My Bonni Dies Slooowly

[Red Dog]

It was a nice autumn day, so why not take the Bonni out for a ride - right?

I road for about 28 miles when I started to slowly lose power until the bike died. There was enough glide to get the bike off the road. Puzzled, I check the oil level. It was good. Completely at a lose as to why the bike died, I tried to start it up again. Fired right up with out a problem. Okay, lets get the bike home by the shortest route I know of. Turned around, went back the way I came, about a mile later the bike slowly lost power and then died. Tow truck time. I couldn't trust the bike to get me home.

I have 24,503 miles on the clock. The 24,000 service work has not been done. I was going to wait until spring and do both bikes at once.

Step 1 - Check that the battery lugs are tight. I had a similar issue with DR down in the national forest. Turned out the negative lug was loose.

Step 2 - Uh . . . ?

Knowing that the fuel filter is to be replaced at 24,000 miles, I wondered if some small piece of whatever was floating back and forth in the filter dependent on the fuel flow and pressure. I hoping that it's something else that a lot cheaper and easier to fix.

The bike is a 2010 Bonneville SE, with, as mentioned before, 24,503 miles on it. If anyone needs more information to help me out, it will be gladly given.

Thanks,
Alec+

 

[Qship]

Tank not venting? Sounds like fuel starvation.

 

[Red Dog]

It has the original gas cap. However, I can see where the vent could get blocked up. What gets me is that it worked fine on Monday, about 16 miles, and today for 28 miles, then it just happened.

I will keep the gas cap in the back of my mind. It's really a cheap fix even if it's not the problem.

 

[sikatri]

If it always starts when it’s cold you may have an electrical issue. If you go for a ride and it happens again. Let the motorcycle cool down before restarting. It should get you home. Let us know what happens.

 

[Vector]

Bummer, it could be a multitude of things.

 

[Vector]

Is it giving a fault code?

 

[Qship]

Think those models were fuel injected. Has the fuel system been cleaned? If you run much ethanol and let it sit it could gum up the system. Fuel pump failure possible. When it cools works again. So many possibilities.

 

[Red Dog]

If it sits for awhile, yes, it will start. Doing that every mile or so is a hell of a way to get your self home.

As with everyone else, sure the bike sits a couple, three days. Some how weather and life always gets in the way. But, since I took possession of the bike in late May she's been ridden all summer and until yesterday never had a problem.

Vector, I have no way of knowing whether it's throwing a false code or not - don't have the gizmo to tell.

Qship, yes the bike is fuel injected. I've thought of the fuel filter, but not the pump. I'll look into that.

That's all for now. Wasted a wonderful day driving to Cleveland and back for a 20 minute doctors visit.

Oh, on a brighter note! I have found that I can ride and shift wearing my off road boots.

 

[Vector]

Code readers are inexpensive, most auto parts stores have them.

 

[Red Dog]

Vector, I know they're prices are now affordable to the common man. All my previous bikes never required one, thus have never purchased one. Might be the time time to consider one. Any recommendations?

However, the Triumph is now on the back burner. Tomorrow, I receive new carby jets for the DR. Solving it's problems, to my mind, are easier. Besides, I'd rather have the beast for winter riding. Mud and Snow rated tires might have something to do with this.

Getting the beast running would, also, allow me the winter to figure out the Triumph.

 

[jrich5602122]

It was a nice autumn day, so why not take the Bonni out for a ride - right?

I road for about 28 miles when I started to slowly lose power until the bike died. There was enough glide to get the bike off the road. Puzzled, I check the oil level. It was good. Completely at a lose as to why the bike died, I tried to start it up again. Fired right up with out a problem. Okay, lets get the bike home by the shortest route I know of. Turned around, went back the way I came, about a mile later the bike slowly lost power and then died. Tow truck time. I couldn't trust the bike to get me home.

I have 24,503 miles on the clock. The 24,000 service work has not been done. I was going to wait until spring and do both bikes at once.

Step 1 - Check that the battery lugs are tight. I had a similar issue with DR down in the national forest. Turned out the negative lug was loose.

Step 2 - Uh . . . ?

Knowing that the fuel filter is to be replaced at 24,000 miles, I wondered if some small piece of whatever was floating back and forth in the filter dependent on the fuel flow and pressure. I hoping that it's something else that a lot cheaper and easier to fix.

The bike is a 2010 Bonneville SE, with, as mentioned before, 24,503 miles on it. If anyone needs more information to help me out, it will be gladly given.

Thanks,
Alec+

I have a similar issue with my 2012 Steve McQueen T100, (40k miles), although different enough in nature that I doubt from the same cause.

Usually early in the ride, the engine will just cutout, as though I had hit the kill switch. I will pull off the road, turn the key of and on and it will start and run again. Usually this happens 2 times within the first few miles. More often than not it will run fine after that, but not guaranteed.

I’ve had it to the shop 3 times, where the mechanics say there is no code coming up, and where they claim to have test ridden the bike and not had the bike die on them. They have no clue what the issue is. The last time I picked up the bike after another $125 diagnosis, it dies on me twice less than 5 miles from the shop.

Question: Is there a low oil pressure engine kill feature on this bike? The issue seems electrical given that it dies instantly (not the slow starve you describe for your bike).

Could The actual kill switch be faulting?

Any other theories?

 

[Red Dog]

I have a similar issue with my 2012 Steve McQueen T100, (40k miles), although different enough in nature that I doubt from the same cause.

Usually early in the ride, the engine will just cutout, as though I had hit the kill switch. I will pull off the road, turn the key of and on and it will start and run again. Usually this happens 2 times within the first few miles. More often than not it will run fine after that, but not guaranteed.

I’ve had it to the shop 3 times, where the mechanics say there is no code coming up, and where they claim to have test ridden the bike and not had the bike die on them. They have no clue what the issue is. The last time I picked up the bike after another $125 diagnosis, it dies on me twice less than 5 miles from the shop.

Question: Is there a low oil pressure engine kill feature on this bike? The issue seems electrical given that it dies instantly (not the slow starve you describe for your bike).

Could The actual kill switch be faulting?

Any other theories?

That's what I'm here asking you for.

 

[sikatri]

To me the OP’s issue doesn’t sound the same as jrich’s.

 

[VABird]

I had a similar issue with my America. I was doing some maintenance with the tank off and inadvertently reinstalled the tip-over valve in the horizontal position. That valve is designed to not only shut off the gas flow in a tip over, but vent the tank. If horizontal, it blocks venting and prevents gas from flowing. If you loosen the gas cap, it'll run again, but the fix is to reorient the valve vertically.

 

[sikatri]

Vector, I know they're prices are now affordable to the common man. All my previous bikes never required one, thus have never purchased one. Might be the time time to consider one. Any recommendations?

However, the Triumph is now on the back burner. Tomorrow, I receive new carby jets for the DR. Solving it's problems, to my mind, are easier. Besides, I'd rather have the beast for winter riding. Mud and Snow rated tires might have something to do with this.

Getting the beast running would, also, allow me the winter to figure out the Triumph.

I think your problem is electrical. For instance the pickup coil is failing. When the engine warms up the breaking part forms a gap and the engine dies. When the engine cools enough the break gap closes and the engine starts again until the engine temperature is reached again. It’ll repeat this as long as you let the engine cool. The longer you let it sit the longer you can go before it happens again. From a cold engine it takes about 15 to 20 minutes for the engine temp to get to the fail point. That was my problem with a similar issue on my Thruxton. Good luck.

 

[Walterph]

I agree it's probably electrical. Had a similar problem with an old car which I swore was fuel related and turned out to be a bad ignition coil that would short out when hot.

 

[sikatri]

I agree it's probably electrical. Had a similar problem with an old car which I swore was fuel related and turned out to be a bad ignition coil that would short out when hot.

That’s exactly what happens, when the engine has warmed up the components act up if they are failing.

 

[Qship]

To check tank venting run it til it dies and open the tank. If you hear air being drawn in, the the venting is plugged somewhere. If not then I would look at electrical as Sikatri and others have stated.

 

[Red Dog]

To check tank venting run it til it dies and open the tank. If you hear air being drawn in, the the venting is plugged somewhere. If not then I would look at electrical as Sikatri and others have stated.

Sounds like a plan. I think it was to you, Qship, I replied that a new gas cap is cheaper than tearing God knows what, spending money I may not have to spend.

I think your problem is electrical. For instance the pickup coil is failing. When the engine warms up the breaking part forms a gap and the engine dies. When the engine cools enough the break gap closes and the engine starts again until the engine temperature is reached again. It’ll repeat this as long as you let the engine cool. The longer you let it sit the longer you can go before it happens again. From a cold engine it takes about 15 to 20 minutes for the engine temp to get to the fail point. That was my problem with a similar issue on my Thruxton. Good luck.

I can't find a pickup coil listed the parts catalog. The starter and alternator page on shows a stator; nothing regarding a pickup coil. Is it know by any other name?

 

[Red Dog]

Went to Rick's Motorsport Electrics, suggested by some one on DRRiders. New stator, but again, nothing that comes close to a pickup coil.