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Still running rough in Korea

3K views 21 replies 7 participants last post by  richw 
#1 ·
Well, I posted this issue back in Dec, and it still persists. My bike is an 03 DL1000 with 34k miles. it ran great back in NM, but since it arrived here in Dec, it has been running rough. The only prep i did to the bike to get it here was remove most of the gas (i could still hear a little swishing around) and disconnect the battery. I had the dealer do a 30k service before departing, which included valve adjustment and throttle valve synch.
The bike is equipped with a set of Staintunes (no baffles) and a PCIII. OEM air filter.
The bike had no know major mechanical issues before bringing it here and in the three years I've owned it.
Since receiving the bike I have done the following:
I replaced the battery.
I've added a fuel treatment to a fresh tank of gas...still runs rough. I continue to add a stabilizer to each tank. Min octane here is 92.
I've disconnected the PC III...still rough...reinstalled the PCIII.
I checked plugs (no issue), air filter (clean), and did a thorough inspection under the tank area...clean and nothing out of sorts.
By rough running, here is what i mean. At idle, it sounds "off," both cold and warm. It is almost a cyclical fall off of RPMs. I can watch the tach move from about 1100 to 1400 RPMs. Overall, i classify the idle as rough, and I've even had it cough and stall at stop lights. It starts back up with no issue, but this is not good in Korean traffic. At speed, between 2500 and 3500 rpms, it runs very rough. it will lurch about and the engine does not run smooth. Painful to cruise at low speeds in first and second gear. Today, at higher speeds, the engine feedback just felt rough, like a motor struggling to make RPMs. It got me home, but I was worried enough to cut the trip short.
Anyway, I'm hoping for some more troubleshooting advice.
I suspect an issue with the fuel injection system. I worry that the little fuel that was left in the bike, gummed something up. If it were a carb'd bike, I'd pull the carbs and give them a good cleaning, because this is what it feels like it needs (but it is not a carb'd bike). Any advice on cleaning the FI system...I'm all ears.
Wx is getting nice here, and there are too many good roads to waste time wrenching on this bike.
Thanks in advance.
 
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#2 ·
I just got done meeting with a korean mechanic. From what i could understand (his english, while better than my Korean, was not too good) he thinks the poor running is based on 1)the Vee does not like Korean gas, 2) the combo of the OEM air filter and the unbaffled Staintunes is not helping, and 3) maybe a clogged injector. He'll be e-mailing me a translated version of his diagnosis later tonight.
Thoughts?
Thanks in advance.
 
#3 ·
You could Email Suzuki or have another Military friend in Japan stop by a dealership and see if there is a difference in gas. There could be a different program for the PCM between the states and Asia. :confused:
 
#6 ·
One other thought...
When i pull the tank to inspect the boots, is there any value in cleaning the throttle body area with a product like gumout? I just want to rule out the possibility that old fuel left deposits that are causing problems. I alos would like to avoid screwing something up that ain't already screwed.
anything else to look at with the tank off?
 
#10 ·
More toubleshooting...

Well, i took a good look at the boots (w/o removing the tank) and they look fine. I then played around with the map, and tried just about every PC Map out there, and it still idles very rough, so i went back to the map for Staintunes and OEM filter.
After running it in idle for a while, i did notice that the surging at idle only happens when it hits two bars or more on the temp gague. When she is cold (one bar or less), the idle is relatively smooth.
I think I will remove the tank tomorrow to ensure no unseen issue with the boots exist. The question is still out there, when I have the throttle bodies all exposed like that, is there a safe way to spray something on them to clean all the moving parts up?
I'd love ot get a can of sea foam, but have not found that product here in Korea.
i am also waiting on the fuel volume test, as i have no way of measuring the fuel right now.
 
#12 ·
If this thing was a car I would swear you have a vacuum leak. All of the vacuum hoses looked good and attached? A small spray of carb cleaner around the hoses will tell you if there is a vacuum leak.
 
#13 ·
Too bad

Well sorry it wasn't the map. But since that's out of the way, you say you're going to take the gas tank off. So while you've got it off do the TBS and replace the fuel filter. Might also be a good time to convert to an external (outside of gas tank) filter for future ease of replacement. Have you tried sticking it in dealer mode to see if there is an error code?
 
#14 ·
I am actually wondering what the Computer is doing. Can a dirty computer on these or corrosion around the computer like on the wires cause this issue? As a jet mechanic our ECM's will burn up from extreme vibrations and lots of dust. They are military jets and when they take their trips overseas and in the desert, it is really easy for them to go bad. Maybe some di-electric solvent spray would help out to clean up?
 
#15 ·
Well, I had it in to a small shop here to see if one of the local scooter mechanics could find a problem. no luck. He said he thought the PCIII was the problem and it needed a new map for Korea. I kind of doubt it.
I spent about an hour riding it around base last night and here is a little more thorough breakdown of the problem.
Running in second gear, around 20-25 MPH, at about 2500-3000 rpms, it will lurch, kind of like when a bike is running out of gas and you switch over to reserve. I can also here a light popping or coughing sound down beneath me, toward the front of the bike (down beneath the front of the gas tank).
I also suspect that at full on running speed, it is just running a bit rougher than it did before. My gut tells me i have a problem with the fule filter, but man, I'm intimidated to tear into that. It is not like I can get a replacement part by running down to the local suzuki shop.
For good measure, i dumped a bottle of gumout fuel system cleaner in the tank last night hoping for a miracle.
anyway, I'm going back to step one on this problem this weekend, tearing into componants until i find the culprit. doesn't seem like I have many other options.
 
#17 ·
Update...
I finally got mechanics rolled in on this issue, and I'm up to 5 Korean mechanics and counting.
Here is the main problem: at about 3k RPMS in 2nd gear, the bike will studder and i can here a clicking noise down beneath the front of the tank. I cna live with the clicking, but the studder is getting old. Occassionally, the bike will stall while at idle (not good in korean traffic). Problem seems most pronounced when the temp gague hits two bars or more.
First mecanics thought it was the plugs...nope.
Current mechanic thinks it is a throttle body issue.
I'm open to more suggestions from this crowd.
Once agin, the bike is a 2003 with 34k miles, and has spent its whole life in NM.
Me, i think it is a fuel pump/filter issue. The bike ran fine before being shipped over here. i drained the tank as part of the prep. i fear that an o-ring or gasket within the fuel pump/filter assembly, didn't like being dry for the three months it took to get here, and has failed.
I have not examined the assembly yet, but I'm trying to get my new team to do so before attacking the throttle body.
I'm all ears...:confused:
Thanks in advance,
- Skitch
 
#18 ·
Well I am sure you are pretty frustrated by now! I don't recall you saying how the bike ran above 3.5K RPM's. If it is fine and not cutting out at higher RPM's I doubt it is either of the filters and only a slight chance it is the pump. You are most likely need to start at one end of the fuel system and work your way to the other and if no success do the same with the ignition electrical circuit. This includes doing all the adjstments: TBS, TPS, Fast Idle adj, hot idle gap, secondary throttle plate adjustment, and per the manual, check resistance on all fuel/air related sensors. Check fuel pump flow and injectors. Clean, grease (di-electric) all ECM connectors and check for bent or recessed tongs. A competent mechanic can do all this with ease but but in your situation you may have to tackel this yourself. If you have a manual it isn't very hard, just time consuming. Remember that much of the TB is interconnected and by adjusting certain items you may off set another. Often neglected is the hot idle gap. Keep us posted.
 
#20 ·
I had the priveledge to go thru the bike with a generic moto mechanic in Seoul yesterday. He was very thorough despite his limited knowledge on the Vstrom. He did check all of the sensors and cleaned their connections. He thinks it may be a throttle body issue. after spending 5 hours ripping into the bike, he was too proud to accept any payment for what he considered was a failed venture.
I still think the problem is due to shipping the bike with no fuel in the tank, and may be a something simple like a failed o-ring or gasket that dried out during the shipping.
I have moved the bike to another mechanic, said to be one of Seoul's best. If he can not figure it out, i may just end up selling it for the best offer. :headbang:
 
#21 · (Edited)
well, I picked the bike up from seoul today. hard to test ride it in city traffic, but initally i thought they had the problem licked. I'm still trying to figure out what they fixed (my interpreture will call me tonight with a translation***...I think it was a disconnected line from "crank case to throttle body"), but it made the problem a little better, but not completely.
***the line mentioned that was disconnected was most likely something not put back together after the first mechanic put the bike back together. he was kind of hurrying to get me out the door in a timely manner...almost left the air filter out too. The last mechanic did use a vacuum tester on the bike. Initially it was reading 17 and 13. After synching, it read 17 and 17. He also adjusted the cold idle, since it was "staying high for too long."
Right now the engine studders between 2800 and 3000 RPM. it is most prominent in 2d and 3d gear. and there is still an audible sharp "click" sound when the bike studders.
The bike is definitely more rideable right now, but also not 100%. Only fear now is that I don't want the problem to get worse out on the road far from home.
anyway...any thoughts. I'm most curious to know if anything happens in the fueling at around 3k rpms? Could this be a sensor acting up?
I still have not looked at the fuel filter, and i don't think a mechanic has yet either. I may tear into that this weekend.
Thanks again.
- Skitch
 
#22 ·
No VEE has ever been happy at 2800 RPMS. My TEKA boxed one will pull from mid 2000 but not happy

If your PC3 is working then bike should be happy at about 3300 and up

I think your there.

Now simply put a screwdriver in your right ear and carefully adjust your attitude.

Give the finger to NK for me and enjoy
 
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