engine is chugging/sputtering at low revs

Xios

So over crimbo my bike has behaving oddly, at low revs it sputters/chuggs at low revs, and if i pull in the clutch, the engine dies
It's very very annoying, as i'm filtering through traffic i gotta restart the engine. Bike is FZS600, '99 model, i had the guy in lucan have a quick look at it, said i don't have all 4 cylinders? Well he drained these 4 screws and petrol came out, he said some water was in the cyclinder, this was yesterday, and the problem is still here
Any ideas? Can't be carb icing, it happens when starting off, and on the move, and when stopping.

hobochris

Xios wrote: »

So over crimbo my bike has behaving oddly, at low revs it sputters/chuggs at low revs, and if i pull in the clutch, the engine dies
It's very very annoying, as i'm filtering through traffic i gotta restart the engine. Bike is FZS600, '99 model, i had the guy in lucan have a quick look at it, said i don't have all 4 cylinders? Well he drained these 4 screws and petrol came out, he said some water was in the cyclinder, this was yesterday, and the problem is still here
Any ideas? Can't be carb icing, it happens when starting off, and on the move, and when stopping.

moisture in the fuel, I have this problem sometimes on the bandit.

sounds like you have it a lot worse then i do though.

Xios

Thanks hobo, i should be getting the tank changed on saturday, so i guess i should just put up with it till then

hobochris

Xios wrote: »

Thanks hobo, i should be getting the tank changed on saturday, so i guess i should just put up with it till then

are you getting any white-ish smoke on startup in the mornings?

Xios

Yeah, it gets smokey, i figured that was just water sitting in the exhaust as the bike is kept outside, i have a blanket for it, but i don't use it all the time.

Any preventative action i could take in the future to stop this thing happening again?

hobochris

Sounds exactly like mine, think its something you just have to put up with AFAIK... the joys of biking.

get some silkolene pro fst for the carb icing, should fix that.

hobochris

hobochris wrote: »

Sounds exactly like mine, think its something you just have to put up with AFAIK... the joys of biking.

get some silkolene pro fst for the carb icing, should fix that.

The silkolene stuff is the business. My old roadstar was a nightmare in the cold weather, running rough and cutting out like your bike. The silkolene stuff made a huge difference.

Hotblack Desiato

Xios wrote: »

Can't be carb icing, it happens when starting off, and on the move, and when stopping.

Sounds like carb icing, in bad cases it can build up in the carbs as you ride along! (one time on my first bike, the throttle froze open :eek: ) Usually more of a problem before the engine is fully warmed up though. You might try letting the bike warm up for a couple of minutes in cold damp weather before you ride off. Some bikes are just very prone to it though, especially Jap market imports, sometimes carb heaters can be fitted, or the additive mentioned seems to work for people.

Hotblack Desiato

There should be a little drain hole somewhere in the exhaust to let rain out. But it'd be forced out when you start the bike anyway, and wouldn't be able to get near the cylinders, unless you parked it at the bottom of a lake or something

Fabio

If you can't get your hands on Silkolene Pro-FST just go away to Halfords and pick up a bottle of Wynn's Dry Fuel. You add that to the tank and it does the same job as Pro-FST, emulsifies any moisture in with the fuel so it gets burnt off and doesn't stick to the carbs.

Dark-Mavis

My bandits carbs ice up within a 2-3 mins in this weather.
Pro-fst or isopropyl alcohol added to the tank should sort it (around 1-2%).
Cheaper to try this before brining it the shop!