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Running fine, then sudden loss of power

  • Thread starter Thread starter rpickle
  • Start date Start date
R

rpickle

Guest
Hello folks. Had run the 850 for over a week after installing new gaskets down to the case, (which, by the way fixed my oil leaks), and she was running fine. Anyway, I was on the freeway cruising at about 75 when she started to buck and loose power. It was all she could do to maintain 60-65mph. Luckily, there was a roadside rest just ahead. I pulled in and visually checked things out. Nothing unusual. Oil level was fine. Let her sit 15 minutes or so then kicked it over. Still running baddd. I was at least 35 miles from home, so thought I would nurse her home. Made it back. I smelled like raw gas/exhaust. The next day I started it, running but no power, won't idle.

Could I have jumped a tooth on the cams? I have't pulled the valve cover off yet. Is that a reasonable shot though? Doesn't seem to be just one cylinder acting up. Whole motor lacks nut.

Appreciate any help.

Rick
 
Sounds like two cylinders aren't firing, which would make me take a reeeeeaaal hard look at the wiring leading to the coils.

If you still have points ignition, you'll also want to investigate all that weird primitive stuff under there. And then replace it with a Dyna electronic ignition ASAP...

The suddeness and "out of nowhere" nature of the event point to something like an loose or broken wire suddenly cutting off half your ignition. The bike will limp along as you describe on two cylinders, and partial lack of spark would also lead to the gas smell -- it's still sucking in fuel and air, but there's nothing to make it burn.

I'd also change the oil, since all that raw gas wasn't good for the pistons and cylinder.
 
Thanks bwringer. It is a points system. I've got a spark tester, so will give that a go. Would be nice if that were it. Planned on doing the oil change once I figured out what was wrong the her.

Appreciate the help.


Rick
 
My bike was doing similar things. Turned out to be some rust or something clogging up one or two of the carbs. It actually cleared itself up and has been running fine since. I plan on taking the petcock out and cleaning the filter as suggested by the board members here. Good luck!
 
Checked points, coil connections, junk in fuel filter, nothing. Pulled all 4 plugs and they were still wet. In the meantime, I was charging the near dead battery. I fired it up afterwards and it seemed to run better. Smoked a bit at first, but I think it was burning off extra fuel. Could the low battery have caused this?

Thanks.

Rick
 
rpickle said:
Checked points, coil connections, junk in fuel filter, nothing. Pulled all 4 plugs and they were still wet. In the meantime, I was charging the near dead battery. I fired it up afterwards and it seemed to run better. Smoked a bit at first, but I think it was burning off extra fuel. Could the low battery have caused this?

Thanks.

Rick
Click to expand...

if the bike is not charging and the voltage got low enought, yes, that would do it.
 
Make sure the charging system is working properly. If you have the original coils I would sugest replacing them. You can usually get a set on ebay from a late model Bandit or such for $25. I still have the points on my 850. I have installed 3 ohm coils in place of the OEM 5 ohm ccoils. I have added a 2 ohm balist resistor to the 12v line to = 5 ohns. Has been working fine for the last 10K miles. When I feel like installing the Dyna ign that I bought 1 1/2 years ago I will just remove the balist resistor
 
Well then, I'll have to dig into why it isn't charging. Thanks for the feedback guys. SqDancerLynn1, so why the 3 ohm coils if you are installing a 2 ohm ballast resistor inline with the coil? Are they better coils?

Thanks

Rick
 
No The points ign system uses 5 ohm coils Elect ign uses 3 ohm coils
SO 3 ohm coils + 2 ohm balast = 5 ohms. I bought a dyna ign that I am going to install probably next year when I change motors & convert my GS850 into a GS1000 . When I install it I will remove the balast
 
If you have the original coils I would sugest replacing them. You can usually get a set on ebay from a late model Bandit or such for $25.
Click to expand...

It seems pretty much any GSXR or Bandit coils will work. I installed a set off a 93 GSXR600 on my 1100 and they fit perfectly onto the existing coil mounting tabs (nice work, Suzuki! :) ) and work no problem. The only thing I had to do was install blade connectors onto the wiring harness to match the GSXR coils. The original coils had the wires permanently attached when I got in there, so I cut them loose and crimped on connectors. Note that newer GSXRs (2000+, I think) have the coil-on-plug set up and you cannot use that with the GS ignition system.

Keep an eye on E-bay for GSXR coils and you can get a set cheap - I paid $20USD with shipping and you can do better if you are patient. I saw sets go for <$10 after I got mine...


Mark
 
Thanks mark m. I bought a new battery today because I really don't know the background of the battery that is in it. It could have a bad cell. With the new battery installed, I will be able to go thru the checks laid out in the stator papers.

Appreciate the advice.

Rick
 
Howdy. Sorry it has been so long between posts. I took the bike out today after installing the new Interstate battery. Bike idled fine, but when I got out I knew right away it still was not right. Missing, bogging then it would try to "catch". I stopped at the Shell station and filled her up. On the ride home, no better. Went thru the whole TS chart from the Stator papers. Narrowed down to the reg/rect as having one line bad. Would this be causing it to run crappy? The new battery should have overcome any lack of electricity in the short-term, right? Oh, I thought I'd pull the reg/rect off of the '80 gs1000g I just picked up and it had 2 lines that tested bad. Both were the static tests, with the reg/rect pulled from the bikes. Sheesh.... I ordered the beefed up reg/rec from Electrex, but the dang thing is backordered 30 days! What a pissy riding summer this has been so far....

Well, what can I do? Thanks for any help/insight.

Rick
 
Pick up a used reg from a 78-82 Honda & wire it in Problem fixed
 
Dont stuff around with a used Rec/Reg get a new aftermarket one, replacing it fixed an unstable idle problem I had. The problem had mystifyed mechanics, including Suzuki Tech hotline ( I work for a Suzuki Car Dealer)
Dink
 
All right..... I'm confused.... I work on multi million dollar flight simulators, have a bachelors degree in electronics, but I still need to be spoon fed! My Clymers manual says that, when testing the stator, anything less than 75 vac means the stator is crap. In the stator papers, I have 2 voltages to go by, 60 vac or 90 vac. There is quite the discrepancy here. Mine read approx. 70+ vac on each phase. Is this enough or not? On one account yes, but on 2 others, no! Help, please.....

Thanks

Rick
 
Your stator numbers sound good. I can explain why the books say what they do but the staor papers will take care of you.

A few years ago I had charging problems and it affected the bikes performance in most peculiar ways.

A few weeks ago I thought I needed a new R&R on my 77 750 (it has a seperate regulator and rectifier) and in the end I had a bad ground. My expereince has been that each time I tear the bike down I need to go back and find the wires I inadvertanlty pulled loose in the process.

Hang in there, better days are ahead.

R
 
Update

Update

Hello. I finally got her running right again. In the process, it now has a new battery, new reg/rect, new plugs, new points and condensors, valves adjusted and timed. Not really sure what fixed it. I didn't install one thing at a time. Anywho, I'm glad to have it back on the road!!!

Rick
 
Re: Update

Re: Update

rpickle said:
Hello. I finally got her running right again. In the process, it now has a new battery, new reg/rect, new plugs, new points and condensors, valves adjusted and timed. Not really sure what fixed it. I didn't install one thing at a time. Anywho, I'm glad to have it back on the road!!!

Rick
Click to expand...

Just like bass fishin'. You can't catch bass with a boat that didn't cost at least 25grand. And an engine that's smaller than 175 horse. A rod and reel that didn't come from Bass Pro and cost less than $275. And you must never expect to catch a bass on a copy lure, only originals, preferably in a signed box bought at an expo.

You just hadn't spent enough on your bike yet!

:lol: :lol: :lol: Good for you!
 
Well, stupid as this might sound, check your petcock. I had my bike do the very same thing your post described. Turns out I had my petcock on "PRI." Stupid me.

-Erik
 
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