Jaws
Registered user
A few days ago I started getting a fairly nasty misfire.. in fact it actually felt as if the engine was cutting out completely.
It did not do it from cold, but only after 5 to 10 miles had been covered
It did not seem throttle position related as the problem could happen whilst at a constant motorway bimble, hard acceleration or even simply stop dead while ticking over.
To that end I took the tank off and checked all the multi plugs I could find.. even removed the ECU one and checked it.
Found one green and manky one in the ECU block, and a few scattered between all the other multi plugs..
Ahah ! Always good when you find something positive !
Further inspection found that at some time in the past someone had been a little over zealous with a cable tie and crimped closed both of the breather tubes..
Cleaned each manky contact and dosed with a wee dab of ACF on each.. redid the cable tie and off for a test run.. Smooth as a smooth thing..
Until the 5 mile marker !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, just in case, I popped the pet cap open.. nope.. still the same.
Whatever it was HAD to be heat related and had to be breaking down only when hot.
This morning I was at Scottys fitting new seals to his KTM. After the job was done Richard donated a new pair of spark plugs to me.
Now I am not saying I was sceptical but.. well yes I was VERY sceptical to be honest .
But Lo !
Jobs a good un
I would never have believed the problem was spark plug based.. Symptoms were all wrong and the fact it would run fine for miles and miles then suddenly die until I closed the throttle and opened it again slowly simply did not ring true.
Seems that all my gut feelings and instincts after 45 years of working on bikes must be set aside when it comes to these little darlings ! ..
But hell, I am enjoying the bike so much it is all worth the effort
It did not do it from cold, but only after 5 to 10 miles had been covered
It did not seem throttle position related as the problem could happen whilst at a constant motorway bimble, hard acceleration or even simply stop dead while ticking over.
To that end I took the tank off and checked all the multi plugs I could find.. even removed the ECU one and checked it.
Found one green and manky one in the ECU block, and a few scattered between all the other multi plugs..
Ahah ! Always good when you find something positive !
Further inspection found that at some time in the past someone had been a little over zealous with a cable tie and crimped closed both of the breather tubes..
Cleaned each manky contact and dosed with a wee dab of ACF on each.. redid the cable tie and off for a test run.. Smooth as a smooth thing..
Until the 5 mile marker !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, just in case, I popped the pet cap open.. nope.. still the same.
Whatever it was HAD to be heat related and had to be breaking down only when hot.
This morning I was at Scottys fitting new seals to his KTM. After the job was done Richard donated a new pair of spark plugs to me.
Now I am not saying I was sceptical but.. well yes I was VERY sceptical to be honest .
But Lo !
Jobs a good un
I would never have believed the problem was spark plug based.. Symptoms were all wrong and the fact it would run fine for miles and miles then suddenly die until I closed the throttle and opened it again slowly simply did not ring true.
Seems that all my gut feelings and instincts after 45 years of working on bikes must be set aside when it comes to these little darlings ! ..
But hell, I am enjoying the bike so much it is all worth the effort
