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help! My Spirit 750 is all jacked Up

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:53 am
by MAKER
So the other day i took her out and noticed some sluggish performance, and then all of a sudden, she stalled. The engine seems to be stressing. I figured maybe I overheated, I looked down at my coolant an it was low- it was on the bottom line. My oil is fine, I have only 1500 miles on this thing.

She restarted after i waited a bit, and i drove her home.

Today I went out to get more coolant and oil, and figured I had overheated, but like I said the oil was fine when i checked. i just topped off both.

then i start it, and i hear some air popping like sounds. and as i give it gas, it again is sluggish and then stalls out.

I tried to start it a few time, but it wouldn't, and then finally it sounded like it wouldn't even turn over.

I plugged it into the trickle charger for a few hours, no bad battery showing on that..so after a bit of the charge, i started her up again, she turned over, and then i gave it some gas and it felt sluggish and odd again like it was struggling.

both exhausts seem to be working.

Does any one have any idea what I should check?
I didn't notice the radiator fan come on, but I probably didn't get it to a temp were it would....

thanks for any help. i'm totally bumming!


MAKER

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:35 pm
by Wrider
If you only have 1500 miles on it I'd take it back to the dealer and ask them honestly. It sounds like you may have a carbueration issue to me. Although if you charged the battery and it didn't even want to turn over that could mean something is seriously wrong in the engine.

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 3:06 am
by MAKER
Hmm now that I think of it, a carb issue seems to make sense. It fails when I give it throttle.

What do you think the issue could be with it? Is there anything I can do to take care of it?

thanks!

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 9:16 am
by Wrider
You're at sea level, so I assume it's not running too rich or lean, because it's a stock carb right?
Have you changed anything about the carb?
Before you go to the dealer, I'd also replace the spark plugs. Could be they're fouled out and could solve your problem. Can't believe I didn't remember to mention that before.
So in order.
1. Replace your spark plugs, on that bike it's easy as pie.
2. If that doesn't fix it, take to dealer with old spark plugs in hand to show them.
3. Talk to them about adjusting the fuel/air mix screw. They might not because of the EPA's laws outlawing it, but honestly at this altitude, 7900 feet, sometimes to make a bike run we have to do it.

Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 3:03 am
by MAKER
Yeah its the stock carb- and it shouldn't be dirty right? I mean there's nearly no miles on it...but it has seen a couple seasons of sitting. I put fuel additive and the battery on a trickle in the winter...hmm.

I will look at the spark plugs and see what's doing...

Any way I can confirm it's the carb? Anything in particular I should look for?

thanks again man!

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 6:13 am
by Wrider
Well if it's seen a couple seasons of sitting then yeah probably a dirty carb. I saw one the other day that the bike had been sitting for so long the seafoam in the carb had actually clogged it up. So clean your carb, replace your plugs, should be good to go!

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:14 pm
by MAKER
yeah, so i paid to have the carbs cleaned, because i didn't want to mess it up. it ran fine. i have been keeping the additive he have me in the tank, and now the damn thing won't stay on at idle anymore.

argh

i am at my wits end.
another shop said they thought it was probably the carbs too.
could this thing get gummed up every 2 weeks???

jeez!

are fuel injected bikes any better?

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:12 pm
by Wrider
Does it still run fine off of idle? If so just turn your idle up. Should be at about 1100 RPM.

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:50 pm
by MAKER
runs fine with throttle. i think they did idle it up, but it's still stalling with no throttle. should i turn it up more? it's that little knob near on the carb?

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:28 pm
by Wrider
Yeah it's that little knob there. And make sure your choke is off... Sounds stupid I know but a lot of people (including myself) have made that mistake.