Got my CRM today - had to push it 20 miles home : - (

[bob]

Went to pick my CRM up this morning. See this thread for pics:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=9343&p=60024#p60024

I paid up my £1100, got the paperwork and started the bike - took a few prods but was okay. Now, not only have I never owned a 2t before, but this is my first off-road bike too. So it was a bit of a baptism of fire as I wobbled off down the road, and through the busy streets of York. My problems began almost immediately as the bike stalled at the first junction. I pulled the choke back on and soon restarted it though. Thinking it was rider error I was quickly under way again. However the respite was short lived because the bike stalled again at the next junction...and the next....and the next.

Please note that the stalls did not occur whilst idling, but during the overrun in low gears. The bike is actually quite happy to idle once warmish. But it simply will not stay lit when changing down. It took me three hours to cover the 20 miles home. The bike was reluctant to restart once stalled and I had to wait at least 10 minutes before it would let me kick it up again.

It seems to pull well up to 50-60 (and perhaps has a bit more, but being a bit too mechanically sympathetic I tend to back off a bit when engines start to roll their sleeves up and begin their hardest work), and sounds well. No knocks, rattles or untoward sounds. But my god it won't behave on the overrun.

I pulled into an acquaintance's place as I finally limped into my village and he had a brief poke and prod. He noticed a very sticky residue around the airbox. Said check it when you get home, engine seems like it could starved of air. I should also note here that I do believe the carb will be in reasonable shape as the previous owner religiously drained them of fuel (the bike has not been used for several years as the owner was an old man and couldn't kick it up).

Anyway when I finally arrived home I whipped the panel off to get a better look at the air filter. Sure enough it had an excess of what I have since learned (from a post on BCF) might be filter oil. Ideally I would like to get the big round spongy filter off and soak it in petrol - see if I can't get some of that sticky stuff off. However I can't get the filter out. I've undone the clip - but there seems to be a fastener in the middle somewhere that's evading my efforts.

I dunno. I'm just a bit pissed off at this juncture. If anyone has any suggestions/diagnoses etc. I will be only to glad to receive them.

[knackeredMk1]

Once you have got it even a little bit warm then you should not use the choke to restart when stalled. This will flood the bike and make starting very difficult. Have a look at 'starting' in the FAQS - viewtopic.php?f=20&t=8231

It is OK if there is some oil run off from the air filter. This shows it is at least oiled. Air filter oil is sticky and the engine should not be run without the air filter oiled as it will not catch dust particles.

The air filter has a cage that fits around the air inlet to seal it. It should pull off.

Don't understand second paragraph re stalling .........

[bob]

Thanks for the reply. Regarding my second paragraph - the bike stalls when changing down - it starts to hunt quite dramatically during deceleration through third and second and then dies. But if by contrast I block change and use more front and rear brake, I'll get to a junction, find neutral and the bike will idle quite contentedly. What seems to kill it is changing down gear by gear - when it gets to third and second it starts to get very fluffy, uneven and you can tell it's not running well. You have to use deft clutch work coupled with throttle blipping to ensure the engine doesn't stall. And even then it usually will.

I'

[twistednuts]

When you say stall, do you mean the engine actually cuts out altogether?

Is it not just a 2 stroke thang? When you let the revs off they do die a bit, buy if its ticking over ok it shouldnt cut out altogether.

Are you saying that when you change from 3rd to 2nd on deceleration, it cuts out? What happens if you blip the throttle whilst changin down gears?

Does it feel like its jumping forward when you change down onto 2nd, whilst slowing down without any revs?

[bob]

When you say stall, do you mean the engine actually cuts out altogether?

Yes. The cutting out altogether is preceded by uneven revs, and general unevenness.

Is it not just a 2 stroke thang? When you let the revs off they do die a bit, buy if its ticking over ok it shouldnt cut out altogether.

See next questions. ; - )

Are you saying that when you change from 3rd to 2nd on deceleration, it cuts out? What happens if you blip the throttle whilst changin down gears?

Blipping will sometimes help to avoid cutting out - but it's all on a knife edge. Get the blip wrong and it's dead before you know it. So there's a lot of clutching in, blip blip blip come on don't die, yeah it's okay, clutch out, omg no it's not, clutch back in, BLIP BLIP, okay better now, clutch out oh poo no it's not, clutch again, FUCKING BLLIIIIPPPPPP, and we're at the junction, brakes on, dies.

Kick - nothing. Kick - nothing. KICK KICK KICK.....KICK....KICK. Hmmph. Choke? Choke. KICK. Nothing. KICK. KICK KICK. Choke off. KIck.

And rest.

And rest some more.

Think serene thoughts. Meadows. Larks ascending over grassy pastures. Sheep grazing contentedly. Out of the corner of your eye, a red crm - there. Just to your left....POUNCE ON IT. Kick it again before it even has time to think. KICK KICK.

Ring ding a ding ding ding - RIIIINNGGG DINNNGG - down into first and off.

Does it feel like its jumping forward when you change down onto 2nd, whilst slowing down without any revs?

Not particularly, no. I will be more emphatic here - no it doesn't. If anything it's the opposite. It's like it's stuttering and someone's applying the breaks in quick little bursts, rather than squirting fuel in randomly. It feels more like a starvation thing if that makes sense.

Oh and thanks for the help.

[knackeredMk1]

There could be several causes for your problem - electrical and fuel. I would start with fuel. Take the carb off and give it a good clean. Especially the jets and float bowl. It's surprising how much crud develops even when the fuel is drained.

Plus what Twisted is about to say .............

[twistednuts]

Think i'd give it all a proper going over, especially as its been stood.

Clean everything, new fuel, new oils, new spark plug, clean all the electrical earths and check wires etc.

Then go for a blast an see what crack is

[bob]

Okay - the bike has stood for a few days now at the mechanics I use in York. I went in to get an update and was told that the bike seemed to be running well when ridden around the industrial estate where the mechanic's unit is based. So I said okay great - I'll go for a ride around town. And I covered about 2 miles whereupon it stalled at some lights and wouldn't restart. Fortunately I had ridden in a loop and was only about quarter of a mile from 'base' when the bike died.

I pushed the bike back round and told the guy what had happened. He tried to kick the bike up repeatedly - and of course, nothing happened. Cue furrowed brows and the dawning realisation that this guy (i.e. me) has a bike with a genuine problem, and is not some dude who just doesn't know how to ride a flighty old 2t. I actually am, but I'm not a total n00b, and am relatively sure I know a bike with a problem when I ride one.

So - diagnostics began. Fuel lines off carb - petrol coming through. Next, plug is taken out and inspected - to reveal a dry end with a slightly brown tan. Hold plug near to frame, kick the starter - and there's a strong, blue spark. Everything seems fine. Plug back in, more kicking. More nothing.

Current thinking is that there's an intermittent electrical fault somewhere. So my question is simply this - can anyone possibly suggest a few pointers? It is almost as though when the bike gets warm a faulty connection somewhere is expanding, causing a breakdown in....something. I'm just guessing here and have no idea if I'm honest. Hence me arriving here, cap in hand, hoping somebody might be able to say, well, you could try this, this and this.

Cheers guys.

[Active Rascal]

I'd say it sounds to me like an intermittent electrical fault, either a partially broken ignition wire or poor earth somewhere? Have you tried bypassing the kill switch? Does the bike have a sidestand switch still? If so; byass this. Other than that, start to take apart and inspect wiring etc, use a multimeter and wiggle wires/plugs around and ensure good continuity.

With regards to things warming up and breaking down.... I think ignition windings can warm up and short out, causing this type of problem. Then when allowed to cool, it will restart. I seem to remember someone having a similar problem a while back.

This is assuming you've thoroughly cleaned the carb?

[bob]

Thanks for the prompt reply Rascal. Pretty sure the bike still has a stand switch so will get that checked, ditto kill etc.

Carb will be next.

[knackeredMk1]

Do those first and then go to the generator coil as these can break down when warm as stated above.

[fallenmikethebike]

Does sound suspiciously like either the coil, or the windings.
The stator can be rewound, and upgraded at the same time, about £120.
Coils are a lot cheaper.
Run the bike on the side stand and check if it routinely goes down.
Mike

[bob]

Nice one guys.

[bob]

Hi everyone -

It's almost a month since I last posted - but there have been developments, so I thought I'd post an update.

My CRM has lain dormant in York while the guy who works on my bikes steeled himself to tackle the job(s) at hand. Not an ideal situation, but hey ho. Anyway, I have been pestering him a bit to crack on with it, whilst acknowledging that it's the busiest time of year for him.

He has cleaned the carb and replaced the plug. And...the bike no longer stalls, and will start cold, warm and hot. So progress has definitely been made. I've been out on the bike today - both on and off road. It's lovely and light, it's responsive and it accelerates like nothing I've ridden before.

However, it's still not quite right - and so I'd like to try and describe the symptoms and ask those who know these bikes well if they can suggest some next steps.

The primary issue I'm now faced with is the way in which the bike pulls through the gears. It accelerates eagerly and makes 70mph easily. Nevertheless, it does not sound particularly well - and is only really happy when being thrashed. The bike does not have its original sprockets, so the ratios are very close. There is a fair amount of what I can only describe as clattering if the throttle isn't pinned. It seems a bit wheezy, almost hesitant and is generally lacking a smoothness that I know it's capable of.

Perhaps the carb needs some fine tuning. But being new to these bikes, and indeed, bikes in general, I'm looking for sound advice. The bike is 75-80% there now. I can feel it wanting to be smooth, and right - and am willing to persevere. It idles very contentedly, warms up quickly - but this wheezy, quite ragged clattering at half to three quarter revs is robbing the bike of the smoothness I'm almost certain it's capable of. Finally, I'll just note that I would not really describe these symptoms as "hesitation" - nor are there any glaring flat spots as such (I've certainly felt more obvious flat spots on 4t bikes). It's just that the bike is only really on its best behaviour if given full or almost full throttle - and whilst I love that, it makes for pretty hair-raising riding when in town and village. So - any suggestions will be most welcome.

[twistednuts]

They are a bit jumpy and unsmooth bob, especially when slowing down under engine braking. 2 strokes are a bit like that.

Im no expert, but i'll gladly have a ride to york if you want me to have a gander sometime. I love the place and the A59 is my favourite road