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An 06 (about 15k miles) was lowsided on the left, slid to a stop and kissed a curb. Cosmetic damage and new headlight, kinda a halfass streetfighter job. It sat around for about 4 months though. Oil and filter was just changed with shell rotella synth. Now, it starts fine, runs mostly fine, but feels a bit weak down low and there is a very definite and noticeable flat spot in the range around 6k-8k. Twist the throttle a bit more and it punches past it and pulls fine at 9k+, but in that flat range it's kinda surge-y and uneven. Holding it at ~7k rpm, you can feel it kinda surging even tough the tach holds steady. My guess is that it's a carb problem based entirely on it being as good a guess as any. Planning to do a sync this weekend. Also planning to replace the plugs. May try valve adjustment. It's all on the wiki what could I gently caress up? I was planning on doing this stuff before noticing the dead zone in the rev range, that just gives me extra motivation at this point. Is there anything else I should be looking at? Would 4 months inactive be enough to gunk the carbs up enough to need to be pulled out and cleaned? Dump in some seafoam and rock out?
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Jul 19, 2013 02:11
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| # ? Jun 3, 2024 13:05 |
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Yes, 4 months is more than enough to clog carbs. I'd probably get fresh gas in their if you haven't yet, and seafoam it at the same time. Then start tearing poo poo down. Have the valves been checked/adjusted previously?
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Jul 19, 2013 02:20
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Like Z3n said, run a full tank of the highest octane gas you can get your hands on before you get too deep into the machine. My 2010 250 had 2 tanks of gas where it acted like absolute crap.
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Jul 19, 2013 03:24
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No idea if any of that work has ever been done, thats why I want to do it. It was sitting with half a tank, refilled it after starting it the first time, it has about 100 miles on it, so still 50/50 with the old gas. Is there anything else likely to cause a weird spot in the middle of the rev range like that?
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Jul 19, 2013 04:27
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Old gas.
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Jul 19, 2013 07:00
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Thats easy enough to fix. Thanks, I'll try to get it tuned up and cleaned out this weekend and see where that leaves me.
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Jul 19, 2013 14:54
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Kawasaki torque specs and butter bolts can eat my steaming poo poo  I ground my way through the valve adjustment - every single one way too tight. Start putting it back together. Put on valve cover. First bolt, click, second bolt, wonder why the torque wrench isn't clicking yet...pop...pop doesnt feel like click. Sheared the front right valve cover bolt. About an hour later I actually managed to back out the broken stub by pounding a screwdriver into the jagged edge to turn it almost a full turn over about 30 minutes and applying various other combinations of hitting things and profanity until I could start getting a needle nose pliers around the mm of protruding bolt to carefully start rotating it out. I don't own a drill (or any other equipment for extracting bolts because I figured using a torque wrench would let me get away with not shearing bolts) and even if I did I doubt you can get one to that bolt without pulling the whole engine. So I put everything back together except one head cover bolt. I assume trying to start the bike without one of those would be "bad" so I'm done until I can order a new bolt unless by some crazy chance a local shop has one sitting around. Maybe I'll yank the carbs tomorrow to clean them. I was using a Craftsman torque wrench, set to the spec on the wiki (87 in/lbs). Are these bolts just that lovely or did the wrench possibly fail? It didnt feel like it was getting close to torque, it kinda felt like it was spinning, I was actually just getting worried I might have stripped the threads when it popped. I didn't use the wrench for the remaining 3 bolts on the valve cover, just hand tight and a light touch with a ratchet. I did use it on other bolts afterwords and it seems to be working fine. I've only owned it a few months and barely used it. I don't think this was operator error, it's pretty obvious when it clicks.
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Jul 21, 2013 06:41
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Always, always, always check that the wrench clicks properly before you use it on a sensitive bolt. They are apparently internally oiled and need to be clicked a few times to overcome friction and recirculate the oil. I dont think this is an issue on the high end and regularly used torque wrenches, but my cheapy sometimes doesn't want to click the firsttime at the appropriate spec when it's been sitting awhile. So check it on a big bolt. It'll also help you develop a feel for what a given amount of torque feels like.
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Jul 21, 2013 07:27
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I bet you set your torque wrench for 87 ft/lbs instead of the 87 in/lbs. Even for that low of torque (87in/lbs / 12 = 7.25ft/lbs) you should be using a 1/4" torque wrench. Also remember how long a torque wrench handle is, so it may not seem like a lot of torque compared to your ratchet but it is. edit: My bad, I saw the 3/8" drive and assumed it was in ft/lbs. Yeah sounds like some oil got stuck down in the threads or the torque wrench decided to take the day off. Glad you were able to get it out, extracting out a bolt in the head is no fun at all. velocross fucked around with this message at 08:02 on Jul 21, 2013 |
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Jul 21, 2013 07:37
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It clicked just a few seconds earlier on the first valve cover bolt at the same setting. I had also been using it to tighten the valve adjuster lock nuts. Since tightening the locknuts sometimes tweaked the valve of of spec and caused me to have to readjust a few, the bolt that sheared was probably about the 15th time I'd used it this afternoon. The second valve cover bolt, the one that sheared, didnt feel like it was getting anywhere close to tight. It felt like it was spinning at the same level of torque (much less than the one that clicked) and then just popped. Oil in the threads maybe? Could that cause it to not tighten and just keep spinning in until it stretched and gave way? In the end I'm just glad I was able to extract it and the only damage is a $3 bolt and some confidence in the wrench. Maybe I'll even get lucky and a local shop will have one on the shelf so I wont have to order it. velocross posted:I bet you set your torque wrench for 87 ft/lbs instead of the 87 in/lbs. Even for that low of torque (87in/lbs / 12 = 7.25ft/lbs) you should be using a 1/4" torque wrench. This wrench only has a 25-250 in/lbs range.
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Jul 21, 2013 07:42
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Were you using your torque wrench to loosen the valve adjusters every time you had to reset?
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Jul 21, 2013 16:26
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There's no need to be insulting  no, I'm pretty sure it was just oily and/or a damaged bolt. Other possible reasons for the bike to run like crap: I dont think the airbox boot was actually on at least one of the carb intakes. I guess that would explain why the air filter was so clean. So I'm kinda glad I decided to pull them, even though the insides looked brand new. But oh my god is getting them in and out a nightmare. Apparently the dumbshit PO did some work on it at some point, two of the phillips screws on the bottom of the carbs were cammed out too. Two long days later, new plugs, valves in spec, carbs actually connected to the airbox, carbs synced, and mostly new gas with a bit of seafoam, and it runs like new
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Jul 22, 2013 05:20
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Changed the oil on my '07 with Rotella T6 but didn't get a filter o ring, leaked a bit of oil but then it stopped, hopefully I'll be cool until the next change. How exactly do I check the oil level? only on the centerstand or on the kickstand? and Should it be full or in the middle?
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Jul 25, 2013 15:37
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I was told don't put the bike on either stand, just have it standing straight up on both tires, there should be two tick marks next to the oil window, keep the oil level between them
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Jul 25, 2013 16:28
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Bike must be upright - keep it at the top tick mark as the 250 will often burn a little oil under heavy use.
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Jul 25, 2013 16:42
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Also don't have anyone sitting on it to straighten it, gotta check the level when the bike is unloaded.
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Jul 25, 2013 19:07
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How much oil do you guys put in when you do a full change including filter? All in all I put about 1.8 quarts in there and it's still only around the middle of the sight glass. edit: it's a 2008 newgen Ninja hot sauce fucked around with this message at 15:25 on Jul 29, 2013 |
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Jul 29, 2013 15:19
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I just changed mine and I put in 1.9 liters like the cap said - to check the level, I held the bike up level with no weight on it and the sight glass was completely full - I have a 2007 oldgen, so yours may be different - this thread seems useful for a newgen: http://www.kawiforums.com/oil-lubrication/113982-2008-ninja-250-oil-change-procedures.html
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Jul 29, 2013 17:07
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I'd usually fill it to the top of the sight glass and then check it again after a quick ride.
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Jul 29, 2013 18:59
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Okay, so... I may have done something stupid, but I cannot tell. I checked and adjusted my valves today (and that is all I did today. They all needed adjusting) and am triumphant but tired. However: I put the key in the ignition, turned the key to "on," and the headlight doesn't go on. Not low nor high. Dash lights up. Rear light comes on. Turn signals work. Horn works. But the headlight doesn't come on until I start the bike, at which point it works just fine. For the life of me I cannot remember if this is normal, or if the light should come on once I turn the ignition to "on." Little help? 2002 old-gen ninja 250. Sounds better post-adjustment, anyway. A little less high-strung, I guess is how I'd put it.
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Jul 31, 2013 08:03
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I think that's normal - the one on my 600 doesn't come on until the bike is turned on. I think my 250 had the Off-On switch under the High/Low which let me turn it on before the bike was on, if it doesn't have that, it shouldn't come on until it's running.
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Jul 31, 2013 08:27
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If the 250 is anything like the 650 that's normal. The headlight doesn't come on until you start the engine, but then it stays on after you turn the engine off.
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Jul 31, 2013 13:20
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You guys missed a prime opportunity to make 'im worried he broke something for a few hours. The headlight won't come on till it's running, or at least has been cranked.
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Jul 31, 2013 16:56
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All right, cool. Thanks guys, I can stop worrying about this (and find something new to be paranoid about).
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Jul 31, 2013 16:58
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nsaP posted:You guys missed a prime opportunity to make 'im worried he broke something for a few hours. There's a small relay for the headlight under the valve cover. When you take the valve cover off, it severs the connection and you need to buy a new plastic plug; usually $185 at a dealership, and the only dealerships that carry it are in Alberta. Don't believe anyone else.
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Jul 31, 2013 19:07
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I need to replace my battery, and I'd like to swap it with an OEM part but I haven't got one on hand to check. Could one of you please tell me what part number it is for the Yuasa batt that ships with a 2008 250r? I've heard both YTX9-BS and YTX7A-BS, and I want to be sure since I'm buying online.
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Aug 3, 2013 00:40
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HI EVERYONE I JUST SPENT ALL MY MONEY
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Aug 3, 2013 04:13
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 I bought this 2005 Ninja 250 today after completing Team Oregon's Basic Rider Training course last weekend and getting my motorcycle endorsement at the DMV a couple of days ago. The bike + safety gear + DMV fees set me back just under $3,000. Had a good first ride around the mostly empty industrial area around the place I bought it from before taking it through some windy roads to get back home. I had some trouble initially with letting off the clutch too quickly and killing the engine, but got the hang of it in the 20 minutes or so I spent putting around the empty industrial area streets. I then decided that I wanted to get a feel for what it's like to go over some gravel and turned into a lot where there was some gravel on the pavement in the entry way. This turned out to be a bad idea and I tipped the bike over. I was essentially stopped when it tipped. I managed to get out from under it and slow its fall by pulling up on it. I couldn't find any damage or scrapes, so I guess I lucked out. Not deterred, I decided to try some more gravel. It went better the second time around as I was much more gentle with the controls. After getting familiar with the bike I set off for home and the twists and turns were a lot of fun. I maintained the speed limit and slowed to the yellow suggested speeds for corners and had no trouble negotiating the curves. I'm looking forward to going out again tomorrow 
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Aug 4, 2013 05:37
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Smudgie Buggler posted:HI EVERYONE Someone passed me one one of these today. Newgen ninjas sound loving sexy.
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Aug 4, 2013 08:14
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noxiousg posted:
Sweet, that's the same as my old ninja except for your looks like it's in pretty good condition. Have fun
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Aug 4, 2013 16:25
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noxiousg posted:
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Aug 4, 2013 16:53
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Congrats on getting a ninja in the best color combo as well
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Aug 4, 2013 17:16
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Anyone get false neutrals between 5th and 6th on the new gens ('09 here)? I remember it happening when I rode the 250 before but it was over a year ago. I didn't ride it for a long time, then I just got tires for it yesterday so I took it out again. I tried to drop it down to 5th on the highway to make a pass and ended up seeing the tach bounce off 14 (or thereabouts :/ ) a few times. I remember someone asking about it before and I couldn't remember if this is fairly normal for the bikes or if I should be worried. It's not too much fun when it happens but I'm hoping it's not a sign of something worse. I can tell you, I will be shifting slower and 'with authority' now but I'm pretty sure I was at the time too.
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Aug 9, 2013 16:39
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So I've bene in the process of converting my 07 into a street fighter. Took the fairings off, added bar ends mirrors onto some new clipon handle bars, replaced the headlight ect. I really like the look of it with the low rear end handle bars but its way uncomfortable. Like, having to lean over that much is killing my lower back and wrists. So I just replaced the clip-ons with the stock handle bars but I really miss how it handled. Is it possible to lower the bike's suspension so that I wouldn't be leaning down so far? I saw this on the front of my bike: Linked because of table breaking That looks like I can loosen it up and lower the bike. But I don't know if that will actually help. Anyone else have this issue?
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Aug 9, 2013 18:49
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the bsd boys posted:I need to replace my battery, and I'd like to swap it with an OEM part but I haven't got one on hand to check. Could one of you please tell me what part number it is for the Yuasa batt that ships with a 2008 250r? I've heard both YTX9-BS and YTX7A-BS, and I want to be sure since I'm buying online. Mine had a YTX9-BS, the seven is smaller and not quite as strong.
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Aug 10, 2013 04:23
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Who wants to play guess that noise... http://youtu.be/R-Hj7xrsLfc 03 ninja 15k miles
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Aug 11, 2013 23:30
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Were your valves just adjusted?
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Aug 12, 2013 02:04
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Sounds like it could be the cam chain tensioner. Compare it to this old video of mine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5X0W8Z-NGc I pulled it out and cleaned it up as per the instructions on faq.ninja250.org and it was good to go.
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Aug 12, 2013 02:11
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Valves have not been adjusted, I was going to try and wait until winter, I was hoping the chain tensioner would get brought up
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Aug 12, 2013 12:06
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| # ? Jun 3, 2024 13:05 |
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Better for taller rider (6'2") newgen or oldgen 250?
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Aug 13, 2013 00:44
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