POWER LOSS

[rippers]

Can anyone help? Yesterday I had a long trip away and the bike was running perfectly but after about 200 miles I did wind it up a bit and around 5000 RPM it was if I had run out of fuel, the bike was cruising nicely but when I pushed it a bit harder it juddered and jerked as if it was running out of fuel, drop the revs keep to motorway speed lovely.
I then went through the gears at high revs about 5000 Rpm and same thing.
Someone told me to try a different fuel as I might have a problem from that, but it seemed unlikely to me. Not long had the bike serviced and as I say it runs perfectly smoothly a lovely ride until I up the anti a bit.

[coman37]

Hi Rippers,

   Check fuel cap vent? If it is blocked it will create a vacuum which will only show itself when putting higher loads (needing more fuel), similarly if the fuel pipe to the injectors has become kinked/trapped (after tank has been removed/replaced at a recent service?). Check air filter is not blocked(once again if serviced properly this should have been replaced or blown clear?)
  I am sure others with a greater knowledge of this bike and symptoms will also be along with more answers

regards Coman

[rippers]

Hi Colman

Really appreciate the feedback thanks
Best Wishes

Rippers

[viper]

just changing to better fuel does not fix a problem like that.

id run some sort of fuel cleaner / tank addative through your system first

[rippers]

Cheers Viper

I thought that might be the case. I think it must be something like air filter or fuel problem in the line. I will check all of these.

[O.C.]

The Blocked cap vent idea sounds plausible to me 

[rippers]

The latest is today I got the bike out and started it on my drive. Went into get changed and came out to start it and nothing. Red warning light flashing and KIPASS just turned around and around. Went to try to re set it and still nothing but very faint sound from horn and very weak indicator flash, battery appears to be discharged. This must be connected to the issues I had over the weekend. I am arranging to get the bike into the dealers, but broke from the service routine recently and had it done by an independent garage.

Anyone any diagnostic ideas with my latest symptoms.     

[Kwikasfuki]

Check your battery connections. Easy to do.
Right fairing. Remove one bolt holding cover.
Metal plate secured with four bolts. Remove.
There's a belt that hold battery in place. Remove.
You may also have to remove a silver bracket.

Slide battery out, tighten.
The earth is also connected to the frame

[rippers]

Tried that and nothing.

[Boomer]

Sounds like the battery has had a weld fail.

The battery will be suffering from low voltage due to high resistance across the busted weld which can cause the power loss you describe, due to low voltage at the coils which leads to weak spark. This in turn makes for crap emissions and the O2 sensor detects this and tries to adjust the fuelling accordingly.

Replace with a new battery and see if it happens again.

[rippers]

Hi Boomer

I appreciate your telling me about this. I am not too good mechanically. Can I just check with my limited knowledge. Would this kick in when the engine is running i.e. the intermitent power and symptoms like i was going to run out of petrol? As I just assumed when running the battery would be redundant as the alternator would be taking the power.

I am going to get a new battery and try this out, but would be interested in expanding my knowledge on this. Certainly the battery seems to be flat and yet when I took it out the garage this morning it fired up perfectly, but I did rev it up to 6000 RPM before switching off to get kitted up, then on my return nothing. 

[Boomer]

Sounds spot on.
It's either a busted weld in the battery (a heavy discharge test should show that) or else a problem elsewhere in the chargeing circuit.
When you start the bike the battery is cold so the break in the weld may have closed up.
Once it's been running for a minute or 2 the battery warm up, the break opens up, the voltage drops, the alternator loses some of it's smoothing (the battery) and the voltage variations can make all kinds of wierd things happen with the ignition, ECM, KiPass, and most other electronic/CanBus units.

I had this on a GTR1000 with a Yuasa battery.
It would start but about 2 miles down the road would lose power, start to misfire and eventually would stop.
Give it 15 mins to cool down and it started up fine.
The 1000 doesn't have the electronics of the 1400 but does have an electronic igniter (CDI).
Replaced the battery with a new AGM one and no further problems.

[rippers]

Hi Boomer

Have bought new Lucas Battery this morning it is now on trickle charge as it came uncharged with acid etc seperate.

I will let you know how I get on.

Thankyou

Rippers 

[rippers]

Hi Boomer

You are a bloody genius. Had the new battery on trickle charge for 6 hours and the bike has just come back on line and started up. I will not be able to get a ride to test it for another 48hrs due to commitments, but it is looking good.
As far as this site is concerned this has saved me a load of inconvenience and probably diagnostic money. I would never have dreamt a flat battery would A) have affected the running as I described (Still need to confirm that when I get the bike out)
B) That it would just pack up like that.
Anyway I am now very much in your debt. Thanks. 

[O.C.]

Hi Boomer

You are a bloody genius. Had the new battery on trickle charge for 6 hours and the bike has just come back on line and started up. I will not be able to get a ride to test it for another 48hrs due to commitments, but it is looking good.
As far as this site is concerned this has saved me a load of inconvenience and probably diagnostic money. I would never have dreamt a flat battery would A) have affected the running as I described (Still need to confirm that when I get the bike out)
B) That it would just pack up like that.
Anyway I am now very much in your debt. Thanks.

Boomers bill will be in the post Rippers