Author Topic: Lost RPM and stall 1st gen b6 (Read 4170 times)

Jason F. · « **on:** June 19, 2006, 11:47:46 PM »

Well as the title said my B6 has had an issue with an occational failure to build RPM and subsiquent stall.

It is a 96 that I just picked up and started riding. Finished up my MSF class this weekend and took it out today. The bike would warm up and idle fine in the drive. I then drove around my subdivision and surrounding streets for several minutes with no issues. After running a few miles at about 45mph and going up a slight hill the bike began to drop RPM's and stalled when the clutch was disengaged. It was very hard to restart but eventually did. It stalled a second time and was also hard to restart. The first time I actually had to turn the bike around facing down hill to get it to restart. The second time it sat for a good ten minutes untouched then restarted just fine and made it home with no issues.

I am thinking a fuel problem but am unfamiliar with the fuel system on the bike as it is new to me. I am also fairly new to bikes. The bike starts and idles fine and it ran like a champ on the 40+ mph drive home when it was purchased several weeks ago. It has also never failed to start and idle fine.

Is anyone familiar with a similar problem? On a car the first things I would check are fuel filter and fuel pump. Where is the fuel filter located on the early B6 bikes and is it an easy replacement?

Any possibilities it was fuel starve since the issue seemed to come up as I was traveling uphill? There was gas in the tank I could see and hear it sloshing around in the tank but I am going to top it off Tuesday to see if that was part of the issue.

Red01 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 20, 2006, 01:13:43 AM »

There's no fuel pump and the fuel filter is part of the fuel petcock assembly. The filter is pretty much a lifetime thing designed to keep big chunks out.

How's the air filter? If it's dirty, it'll make things too rich.

There's nothing magical about it being a bike, the same troubleshooting you'd use on a carburated car will do the trick here. For the most part, a bike is even simpler than most cars... like there's no distibutor, just a pair of coils that spark every time a piston approaches TDC.

tacoman · « **Reply #2 on:** June 20, 2006, 02:03:11 PM »

I would try fuel first as that seems to be the most common problem. Is it full? There is still quite a bit of gas in there when you are required to go to reserve. I would top off with fresh gas and go from there. If it stalls again take off the gas cap to see if you hear a hissing sound. The vent lines might be kinked and this can starve the motor of fuel.

zaphoid42 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 21, 2006, 08:54:54 PM »

I have read many, many posts on this board. You can always count on Red01 saying there is no fuel filter. But low and behold there is an inline fuel filter between the tank and the carbs. Very easy and cheap to replace. Dont know if replacing it will help, but hey, go for it.

Oldschooler · « **Reply #4 on:** June 24, 2006, 09:36:49 PM »

Actually Red said

Quote

The filter is pretty much a lifetime thing designed to keep big chunks out.

As I take it he's saying the filter is marginally better than a screen and not very high quality. So unless there are boulders in the filter it's probably not it.

But I do agree with trying to replace it anyway because it's dirt cheap and won't hurt anything.

zaphoid42 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2006, 03:12:37 PM »

I dont know if the 96 has an inline fuel filter. On my bike, when I go to take the tank off, there it is, a white plastic canister about the size of a role of film. Easy and cheap to replace.

Anyway, I think since the bike is new to you, you should have a look at the air filter. Is it clean, what kind is it? The stock air filter is about $20. If whatever is there is dirty, clean it or replace it. To get to the air filter involves removing the tank.

If you have an after market air filter, and an after market can, its a safe be some one has fiddled with the carbs. Stuff that is beyond me.

If your bike is hard to start, and does not run for 15 to 20 min. on the highway, then you are likley abusing the battery. If you have a mantainer/charger, i would use it before the current battery kicks it.

If the tank is near empty, take a flash light (NO CANDLES) and a inspection mirror and look around in the tank as well as you can. Is there any junk floating? If yes drain all the fuel out of the tank and refill. Is there anything that looks like rust? If yes, jack the battery up and slide a new bike under it.

We know nothing except what you tell us. Its a 96 B600 with more than 2 miles on it ( I am guessing about those two miles).

Can you rev the thing up in neutral all the way to 8 K? Whats the idle sound like? Can you launch from a start line like your life depended on it?

Got a manuel?