Engine stalling, please help!

[SuperDave]

Hi all, hopefully someone has already had this problem and figured it out.  When I go start the Valk, she fires right up, no problem.  However within the first mile of riding, the engine dies.  It then takes 3-4 seconds of cranking to restart.  After that she will run fine all day without ever doing this again.  This started intermittently about a month ago, but now does it every time I start the bike cold.  (It doesn't happen if she is already warmed up.)

I'm assuming its a problem somewhere in the fuel system.  I have the Pingel petcock installed, so I don't think that is the problem.  Any ideas on where I should start looking?  She's a '97 Standard, if that helps any.

Thanks!

[Pete]

Boy that is a tough one.

When it stops does it stop all at once or stutter and stop?
If it stops all at once would suspect electrical.
Do you restart with or without the choke?
If it starts quicker with the choke, would suspect fuel.

Next time it does it carry a sparkplug and before restarting it  pull 1 plug wire and use the plug to check for spark on the first recrank.

Sorry not much help, need more info, good luck.

[R J]

1.   Check the vent tube on the gas tank for a kink.

2.   Do you use the choke when you start the bike cold?  If not, why not?

3.   What changes or maintenance have you done before this started?
      That is the 1st place to check for a problem created by you or the nechanic.

[SuperDave]

When it stops does it stop all at once or stutter and stop?
If it stops all at once would suspect electrical.
Do you restart with or without the choke?
If it starts quicker with the choke, would suspect fuel.

Next time it does it carry a sparkplug and before restarting it  pull 1 plug wire and use the plug to check for spark on the first recrank.

It doesn't stutter when it stops, it's very sudden.  I had suspected fuel because of the longer time to restart, but as you said, no spark would cause that as well.  I will check that out in the morning.

1.   Check the vent tube on the gas tank for a kink.
2.   Do you use the choke when you start the bike cold?  If not, why not?
3.   What changes or maintenance have you done before this started?
      That is the 1st place to check for a problem created by you or the nechanic.

The vent tube is not kinked or clogged.  That was what I first suspected.  I normally use the choke when I start cold, but haven't been using it when I restart.  I'll have to try that tomorrow and see if it makes a difference in the restart time.  There weren't any changes made before the problem started.  Last maintenance was an oil change in the beginning of November, but this started about a month later. 

Thanks guys, you've given me a place to start.  Any other thoughts or suggestions are certainly welcome!  I'll post anything I discover.

[PhredValk]

I'm no expert, but with a virgin's eye, could this be related to the ECT timing advance shutting down? Or the electronics involved?
Fred.

[bigvalkriefan]

A couple of times in the 3 plus years I have owned my 98 standard I am riding down at highway speeds and suddenly there is a complete electrical shutdown. It is very fast, maybe a second and then everything is fine. There are no other symptoms, I've cleaned the usual contacts and relays and like I said it has only happened at speed. It happened last weekend, the bike "jerked" at speed for a split second and I've been around cars and bikes long enough to know when it's a electric or gas problem. Mase and PhredValk may be on to something with their responses. Good luck

[Chrisj CMA]

Before looking at "big" stuff like the computer or other electical.......if you bike is not desmogged (still has vacuum lines) make sure they are not cracked, also the plugs that close off the unused ports.  Then check all teh intake screws (18 of them) If you have never tightened tham you will be shocked at how loose they are.......Maybe when things warm up some gaps close and seal some vacuum leaks.....just thinking out loud here

[BonS]

With six independent carbs running out of fuel is not a sudden thing. It's 5 cyl's . . . 4 cyl's . . . rather slow: sounds electrical.

[Hoser]

Let's start by cleaning up the big relay under the rt sidecover, show him the pics, RJ.  hoser

[Patrick]

Like Chris stated, check the easy stuff first.. What is the air temp ?? After start-up try leaving the choke lever in about the 1/2 position for a mile or so and see if that helps.. These monsters can be pretty cold blooded..

[SuperDave]

Thanks for all of the replies.  I'm going through this stuff now.  Another thing I remembered that I hadn't thought of before...I have the Dyna 3000 installed.  Hasn't there been similar problems with this unit?  Anyway, I still have the stock ignition, so there's another thing to check out.  It's gonna be a busy weekend!

[Chrisj CMA]

I do remember problems with that dyno 3000 thinggy.....if you check the simple stuff, clogged bent leaky fuel and vacuum lines and still no good....deffinelty change back to teh stock ECM before doing anything else

[SuperDave]

It was the Dyna.  Changed it back to stock and the problem is gone.  Thanks all for setting me on the right course.  I was sure this was fuel related.  Shows what I know!  Now, I'm gonna go for a ride!

[Ricky-D]

That's a good example of why it is important to mention any modifications that have been performed.

Stops a lot of guesswork and travel down dead ends.

Not to mention false starts and unintended consequences of wrongly thought out actions and cures.

***

[SuperDave]

That's a good example of why it is important to mention any modifications that have been performed.

Stops a lot of guesswork and travel down dead ends.

Not to mention false starts and unintended consequences of wrongly thought out actions and cures.

***

Agreed.  Unfortunately, I didn't do the mod, I bought the bike with it already installed.  It wasn't until I started poking around in the electrical system, thanks to the helpful people here, that I came across the Dyna.  So again, thanks to all who pointed me in the right direction!