Hey all, looking for some insight into a problem with my zxr250c. Bought the bike a month or so ago, got my licence back 2 weeks ago and took my bike straight to mechanic for carb clean and balance because it was running abit rough. Also had spark plugs changed and oil and filter. Rode 30 minutes home from mechanic with no problems. On a ride and after about 20 minutes the bike started to feel like it was running out of fuel, but I had a full tank, shortly after it just died out completely, waited a minute and bike would only start and run with full choke otherwise it would die again, eventually got it home then went for a ride lastnight and the same thing happened, but it backfired before dieing out while I'm riding on the highway, i believe it's flooding but have no idea how considering it's just had the carbs cleaned and balanced and starts and rides perfectly for roughly 20 minutes, any ideas of what it could be is appreciated!
If the choke helped then possibly you are running rich. You probably need to check the float height in the carbs. GreyImport, Grasshopper, and ruckusman have all had the same issues - Float height solved it for ruckus and grey I believe. Grasshopper has yet to do his (or post the results)
if it starts with full choke then its not flooded, you have to try to start a flooded bike with full throttle. You have fuel starvation ( the carbs are emptying faster then filling up ) its worse with speed ie on the hwy. this can be caused by the vacuum hose not being connected to open the fuel tap, split vacuum hoses, the tank breather being blocked. or a restriction in the fuel lines. mine did it and it turned out to be the fuel filter i had fitted flowed too slowly. Good luck I usually get a bit of wipper snipper line and run it thru you will feel any blockage and should be able to see it come out the bottom
The first thing i would check is if the mechanic connected the vacuum hose. because lets assume mechanics are idiots. @GreyImport
If it's a steel petrol tank, I would check the filter before the fuel tap for being blocked up with rust/crud. /Simon
The mechanic replaced the fuel filter, could be the wrong type. I'll be taking it in to him tomorrow and will post back with what the problem was because I've seen a lot of threads on forums about this but no answer was given
I would say float height and idle speed, mine idles around 2000rpm anything lower then that the bike becomes to unreliable
I'd second all the chats about fuel starvation. Classic symptoms. Is the fuel filter fitted in the correct direction? What? Some mechanics are idiots? Really...?
just to add to this.. what type of filter are you using as it can starve fuel by restricting the flow.. remember these engine are not used to having a inline filter slowing the fuel feed...
It's at the mechanic now, he thinks it may be the fuel tap turning itself off? So he's ordered another and I'm waiting on the result I asked him about the filter, he said the one he used can be fitted in both directions.. Nah man it's silver
i guarantee this has been mentioned before.... bbbuuuuttttt... is your fuel tank breather blocked? that would stop the fuel flow
if your close to warrawong take it to biketek, there was an orange zxr for sale awhile back that had the same exact problem your having.
I was going to suggest you turn the tap to PRI at about the 15 minute mark of your ride and see what happens. If the vacuum in the tap isn't working properly the engine will run out of fuel.
Picked it up from the mechanic today, they changed the fuel tap and it's running great now hopefully it stays this way haha