[86mustang408w]

I took my 2003 for a ride, and about 20-25 miles into it it started to miss bad, and would die when the clutch was pulled in. It ran fine up to this point, and all I did was put new plugs in it, and add some good fuel. It was a nice easy ride too, I was going crazy with it. When it idles you don't see the black smoke, but any throttle that is given it blows it out badly. It compares to the smoke from a diesel truck under load to give you an example. It starts and idles on its own when cold, but when warm you can keep it running my giving it WOT and hold the RPM's to 2-2500. I cannot find the plugs that were in it, but replaced them with standard NGK CR8E's. I just replaced them 2 days ago when I had time to work on it with CR7E's, and checked for spark and the boots to make sure I didn't damage them, it had good spark and the boots were ok. It is burning a little oil and a friend stopped by and thought it might be a valve seal that had gone bad causing the smoke and plug almost immediately fouling, but it is pure black smoke, and when I pulled the CR8E's out I had replaced with the ones that were in it when purchased, the new ones were black after 40 miles tops. I used a little brake cleaner and most of the black came off easily. Ive been going through my service manual, but wanted any help on something obvious it may be..Any help would be great.

 

[golden chicken]

Both new plugs are black?

 

[86mustang408w]

Both new plugs are black?

The first set of the new ones were black(CR8E's), I just put the second set CR7E's in but have not looked at them yet. As it was still pushing a good bit of smoke out of the pipe and I ran it for maybe 2 mins with the CR7E's in... I'm thinking it has to maybe be sensor gone bad. I think the service manual said you need a special tool to hook up to the bike to get codes to pin point it? I'll look at the manual again.

 

[dry_humor]

use search and look for "dealer mode" to check for error codes. you can literally use a small piece of wire.

 

[86mustang408w]

use search and look for "dealer mode" to check for error codes. you can literally use a small piece of wire.

I was wondering that too, I'll check it out, thanks.

 

[IchBinGott!]

Maybe this is weird to ask...but what does the smoke smell like?

Burning oil, and non-burning gas should smell different.

 

[86mustang408w]

It smells like fuel, the first set of plugs I pulled out looked fairly good, but needed to be replaced. With the amount of smoke that is coming out of the exhaust, if it were oil I'm sure the plugs would be covered in it, correct? I'm gonna see it it throws a code and then go of of that..Should get a chance to work on it a bit later.

 

[amaff]

Blue / black smoke is fuel, always. If it were oil or water, it would be almost white, and you could smell which it was from the exhaust. It may be an injector stuck open, especially if it's not idling well.

 

[86mustang408w]

I'm gonna look into it later tonight and tomorrow, but it may be a injector because its dumping fuel.. Thanks for the all the help guys/girls?..

 

[86mustang408w]

Pulled the stock exhaust off and put my new Jardine midpipe on to see what cylinder the smoke was pouring out of. At start up it puffed a little black smoke and then nothing, even upon revving..So I took it for a ride and it ran fine, went back home and install the rest of the exhaust and started it back up when the bike was still warm. It didn't smoke and idled perfectly...It may take a longer ride for it to foul the plugs, but the last time I started it hot or cold it blew the smoke out..Also checked for a code and it gave me nothing..I'm lost, but happy at the same time. I have a feeling sooner or later it will be back. I added more fresh fuel to it, but this was before the last time I started it after replacing the second set of plugs and had the issue..Why would it just stop doing it??? Is it possible the stock exhaust may have been restricted in some way? I didnt look and had already shipped it out.... :confused2:

 

[amaff]

Maybe a piece of crud got lodged in one of the injectors and it finally got flushed out? That's my best guess. If you store your bike in the winter, it probably wouldn't hurt to have the injectors gone over by someone like Witch Hunter Performance go over them just to make sure.

 

[86mustang408w]

Took it about 5 miles today, ****(s.h.u.t) it off. And ran about 3 more miles and it started missing and would not idle(had all the problems as the first post0. Didn't notice the black smoke as bad. Got it home and checked for a code it gave me nothing, checked several times. Started it up and it idled ok. But not blowing the smoke like it was before. I'm lost...No Codes? And it seems to go away after a certain amount of miles, it wouldn't be mechanical if its doing that..Any more suggestions??

 

[86mustang408w]

Just started it now and its fine? Fuel pump issue? Fuel filter issue? bad injectors? How can I test the injectors? Any input would Be great help.

 

[golden chicken]

Go back and check your plugs again. Are they both black? If so, you're probably looking for something that is common to both cylinders. Therefore, it's unlikely to be a single injector and unlikely to be a single coil. Since the smoke smells like fuel, you know it's probably not a fuel starvation issue.

Going back to the basics, You need air, fuel, compression and spark. Are you sure you don't have any vacuum leaks? Good compression in the motor?

Is there any crap blocking the airbox snorkel? Is the air filter clean?

 

[86mustang408w]

Go back and check your plugs again. Are they both black? If so, you're probably looking for something that is common to both cylinders. Therefore, it's unlikely to be a single injector and unlikely to be a single coil. Since the smoke smells like fuel, you know it's probably not a fuel starvation issue.

Going back to the basics, You need air, fuel, compression and spark. Are you sure you don't have any vacuum leaks? Good compression in the motor?

Is there any crap blocking the airbox snorkel? Is the air filter clean?

I'm gonna go over everything again. Like I said it will run normal for some time then it just gets ugly. I'm gonna narrow more down, check the TPS, hoses, etc, and post later on with what I find. I've been working on engines a long time I never had an issue with a bike engine before So I'm just trying to get some info on them. I've covered all the basics and just looking for something prone to go bad on these bikes after sitting for some time or after some years/miles? Just took it for another ride an it ran fine. Wondering if its a loose connection or sensor, but its still throwing codes. I washing it may be a fuel pump/filter issue? I'm gonna dig deeper 2morrow.

 

[RecoilRob]

Is this a California bike? Does it have a black can on the right side under the tail piece? If so, the evap purge system can and will suck fuel from the vapor separator if the tube leaks just a little bit. If it leaks a LOT, it'll fill the TB's with fuel. A small crack or pinhole will dump gas into the purge line but just make it run rich...and only when the fuel is above the leak.

If you fill the tank, does it blow the black smoke? Then, after running a while it clears up? That might be indicating a leak in the fuel tank...IF you have a CA bike. I ran into a similar situation and also live in PA....and bought a CA bike. Go figure.

But, this leaking purge system is a well documented problem with the fuel tanks. If that turns out to be the problem, you can just bypass the purge system and change the gas cap to a vented one and be golden. Otherwise you need to replace the fuel tank. Best of luck to you!

 

[86mustang408w]

Is this a California bike? Does it have a black can on the right side under the tail piece? If so, the evap purge system can and will suck fuel from the vapor separator if the tube leaks just a little bit. If it leaks a LOT, it'll fill the TB's with fuel. A small crack or pinhole will dump gas into the purge line but just make it run rich...and only when the fuel is above the leak.

If you fill the tank, does it blow the black smoke? Then, after running a while it clears up? That might be indicating a leak in the fuel tank...IF you have a CA bike. I ran into a similar situation and also live in PA....and bought a CA bike. Go figure.

But, this leaking purge system is a well documented problem with the fuel tanks. If that turns out to be the problem, you can just bypass the purge system and change the gas cap to a vented one and be golden. Otherwise you need to replace the fuel tank. Best of luck to you!

Thanks..I don't think its a CA bike, but I will check for sure..It has to be something along the line of this. When I picked it up it ran fine for a while, and started doing it, then stopped, then started again, etc.. It makes sense on what you said, I'm gonna check it out tomorrow. I didn't notice about the tank being full or not. From what I was told 2 guys owned it before me, and one had it for about 7k miles, and a friend of mine knows him so I'm guessing the bike was bought around here. I'll check though, thanks again!

 

[RecoilRob]

Thanks..I don't think its a CA bike, but I will check for sure..It has to be something along the line of this. When I picked it up it ran fine for a while, and started doing it, then stopped, then started again, etc.. It makes sense on what you said, I'm gonna check it out tomorrow. I didn't notice about the tank being full or not. From what I was told 2 guys owned it before me, and one had it for about 7k miles, and a friend of mine knows him so I'm guessing the bike was bought around here. I'll check though, thanks again!

With these bikes you can't go by where it was bought. My SV1K was bought near Pittsburgh...yet is a CA bike. Depended on what they had when someone needed one I guess...so you very well might have one too. The vapor tube can crack at any time if it is one, so the PO might not have had the problem. Mine didn't start misbehaving until recently after around 10K miles. There was a recall a while back on leaking tanks but I'm not sure if it still applies or not.

 

[Kiel83]

My 03 started doing almost the same thing today. It ran fine until I was about 20 miles into my trip. Then it started missing and loading up with fuel, or so it seems. I'm not getting the black smoke, but when I pull in the clutch it starts idling weird. The needle on the tach jumps from 1,500 down to 900 or so then jumps back up until it finally dies. I checked for codes and found none. I'm gonna pick up a new set of plugs tomorrow. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[RecoilRob]

My 03 started doing almost the same thing today. It ran fine until I was about 20 miles into my trip. Then it started missing and loading up with fuel, or so it seems. I'm not getting the black smoke, but when I pull in the clutch it starts idling weird. The needle on the tach jumps from 1,500 down to 900 or so then jumps back up until it finally dies. I checked for codes and found none. I'm gonna pick up a new set of plugs tomorrow. Any help would be much appreciated.

New plugs is a good place to start for sure. If your current ones are the originals (likely) they are getting long in the tooth. If it still misbehaves with the new plugs I'd pull the pump and check the screen. They get crudded up amazingly badly and will strangle the flow. If you run it like that for very long the pump will be damaged. Wouldn't hurt to check it while you are working on the bike anyhow just to cross that most important thing off the list.