Update On My Intermittent Problem

FZ1riderNY

FZ1riderNY

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i180.photobucket.com
eskort said:
Voltages to check go along the lines of what MikeGTX2002 said. I have a 2001 and have experienced the ignition switch problem and it acted like you said.

1) Connect your voltmeter negative lead to the negative battery post securely.
2) use a 12volt to 20 volt scale--if higher it will be too hard to distinguish differences.
3) Pull the headlamp fuse to extend the life of the battery while troubleshooting.
4) turn on the key and measure the battery voltage at the battery post--it should be around 12volts ;-)
5) Open the fuse panel and measure the voltage of the ignition circuit at the fuse--how much drop is there? Momentarily put the headlampo fuse in--how much drop?
6) Pull headlamp fuse again, measure voltage on ignition fuse while wiggling key--does voltage change?

If you have a bad switch, you will get a lot of voltage drop when you check the ignition fuse, especially with the headlamp on.

Please let me know what you find before going further.
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I went and did the above test. Here are my results. This was before cleaning any contacts so not to taint or mask any problems. 1- With key on at battery post = 12.1 Volts, 2- Headlamp fuse out, key on, voltage at ignition fuse = 11.9 Volts, 3-Headlamp fuse in = 11.1 volts, 4- Headlamp fuse out, jiggling key = 11.9 Volts with no changes while moving key rigorously. I also turned the handlebars left and right while testing voltage at the ignition fuse and no drops or changes in voltage.

I'm really leaning towards the fuel pump having an intermittent problem. I have good spark at each plug, primary resistance on each coil = 2.8 Ohms, secondary resistance on each coil = 17,100 Ohms.

I used my electronic contact cleaner spray and sprayed the ignition switch, and also all connections behind the right side panel. I also sprayed the kickstand switch being that I was there anyway and it wouldn't hurt. The main problem is that being an intermittent issue, I can't make it happen when I want to. The bike started fine although I do notice that on full choke the bike will only rev at 1500 rpm's, when before it would rev to almost 3,000 rpm's. Once warmed up the bike is running fine. I'm still suffering from some mysterious fever so I can't take the bike out for a test ride although it may run great anyway. After thinking it was bad gas and changing it out with fresh gas, I rode the bike 3.3 miles with no problems at all. Then this past Sunday I went down to ride up to the mountain and turned the key to find out the problem was back again like magic.

Before just packing the bike up and running over to Ivan, I'm going to see if I can swap out the fuel pump and see if the bike runs okay. If the same thing happens with the other pump then I'll leave it to the professional. Winter is around the corner so I'd rather pay and have it done right and have the confidence that I won't be stuck out in the middle of nowhere again like last week. It's the worst feeling to be stranded hours on the side of the road.

Thanks for all the troubleshooting advice!
 
Sorry to hear the problem persists Billy. I'm sure that Ivan can sort it out but it comes at a healthy cost I am sure. Please do keep us posted.

By any chance, did you try bypassing the kill switch like I'd mentioned regarding the the FZ6 owner with a similar problem?
 
FZ1inNH said:
Sorry to hear the problem persists Billy. I'm sure that Ivan can sort it out but it comes at a healthy cost I am sure. Please do keep us posted.

By any chance, did you try bypassing the kill switch like I'd mentioned regarding the the FZ6 owner with a similar problem?
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No I didn't try that Eric. Do you have a link that explains how to do it? If so that would help out greatly. Also, with this weird fever coming and going like hitting a light switch, I can't get enough time in the garage before I start with the sweats, and weakness, and have to run back up.
 
4:00 AM Revelation

Twenty minutes ago, I woke up in a pool of sweat (not a pretty picture I know), to what seems to be a revelation. Imagine what you dream of when your sweating out a fever! I just had to get up and post it so I know it's not a fever induced hallucination. Please someone verify this.....

Okay 1- After changing the gas and running the bike 3.3 miles with no problems, I parked her in the garage.
2- I remember distinctly starting the bike about three more times that afternoon to be sure.
3- Sunday morning I go downstairs and as I push the starter the bike immediately goes into backfiring, sort of running on two cylinder mode, and dies. Thats my revelation!

If in fact it WAS the fuel pump and not an electrical issue, the float bowls would have been full from the day before, hence the bike should have run perfectly at the onset, until the floats emptied!!

Based on that, I am now almost sure that there IS an electrical problem somewhere on the bike, and that turning the handlebar that day and getting it to start, or the fact that the bike started running fine after jiggling the pump was just a coincidence.

What do you guys think? Doesn't that make sense to you? Let me know what you think. I gotta go and lay down again. If only I could dream of the actual culprit! Wouldn't that be great!
 
Hope you feel better soon buddy.

I'm with you on that one! If it was the fuel pump it would just run out of fuel and die. It shouldn't be backfiring and running so rough. To me it also sounds like an electrical issue...You've ruled out the spark plugs and the coils. Could be that ignition switch issue mentioned in that other thread that I had sent you. Why don't you PM that guy and see exactly how he fixed it.
 
The Dr. that took care of me during the heart attack was nice enough to give me a last minute appointment for 1:00pm. That should hopefully make me feel better. Maybe get some REAL medication in me.

As for the switch, I did all the checks with my meter and passed. The other guy had a loose barrel but I checked everything and all seems nice and tight. It may be time to see Ivan as I am not going to go through all the wiring on the bike. I hope it's not the Igniter Box. I know it's a solid state piece but in rare instances they have gone bad. We'll see I guess.
 
Billy, I hope you get well soon!

As for the kill switch, it's almost more of a possibility now given your new revelation. :D I am unsure how to do this on the FZ1 but I'm sure it involves removing the switch and jumping the two wires that will keep the bike running. Your bike, unlike his, seems to run but run like crap. His, with the kill switch problem, was either on or off. The difference is, his is EFI and yours is carb.

The kill switch is supposed to cut the ignition AND the fuel pump. If the switch is shorting, dirty contacts, etc... then it's possible that it is cutting off the ignition and fuel pump in millisecond intervals.

It's a free possible fix thus worth a peek. At the very least, check the kill switch connections for corrosion or loose wiring. If you have the service manula, it should diagram which wires need to be jumped to keep the bike running.

I'm not sure if it is even a possibility but, it's a free checkup and a possible CHEAP fix!
 
FZ1inNH said:
Billy, I hope you get well soon!

As for the kill switch, it's almost more of a possibility now given your new revelation. :D I am unsure how to do this on the FZ1 but I'm sure it involves removing the switch and jumping the two wires that will keep the bike running. Your bike, unlike his, seems to run but run like crap. His, with the kill switch problem, was either on or off. The difference is, his is EFI and yours is carb.

The kill switch is supposed to cut the ignition AND the fuel pump. If the switch is shorting, dirty contacts, etc... then it's possible that it is cutting off the ignition and fuel pump in millisecond intervals.

It's a free possible fix thus worth a peek. At the very least, check the kill switch connections for corrosion or loose wiring. If you have the service manula, it should diagram which wires need to be jumped to keep the bike running.

I'm not sure if it is even a possibility but, it's a free checkup and a possible CHEAP fix!
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Thanks Eric, your absolutely right. It should be easy enough to check, the only problem is that now that I need the bike to act up, it won't! It's simple, I'm pretty much stuck in the house for the next two days (Doctor's Orders), but if I can just wait for it to act up, I'll immediately shut it off, call Ray, and he will stop by to switch out his black box for mine. Then I'll start it and if the bike runs crappy, I will have ruled out another culprit. If it runs good, then I'll have to look for a replacement box. I will however check the switch. I did move it around while the bike was running and it still ran fine, but we'll see.
 
Instead of you waiting for your bike to act up, I can follow you round the block until it acts up, then we can do the switch. What do you think?.:tup:
 
Back To Square One!

Okay boys and girls, it looks as though I'll be spending the weekend pulling the carbs. Anyone wanna come join me??LOL Ray came by this morning with his 01'. I started up my bike for the first time in three days with full choke and the bike started, but only revved to 2,000 for about 20 seconds, and then dropped down to about 1,400 rpms, and then about 1,000 after a minute. In the past with full choke the bike would rev easily to 3,500 rpms until I brought it down manually. Thats another sign.

Anyway, he gets there and I start her up and immediately it sounds as if shes running on 3 cylinders. Very gurgly instead of smooth revving. I shut it down, we swapped black boxes, and he started his and I started mine. His ran perfectly whereas mine still ran crappy. Hence, no need for the box.

I'm going to do what I should have done from the beginning. Pull the carbs and clean whatever junk is either clogging them or causing one or more of the floats to lock up. Every single other thing checks out with no problems.

If after I pull and clean, reinstall and sync, the bike still runs crappy, then I'll have no other option but to bring it up to Ivan and let him go at it. I guess no matter how clean and no matter how meticulous you are with your bike, theres always a chance of having something foreign get past the filter and into the carbs. I'm hoping thats the case anyhow.
 
I went downstairs late this afternoon, only planning on removing the gas tank, side covers, and a couple of other things in order to prep for tomorrow's carb removal and cleaning. I wound up attempting to remove them this evening instead. Everything went well and I was two steps from removing them when I hit a snag. I didn't have the 3mm hex socket in order to loosen the boots from the carbs to the head. So Ray said he had one and would bring it by. He came but it had gotten way too dark to be messing around this evening. So they will be coming out tomorrow afternoon. Ray took this shot with my crappy camera because he thought the spot lighting made a nice shot.

This was me contimplating what was in store for tomorrow and hoping that this will get me up and running finally after 2 weeks........
CarbCleaning008-1.jpg
 
ya think ya could get some more light in there -- it is too bright.....

Just when I get all my stuff assembled and ready to install, wife decides to spring a remodel on me -- all flooring/paint/hardware/trim -- giving the insides a face lift.....

So, I'm on hold for the time being from doing all my goodies....
 
Hey Billy,
I think that's a really great shot, and worth framing. One day you'll look back and smile even if you feel like you look. I know the feeling myself. If you were me and I was to put a caption under under the photo, it would be " one second from a good kick over". Be cool, it'll all work out.
 
Thanks Guys! for all the nice words. Well I did it! I sat today and removed the carbs, my first time on a 4pack, and it went well. I sat and removed each float bowl cover, one at a time, and removed all the jets. While none of the floats were out of height, nor did they have any foreign matter in them, I still cleaned everything thoroughly. I sprayed each jet and made sure that all passages were clear. I carefully replaced each jet, checked the float level, and reassembled the carbs. There was a tiny bit of smudge in the #2 carb, but nothing I could see impeding it's operation. When everything was back together, I fired her up and she immediately sounded great!......BUT......yeah, here's the BUT, now my D&D sounds like crap. It's definitely done. You can just hear the difference. I imagine that from trying to run it the day it broke down, shooting raw gas through it for a half hour, pretty much destroyed the packing. Then it sat for two weeks on top of that idle in the garage. It sounds like an empty can. I ran the bike on the street and can immediately tell that she's running on all four again. I brought it back in and synched the carbs with help from my son. Tomorrow I will adjust the TPS again as well. After the synching process I took her out again and it rode even better. Just sounds terrible with that pipe. I even replaced the air filter. The one I took out looked like it was original. I need to ride the bike far and on the highway to really know for sure that everything is fine again. It may clear up tomorrow afternoon so I'll try then. As for now the rain is coming! Here are some shots from today's work..........

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CarbCleaning001.jpg


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CarbCleaning002-1.jpg


Tomorrow's another day!
 
Well I hope that cleaning the carbs really did the trick man. I know you've been really frustrated by this whole issue and you've been missing out on riding.

As for the D&D pipe you can probably repack it, but you'll have to drill out the stock rivets. I checked their catalog and came across this:

100-STPK Street Pak Kit Packing, Rivets & SS Bands $53

Probably all you need to make it sound great again...
 
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