have to loosen the bracket and slip it off to get the filter out, no need to change it just dribble a bit of gas into it plug the ports with your thumb and finger, shake it up then let the fuel run backwards out the INLET, this will bring anything out with it, Every scrap of rust or whatever from the tank gets trapped in the filter as the fuel circulates, it has no way to get out, eventually it starves the injectors, flushing backwards will clean most of it out.

What causes the EV tanks to go rusty?
Mine was full of rust caused by the EV/Jackal tank design with the recessed filler cap.
When you get a moment open the tank cap and dribble a few drops of light oil or CRC into the moat drain, chances are it's plugged right off diverting any water from washing or rain straight into the tank, you don't see this happen because by the time you get the cap open it's already there. Water Air & Steel make rust.
Patrick alerted me to this common fault, I reckon any of these bikes that spent time in the rain is sure to be blocked, mine was from Denver, it must rain there too LOL

If the electric petcock is not getting power the pump can still get gas through it but it's working much harder.

[Semper-guzzi]

Well I had to ride the bike to work the other day waiting on tires for the Bug, it fired up and ran fine. I think it was bad 7 month old fuel. I put fresh gas and fuel injector cleaner stuff in and it runs like it used to. That and I started wearing ear plugs again :)

[guzzisteve]

What a simple solution, nice w/it turns out like that.

[Cam3512]

And try some gas stabilizer before the next 7 month nap.

[Stevex]

 :1: for fuel stab. I put it in all my fuel injected bikes prior to winter lay up, 7 month old fuel is well past it's
sell by date.
Don't forget to run the engine to get it into the injectors too.

[Nic in Western NYS]

For long periods without use - Stabil or another fuel stabilizer.  For shorter periods without use, I put an ounce of Startron in if the bike won't be used for more than a week, for ethanol-related problems. The logic of my Startron use is questionable - does older gas with ethanol create more problems than fresh gas with ethanol?  If no, then I should be putting the Startron in at all fill ups.

[oldbike54]

For long periods without use - Stabil or another fuel stabilizer.  For shorter periods without use, I put an ounce of Startron in if the bike won't be used for more than a week, for ethanol-related problems. The logic of my Startron use is questionable - does older gas with ethanol create more problems than fresh gas with ethanol?  If no, then I should be putting the Startron in at all fill ups.

 Sounds like overkill Nic . Of course , some of the answer depends on the amount of moisture available in the atmosphere . In low humidity conditions there is probably no need for any additives, in NC , adding a bit of Star Tron every so often probably can't hurt . One of the myths re the use of ethanol is that it causes carbon buildup , reality is it will loosen existing carbon deposits, but the carbon really isn't much of a problem with modern fuels and correct AFR's .

 In other words , do what makes you happy 

 Dusty