Kyle Munz
Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:22:14 -0800
Welcome to the group Joe. The tanks aren't supposed to be air-tight, if you're hearing a hissing/equalizing sound around the cap that's bad news. I'm pretty sure my 650 vents through the cap itself, though I know some bikes have a small pin hole underneath the cap so air can get in/out without rain getting in. Try idling the bike with the cap open (don't try riding it like that obviously) and closed and see if that's causing your problem. If it is you need to look for the blockage. I know it sounds wrong, but you don't want a completely sealed tank for that reason. -Kyle On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 10:25 PM, Joe '86 450 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > > Hi All, > > As the message header indicates I'm a recent addition to the nighthawk > group, new to nighthawks and new to riding. I own a 1986 450,named > Jenny by the previous owner, that I picked up here in the L.A. area > with a questionable 18k on the odometer. Questionable only because the > speedo was swinging like mad on the test ride and stopped working > completely a week or so after I bought it. I now have about 200 - 300 > miles on the bike, and things have been going well. > > I've learned quite a bit since I've been lurking here ( the tires > aren't quite as new as the previous owner stated, that clunk into > first is somewhat normal, battery care etc) but I've come across a new > problem. I set off to work this morning with a detour to the gas > station (1.5 miles tops) to top off my front tire when the bike stalls > at about 40 mph. Feels just like I ran out of gas (tank filled the > night before). I checked the petcock thinking I had forgotten to turn > it on but it was good. I switched to reserve, no dice. I spent a > couple minutes rolling off the busy street,parking etc, opened my tank > to make sure I wasn't hallucinating about the full tank. I figured one > more try before the walk of shame home, and the bike fired up with a > little sputtering and then proceeded to run fine all the way to work > ( ~20 miles @ 35 mph) > > So, onto the ride home. About 20 min. into the ride at ~40 mph I feel > the bike start to stumble, I reach down and switch to reserve thinking > some sort of blockage on the intake, and it clears up. Another 10 min. > down the road a big stumble and several stalls from a stop ( being a > new rider I assume with my fingers crossed that it is me but that > wears thin with the third stall). Repeated starts and stalls, > switching to reserve and then it clears up for another 5 mins. Another > stall and this one lasts about 5 ~ 7 minutes, the bike has been on > reserve since the last stall. Playing with the petcock again, opening > the tank and resting and the bike fires up and I ride the last couple > of minutes home. The last clue comes as I shut the bike off and start > to back it into the garage-- I hear a faint hissing sound and its > coming from the gas cap. I open the tank and there is a hiss as the > pressure equalizes(in or out I don't know). Mind you its only been > about 3/4 to a mile since I last opened the tank. So, my guess is some > sort of fuel system blockage/slowdown that starves the bike for gas > and then manages to clear up. I have decent car repair knowledge but > am new to bikes and am hoping for a few pointers. Thanks for taking > the time to read this far and for any help you can offer. > > Joe in Altadena > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to nighthawk_lovers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---