Ok, so Tue. eve. I head up in the mountain, the dirt road has a hair pin turn and gets very steep. I take the turn in 2nd gear and really get on it.... to about 8000 rpm and I shift to 3rd. Once I hit 3rd the bike starts to sputter and eventually shuts off???

This happened to me once last year in a very similar situation on a stretch of paved road. Again, I took a turn in 2nd and ran the rpm's up to accomodate the shift to 3rd without loosing power. Again the bike shut off.

Now here's the really weird part (mind you I'm far from a mechanic) The bike will restart when choked and will run with the choke wide open. When I shut the choke the bike will continue to idle but once I hit the trottle it shuts off.

When this happened last year I had a friend pick me up that wasn't to far away and haul the bike home for me. I messed around with the carb for two days figuring this is where the problem was. Eventually it if just started and ran fine like there was never a problem.

However this time I'm in the middle of the mountains, no cell service and dark is approaching really fast. After I checked for loose connections (didn't know what else to do) I finally got pissed of and found a 2 ft. long stick and proceeded to beat and poke the hell out of the carb like an idiot. Low and behold the bike started and ran normal after that????

So.... Did the guy that rejetted for me leave a metal shaving or could there be something wrong with the float??? Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks, bootmud!

 

lot of potential problems: Float level not correct. Inadequate fuel flow (filter clogged, petcock faulty, tank vent line kinked/plugged, carb vent line kinked/plugged.

Assuming the bike will still turn over when you hit the starter button, it's not a safety switch issue (Clutch or Sidestand, or even Kill-switch).

Then, you have electrical things to consider, such as Spark plug and it's wire, Coil, grounding connections.

Best of luck in locating the problem...my guess is it's going to be fuel delivery related....check the little tiny in-line fuel filter, where the tank line goes into the carb...

 

Plugged fuel filter or restricted flow? Water in fuel?

David

 

Wow... quick response guys! I know the fuel is good so I'll check the fuel filter to start... Didn't know it had one.

I do feel confident the problem resides with the carb or "fuel delivery"... I sure hope it's not electrical.

Thanks!!!

bootmud

 

BTW, a clogged main jet can cause your symptoms.

Ron

 

Yeah, this sounds logical. A piece of "something" could be floating around in your float bowl. It covers the main jet momentarily stopping the fuel flow at rpm, and your engine dies. The choke and idle circuits have their own opening, so they will flow fuel, and you can get the bike to restart and idle. You whack the throttle, and the engine dies with no fuel delivery. Finally by gravity, moving the bike, or hitting the carb with a stick...LOL!...the piece of "something" dislodges from the main jet, and the bike runs normally. I could run for minutes or months depending on where the piece of "something" migrates in the bowl. You mention that you messed with the carb last year when it did this. Did you open the float bowl and do a thorough cleaning with compressed air and/or spray carb cleaner?

I would have also suggested a vacuum diaphram leak that won't allow lifting of the slide, but those don't usually fix themselves.

 

Makes sense... But when I mentioned that I messed with the carb for two days.... What I should have said was I looked at the carb and scratched my head for two days. I didn't not remove it I was more or less looking at it and hoping it would fix itself.... And it did.

I guess if it continues to happen I'll have to remove the carb and give it a cleaning but I'll take a look at the fuel filter to start.

 

So, I'm running into the same thing. I've been doing some carb tuning, so I know I need to go back in and check it out.

First thing I did was check the fuel delivery from the tank. The flow from ON and Reservoir was the same so I can't imagine it's one of those filters since they are two separate filters in the tank. Next I was thinking a float or slide issue.

Turned off the fuel and let the bike idle giving it little blips to test the revs and it ended up smoothing out. After it smoothed out I decided to let it continue to idle and wait for it to starve itself, the bike ran for over a minute before I just turned it off.

What I'm guessing is either the slide is sticking open from the WOT, or there's a float issue. With the revs just dropping off and the bike dying, would that be a rich condition? The slide controls the needle which controls fuel delivery, and the float in the bowl controls fuel delivery as well.

Pulling my carb apart tomorrow, we'll see what happens

 

The slide controls the needle which controls fuel delivery and fuel.

float in the bowl controls fuel delivery as well and the float height controls the fuel air mix (Rich - Lean), do you have a manual? if so page 13 section 3 of the 2009 factory manual shows how to check fuel level without removing carb.

Here's the link to the manual section https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...manuals-37525/

 

I would clean the carb first too. Take the pilot jet out, make sure it's open. Then blow compressed air through the carb body where the jet was. Check that the top of the needle valve springs back up when you push it down and moves easily. Make sure the rubber part isn't cracked or deformed.
Another thing to consider is the fuel cap not venting well, or at all. The tank will vapor lock, especially on warm sunny days, if the vents not working right. It could happen randomly too if the cap is going bad. If you still have problems after the carb clean, try opening the cap and starting the bike again.