bike stalls at idle - ideas?

[Jonathan Sykes (SWUS)]

I've heard that KLRs can run 30,000, even 50,000 miles. However, let's just say I wind up keeping mine for 10 years (I sure hope I do), what can I expect the engine to need as the mile increase, over and above standard maintainance (fluids, filters, valve adjustments, etc) ? I don't have the factory service manual and the owners manual only seems to cover the lower miles. Anyone able to fill out the following chart? Feel free to change miles as needed. Maybe we can put this on the files area when it's done? Miles Service Est. Cost --------------------------------------------------------- 500 Valves, fluids, adjusts ? 3000 See owners manual ? 6000 See owners manual ? 1000 15000 20000 30000 40000 50000 75000 100000 125000 150000 <-Am I getting a little carried away yet? thanks!

[MWeaver@niku.com]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Jonathan Sykes (SWUS)" wrote:

> I've heard that KLRs can run 30,000, even 50,000 miles.

i hope so. i have 23k in 20 months. i'd like to at least get it paid for while it still runs. seriously, i expect mine to keep going long past 50k. just do the stuff you were supposed to do at 3k miles every 3k (15,18,21, etc...), and the same for 6k (18,24,30). here's what i do: oil change: 1,000-1500 miles (when it starts to get a little black) oil filter: every other oil change air filter: whenever it looks yucky. lube chain: every 2nd tank of gas. check chain slack: every time i think about it. usually once/month. balancer: every other oil change. valves: after initial breakin, whenever i get around to it. (there was no change whatsoever between 10 and 16k, so i'm waiting until 25k or maybe even 30k before i check again). at 30-35k, i'll probably check the cam chain, but i'm not losing sleep over it. i'll probably change the brake fluid this winter (2 yrs) when it's raining out and there's no football on. i probably do other stuff, but i forget what. i'm pretty easy on bikes, and i avoid high-pressure hoses like the plague. mw

[Zachariah Mully]

The only things that I would add to your list is to replace the wheel bearings with doubled-sealed ones (about $12 in bearings and 1 hour of cursing to get them all in and lube the UNI-TRAK sometime soon if you haven't already. I used MoS2 grease on the bearings and then packed the rest of the space inside the frame tubes and swingarm with waterproof grease. I hope that will prevent more of the corrision that I found at 7k miles. ------------------ Zack Banana Republic of Washington, DC KLR650A5 "Buster" | KLR650A2 | ZG1000A1 | KZ440A2 | KX125G1 | 1966 Vespa 125 COG #4664

> -----Original Message----- > From: MWeaver@... [mailto:MWeaver@...] > Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2001 6:35 PM > To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: High miles...maintainace needs table >i hope so. i have 23k in 20 months. i'd like to at least get it paid >for while it still runs. > i probably do other stuff, but i forget what. i'm pretty easy on > bikes, and i avoid high-pressure hoses like the plague. > mw >

[RichardM]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., MWeaver@n... wrote:

>sleep over it. i'll probably change the brake fluid this winter (2 >yrs) when it's raining out and there's no football on.

I drained some really ratty brake fluid out of the rear of my bike when it was only a few months old. I don't know if boiling it made it dark, or if it was dark to begin with, but I feel better with fresh DOT 4 in there. RM

[Mark Weaver]

excellent point. many folks have found the front wheel bearings not to last long. my policy is to replace them when they squeak (took about 2 months for me). the swingarm should proably be done right away. i did mine after 10mos/15k miles, and it was no problem to get apart, but i live in california. if it were wetter/saltier and if i'd waited more time, it coulda got ugly. lotsa folks on the list have had to use nuclear explosives to free up those bolts after a couple years. i just did the swingarm on my klx300 after 11 months. the bolt that holds the forward linkage pivot was a little sticky to get out, tho all the pivots themselves were in great shape. i probably won't look at the swingarm again for a year or two or 3, but like i said, i'm easy on the bike, and i don't use the hose much. mw

> -----Original Message----- > From: Zachariah Mully [mailto:zmully@...] > Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2001 3:48 PM > To: MWeaver@...; DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: RE: [DSN_klr650] Re: High miles...maintainace needs table > > > > The only things that I would add to your list is to replace > the wheel > bearings with doubled-sealed ones (about $12 in bearings and 1 hour of > cursing to get them all in and lube the UNI-TRAK sometime soon if you > haven't already. I used MoS2 grease on the bearings and then packed the > rest of the space inside the frame tubes and swingarm with waterproof > grease. I hope that will prevent more of the corrision that I found at > 7k miles. > > ------------------ > Zack > Banana Republic of Washington, DC > KLR650A5 "Buster" | KLR650A2 | ZG1000A1 | KZ440A2 | KX125G1 | 1966 Vespa > 125 > COG #4664 > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: MWeaver@... [mailto:MWeaver@...] > > Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2001 6:35 PM > > To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > > Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: High miles...maintainace needs table > > >i hope so. i have 23k in 20 months. i'd like to at least get it paid > >for while it still runs. > > > i probably do other stuff, but i forget what. i'm pretty easy on > > bikes, and i avoid high-pressure hoses like the plague. > > mw > > > >

[RichardM]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., David Kelly wrote:

>That's way too early. For fun find a nearby truck stop or truck >service center. Ask about "oil analysis". Haven't had one done in a >long time but they'll have to send it off. Cost will probably be >between $10 and $20. Helps if you use, say, Mobil Delvac 1300, and >they send the oil out to Mobil's Delvac testing service.

Delvac Accutrak is for diesels only, so they claim. I'm sure that you could get useful numbers but the lab's interpretation of the results might be a little off. Test kits used to be available at Autozone and Pep Boys. I asked both and they said they never had anything like that. One guy said "change it when it gets dark." Gee, I guess I'd need to change my KLR's oil on the way to work and again on the way home. Try an Amsoil test kit. RM

[kysely@comptek.com]

I wouldn't get complacent about the valves if what the Kawi dealer told me about my A1 was true. I had 40k miles on it and hadn't checked the valves in the last 10k because they'd always been in spec. I took it in because it wouldn't start. The reason, according to the shop, was that the valve seats had gotten pounded so far into the head that the valves were too tight to open enough to let the engine run. It ran fine once they were adjusted, but I ended up selling it when I found an A11 at a great price. Has anyone else had this valve experience? __Arden Kysely A11 "Mr. K"

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., MWeaver@n... wrote: > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Jonathan Sykes (SWUS)" > wrote: > > I've heard that KLRs can run 30,000, even 50,000 miles. > > i hope so. i have 23k in 20 months. i'd like to at least get it paid > for while it still runs. > > seriously, i expect mine to keep going long past 50k. just do the > stuff you were supposed to do at 3k miles every 3k (15,18,21, > etc...), and the same for 6k (18,24,30). here's what i do: > > oil change: 1,000-1500 miles (when it starts to get a little black) > oil filter: every other oil change > air filter: whenever it looks yucky. > lube chain: every 2nd tank of gas. > check chain slack: every time i think about it. usually once/month. > balancer: every other oil change. > valves: after initial breakin, whenever i get around to it. (there > was no change whatsoever between 10 and 16k, so i'm waiting until 25k > or maybe even 30k before i check again). > > at 30-35k, i'll probably check the cam chain, but i'm not losing > sleep over it. i'll probably change the brake fluid this winter (2 > yrs) when it's raining out and there's no football on. > > i probably do other stuff, but i forget what. i'm pretty easy on > bikes, and i avoid high-pressure hoses like the plague. > mw

[monahanwb@yahoo.com]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., kysely@c... wrote: The reason, according > to the shop, was that the valve seats had gotten pounded so far into > the head that the valves were too tight to open enough to let the > engine run. It ran fine once they were adjusted, but I ended up > selling it when I found an A11 at a great price. Has anyone else had > this valve experience? Yes....but on a BMW R65 I bought for a song and was working on to get running. Wouldn't run until I got some valve clearance. I don't think the original owner ever adjusted them.

[monahanwb@yahoo.com]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., kysely@c... wrote: The reason, according > to the shop, was that the valve seats had gotten pounded so far into > the head that the valves were too tight to open enough to let the > engine run. Has anyone else had > this valve experience? Actually, yes. And what happens is that since there is no valve clearance the valve opens either too early or all the time resulting in poor or no compression.

[pguerra@scu.edu]

Forgot one thing- I didn't take the cab apart becuase after draining the bowl into a glass jar, I didn't see any junk. Not even a spec of dust. So I kind of rulled out dirt in the gas. -Paul

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., pguerra@s... wrote: > Well I think I've got the problem licked. > Thanks for all the useful input. I'm glad that I bought a KLR just > because of this list. > Corrective actions taken: > Disconnecting vapor can and checking for blockage (dealer's theory) > There was none. > Getting some carb cleaner into the squirtin' bits (didn't take carb > apart but forced it in using a spray can and the fuel line (better > than pouring Chemtool in the tank but lamer than really cleaning it)) > Rerouting the vacuum line so it looks like the fiche diagram > This involved putting a bigger radius in the vacuum hose coming off > the engine intake, and putting the tubes on the combiner canister in > the correct order. > Keep in mind I have a Cal spec bike so you may not even have some of > this emissions BS. > Anyway, I found that the vacuum line had a kink in it and I think > that is what caused it. The lack of vacuum to the petcock caused > lack of fuel to the float bowl etc. I tried starting it after each > action and rerouting the vacuum line made the biggest difference. > The fact that the tubes were placed incorrectly on the t-connecter > and combiner can made me kind of angry at whoever put the bike > together. I also plan on putting a fuel filter in to avoid carb gunk > up and so many other riders have done it. > -Paul > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., pguerra@s... wrote: > > So I was riding home after work yesterday and I got off the freeway > > here in sunny California and stopped at a stoplight. As soon as > the > > engine got to idle, it died. I had not noticed any strange > behavior > > beforehand. When I hit the starter switch, it cranked but no > > combustion. Switched to reserve but still no start. Pushed it to > a > > nearby gas station and tried again. Nothing. Called a family > member > > with a pickup truck. > > Some guy waiting for his girlfriend told me that the kill switch > must > > be off. I assured him it wasn't and engaged him in conversation > > while I waited. Right before my ride came, I got it started by > > holding the throttle 3/4 of full open. If I let the tach drop > below > > 2000, it began to sputter, below 1500 it died. > > Any ideas? > > I have a few theories but I'd like to hear what others think first. > > -Paul > > A15 ('bout a thousand miles)