[NickyG]

I go out for a ride and everything is great. 40 to 50 miles into the ride the bike starts stuttering through all the gears. I'll come to a complete stop, put it in neutral, rev it and it sounds like it's sputtering. Any ideas?

 

[Six Chin Skinny]

Bad Fuel?

Bad plug(s)?

Gummed carbs?




More info please: Year, mileage, mods, for starters, as well as any maintenance related to the issue....

 

[NickyG]

it's a 99, has had about two or three tanks of gas, has no mods and i already changed out the plugs

 

[WeezerKDI]

Clean out the float bowls and get your carbs sync'd. That cured mine of the exact same problem.

 

[RandyO]

runs good for a while then acts up?

how's your battery charge? sound like what would happpen if your RR is shot and the battery is draining, but you would need to recharge the battery before riding again.

 

[Six Chin Skinny]

runs good for a while then acts up?

how's your battery charge? sound like what would happpen if your RR is shot and the battery is draining, but you would need to recharge the battery before riding again.

RandyO-- What is the 'RR' you refer to? Also, how long did your stock battery last (years and/or miles)? I have had two issues in the last three weeks where my battery has drained down (requiring overnight charging). I originally thought my newly reinstalled alarm was draining it, but I'm not sure. Thanks...

 

[Maritan]

RR = Regulator/Rectifier.

 

[Six Chin Skinny]

Thanks, Maritan. 8)


What exactly does the regulator/rectifier do? Is this part prone to periodic failure?

 

[Maritan]

AC to DC converter with a voltage regulator.

The RR basically converts the AC voltage put out by the magneto on your bike into DC voltage (the rectify part). It then also regulates the voltage (the regulator) to around 12-14 Volts, I believe.

On the SV, I believe if they get really hot they're prone to conking out. Otherwise, I have no clue as to their reliability.

 

[RandyO]

Re: AC to DC converter with a voltage regulator.

The RR basically converts the AC voltage put out by the magneto on your bike into DC voltage (the rectify part). It then also regulates the voltage (the regulator) to around 12-14 Volts, I believe.

On the SV, I believe if they get really hot they're prone to conking out. Otherwise, I have no clue as to their reliability.

to expand a bit, most bike charging systems are completly unlike a car charging system

in a car, the voltage is regulated by regulating the field strength of the aramature in the alternator, the alternator only produces the amount of electricty required

in a bike, the charging system is simpler, and it utilizes permenent magnets and a stator, the faster it spins, the more electricity is made, after the RR converts the AC to DC, it regulated the voltage by dumping the excess back to ground, the excess energy is disapated as heat, the RR is really nothing more than a heat sink and a rectifier, Hear is the enemy of the semiconductors within the RR unit, and eventually they cook themselves. how fast depend on how well the heat is taken away, 1st gen SVs the RR is under the tail where it can't get any air,
in older VFR's it's under the seat and you can actually feel things frying between your legs. My son can cool his seat down by turning on his heated grips... the excess energy is being used by an accessory.

SV charging systems are not very big, only a few extra watts to deal with, you can't add to many accessories cause you don't have enuf output but at the same time it is good for your RR to have some accessories that will use the excess electricity and extend RR lifespan

my RR went south @ 50k, I have 66k on the current RR and still working good, but I use more accessories than I used to

 

[Six Chin Skinny]

Maritan and RandyO-- Thanks, gents! 8) You helped me at least identify the likely cause for both my battery charging issue and a couple recent sputters in the afternoon at idle...


Any other symptoms or potential for long term damage?

 

[NickyG]

so is it possible that my r/r is heating up after 40-50 miles therefor causing the stuttering problem?

 

[Six Chin Skinny]

NickyG-- Not sure if it's the same issue or not. My bike sputtered and died twice while idling at a light or stop and go traffic. Both times in the afternoon in 90+ F temps while stationary and idling...





[edited for grammar; so sue me for being picky ]

 

[nc_sv650]

Is your gas tank venting properly? No air in = no gas out. Pop the cap after it quits and see if it'll run better.

You didn't mention how the bike gets back to a running condition after it quits. Do you just let it sit, or do you have to do something to get it started again?

 

[Six Chin Skinny]

Is your gas tank venting properly? No air in = no gas out. Pop the cap after it quits and see if it'll run better.

You didn't mention how the bike gets back to a running condition after it quits. Do you just let it sit, or do you have to do something to get it started again?

nc_sv650-- Is this question directed at me? If so, I restarted immediately and maintained idle RPMs closer to 1500 as opposed to normal ~1150-1200. Absolutely no problems at speed, only happened twice when stuck idling for extended periods in 90+ temps, one of those "Huh, that's kind of weird" things. I had thought of the tank venting and checked after I arrived at my destination. No hiss or pressurization so I figured that wasn't a problem; also, I've never had an issue with improper venting on the SV. I am familiar with the symptoms on small engine equipment, but not with engines as large as motorcycles.

 

[Maritan]

6 - Idling RPM should be around 1300. I wouldn't keep it that low. Not saying it's related to your problem - just what Suzuki says to keep it at.

 

[nc_sv650]

"...nc_sv650--  Is this question directed at me?... "

Uh, it was actually intended for Nicky G...that's OK though!

 

[Six Chin Skinny]

Uh, it was actually intended for Nicky G...that's OK though!

My bad!! :-[




Maritan-- Thanks for the tip on idle speed. I have it set there to keep noise down while I idle during warm-up in the mornings. I'm typically leaving for school/work before sunrise and I live in a tight neighborhood of townhouses. I try not to piss off the president (Hitler) of the association who lives next door .

What negative effects could that low of an idle speed cause?

 

[Maritan]

From what I can tell - low oil pressure. Not good especially if you accelerate to 6K or so and the oil pressure still hasn't caught up.

 

[Six Chin Skinny]

Hmmmm. Does it matter (alleviate potential damage) if I take it real easy for a minute or two while rolling after warm-up like I usually do?