[Guitarman]

Here is the story.



I took my bike to go to work this morning. I rode it for about 2 minutes total. After I reached 60mp/h on the highway the bike stalled. Same thing as when you run off of gas. I pulled on the side, checked thank and fuel line, everything was fine (tank was full). Tried to start the bike, it cranked but didn't want to fire.



I turned around, pushed the bike for half a mile or so trying to start it every 2 minutes (one try at a time) and it finally fired, I was half way back home.



Last time it did similar thing was when I let it sit for a week. When I tried to start the engine, nothing happened. It would spin but no gas was getting to the cylinder. I put a small drop of fuel directly in the spark plug hole and it fired up right away and kept going. I had to do the same thing when I first started the bike after winterisation.



My guess is that there is something clogging the carb. Fuel flows freely from the petcock, so it's not the cause here.



I will clean the carb this afternoon for sure, but I want to know if you guys have an idea of what else could cause similar issue.



The spark plug is new and was working fine every time I checked it. I rode the bike in a big storm yesterday and maybe water got somewhere it shouldn't have??? TW fired up just right this morning before the happening of the stall.



Thank you for your help

 

[qwerty]

Sounds like a fuel flow problem, and you've narrowed it down to the carb.

 

[Point37]

here are a couple other threads with guys having similar problems...

http://tw200forum.com/index.php?/topic/4719-diagnostic-help/

http://tw200forum.com/index.php?/topic/4749-i-just-dont-know-what-to-do-help-me-pleas/

 

[DRF64]

Seems to be an epidemic of this lately. I'm getting a little nervous.

 

[Guitarman]

Thank you guys!



Anyone knows the correct way to remove the float pin? Mine seems stuck and doesn't move when I push the smaller end...

 

[Guitarman]

I had a look at the air cleaner. It was really dry and there was some crap/sand at the bottom. Maybe that can be the reason behind that fuel problem...

 

[n2o2diver]

Read this thread it cover float pin removal.

http://tw200forum.com/index.php?/topic/1025-removing-the-carburetor-float/

 

[Hotrodjohn]

I had a look at the air cleaner. It was really dry and there was some crap/sand at the bottom. Maybe that can be the reason behind that fuel problem...

Sand in the airbox wont clog a jet because the air is coming through above it, but will scratch your cylinder. Get a new oem filter, oil it up and install, otherwise they run lean. If you have good flow at the petcock, Check the fuel inlet at the float needle, there is a little screen that will clog and restrict fuel to the bowl. If it isnt the fuel or carb it sounds ignition related.

 

[Guitarman]

n2o2diver, how could I have missed this thread!!? I must get more proficient with my searches..

 

[Guitarman]

Hotrodjohn! What a coincidence! I was about to quote one of your previous post and you replied to mine while I was typing!





"My 89 TW would run perfect unless you held it at 60 plus for a minute or two and it would die as if starving for fuel. That turned out to be a clogged inlet screen on the float valve. Seems both the petcock screens and the float inlet screen will gum up over time. It would let enough fuel in if the demand wasnt too much, but wide open for any length and it was too restricted to keep the bowl full."



http://tw200forum.com/index.php?/topic/4678-carb-storiesand-how-to-tell-your-too-lean/



Thank you for your help ;-)

 

[Guitarman]

Went back on the highway this morning and the bike did it again!



I pulled on the side and quickly opened the thank cap (while moving). Guess what. The bike started right up.



Took the next exit with the cap half screwed in and parked on a safe place. I removed the tube I installed on the vent last week and saw condensation/water in it. Did not reinstall it.



While riding to work on the back roads I had the chance to get the bike to 60mph a couple of times on some stretches and it did not bogged down.



I neglected the venting issue when I was trying to diagnose the problem at first. I tested the fuel line before posting and gas was flowing when petcock was opened. Moreover, I did clean the tank before installment as told by the guide that came with it, so I knew it could not be the petcock that was blocked by plastic shavings.





When I came back home in the storm last Wednesday I fueled the bike before storing it and topped the tank to the cap (something I usually don't do). Maybe a combination of too much gas in the tank and a partially blocked vent tube could explain the issue I got.



I'll ride the bike home later today and do some more testing to see if the problem is still happening (without the vent tube and less gas in the tank).



It might not be the most enjoyable thing in the world to stall on the highway like I did, but I'm glad I can learn from this experience and get more competent with motorcycles and their mechanic.



Thank you all for helping me, it is really appreciated!

 

[Guitarman]

I just want to tell you all that the stall did not happen since I removed the tube I previously installed on the vent.