Hello Bikes been very temperamental starting from cold recently, will start first time normally but if it dies before the temperature indication reads 41C it just will not restart, it cranks and cranks, splutters and coughs, smells really rich too... so just replaced the plugs and air filter, (dont think this has been done under service yet, at nearly 17000 miles now, just check the service bills, no plugs and air filter, not sure when they are suppose to be done) has anybody, replace the air filter themselves? bstd of a job, could not get the front 2 torx out, just no access under the regulator...end up having to bend the filter plastic up to get at the filter (cringe) but there was no other way, that i could see. air filter was rusty and stained, air box full of grit :/ hmmm any ways, here are the plugs...they look OK? apart from being a bit worn.
the new sparks and air filter have certainly given it a new lease of life on the run, sounds different too, K&N filter, more roar! starts a bit more keenly, but it still stalled even after 10 minutes of idling and did the cranking over thing again I have found if i hold the throttle a quarter open when cranking, it does encourage it to get going again. its been really cold up here overnight, so will be a good test when i have to start it this morning...
Owner's handbook service schedule states spark plugs changed every 9000 miles, air filter replaced every 18000 miles. The spark plug gaps in your picture are way too big and the electrodes are corroded. Given your mileage, have you had a TPS position check ? Tempremental running can often be caused by a slight drift. Andy
Thanks Andy coming up to the Desmo service, so hoping the shop will check TPS, will certainly mention that to the workshop. i also checked the service schedule and saw the plugs should have been done at 9K, not sure why they missed it
A clogged filter will act like a choke and give you a rich mixture, so easy cold starting and hard warm starting makes sense. Those plugs are really knackered...
So plugs worn out , dirty air filter ......what's the oil condition like .....does it smell of petrol if you dip it , fresh oil helps a lot with sealing combustion gases off and breather system is constantly cycling the fuel vapours into inlet side , can only make it better to do an oil and filter change
Thanks Lee That's the next thing on the list, filter and oil on order. Gotta say, with the new plugs and filter, she really flies, front wheel is light every where. I fitted an k&n filter, thought it would be a standard replacement for the duration part, but it makes a lot more noise, freer breathing maybe?
Dirty filter sir ?? Arrrr the beauty of extended service intervals , we see a few not much better than this out of the dealer network ...
Oh yes seen much worse , plug electrodes worn down to a stump , cars that have not had oil changes in there life 5/6 year old stuff ....the oil goes like a strange grey colour when it's really degraded , black brake fluid all kinds of neglect .....strange how the neglected ones just keep going without fuss and the pampered ones seem to be more troubled though !! ?
UPDATE just got the bike back from its Desmo Service, a little bit late at 21.5K miles turns out the inlet valve openers/closers had virtually no clearance, which the mechanic reckoned would have been contributing to the issues i was having. the front cylinder plug, which i changed not too long ago was knackered again. on the ride home, bike went well, seems to have some pep back, it sounds different at lower revs, more defined exhaust note, more crack, nice anyhoo service was done at Peston DMC, by Ben, excellent service there, nice bunch of blokes, will definitely be going back LINK ~ service video provided by Ben as part of the inspection
Hi Comfy got a couple of hundred mile in the bag since the service, and have to say... spot on! starting is faultless, stab the button and its starts immediately with a nice crack, warms up much more rapidly than it before, can actually pull away without stalling before the temp gauge registers and if it does stall, it starts again without problem. on the move, its strong, good low down, popping the front wheel over the bumps from 4-6K rpm in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and above 7K it really begins to pull and you have to start banging through the gears to keep up. Still feels good even with 22K miles on it. really glad to get the service done, they did the belts, valves and a couple of other bits and pieces, i did the oil and filters myself so grand total ~£800 just dropped the final payment on the PCP, so now flat broke, but the plan is to start saving again, since it's probably time to have the fork and shock serviced and setup properly, and i keep looking at all the threads regarding dyno and remapping, would really like to have a stab at that sometime, but haven't been able to find anybody in the north west (cumbria) who does that kind of thing Dave
Good to know it all went well. I had starting issues with mine (1100 evo sp) i went through everything, (heavy duty starter cables, spark plugs, caps, ht lead, fuel filter, etc etc) but the thing that really made it go was CJS - when i got the bike it had a power commander on there which i flogged straight away. When it got dyno'd the TB's were out of balance (way out apparently). Since then ive never had a problem, but all the stuff i did before could be deemed as routine maintenance - i just did it all at once. My mate had his scambler done a couple of weeks back and said (while i will say he wasnt not against it but i pushed him into it) it feels like riding a new bike. He, like most other people (and rightly so) thought that it would make no difference whatsoever but he's now a convert. My z1000 is going back on, on friday as ive changed the whole exhaust setup and drilled the airbox in preparation. It runs fine but isnt as nippy as before (Chris said that changing the pipe from a 4-1-2 to a 4-1 has change the fuel shape dramatically so it really needs to be re done which ive got no problem with.
