Another problem. not having very much luck with this bike
Bike has been misfiring with increased frequency over the last month or so. The bike is verging on unrideable now.
Could this be the result of old iridium spark plugs (17k miles)? I have been riding in the rain a lot over the last week, so I checked to see if the front plug was getting wet but it doesn't seem to be.
I have a spare set of coils and leads. What is involved in changing them? I cant see where the leads run to.
Doubt the plug mileage is an issue. On the front plug lead first, unscrew the plug cap from the lead and check iot very carefull for any splits - if there is one water will get in and cause a short when the engine gets warm by capillary action. It took me ages to find this was my problem a few years back. Also, trim back the lead by about 1/4" so that when you screw the plug cap (assuming it''s a new one or the old one was OK) back, it bites into the core. Spray all around with WD40.
Of course it could be a coil etc, but try the simple things first?
Front coil is mounted on the front left hand side of the frame above the rad with the connector into the loom just below the rad. The rear coil is mounted just below the front right side of the seat, under the right side panel and the connector is in the bundle behind the tank, in front of the battery.
I don't know enough to comment on whether the coils are the most likely suspects.
Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero F3, 954 USD front, K Tech springs, Braced swinger, Penske shock, Six spoke Mockesini wheels, Harris rearsets, QaT, Flywheel diet!, A&L stacks, stick coils, K&N, FP Ti jets, lashings of Ti & CF
It's a good idea to keep the old set of plugs, assuming the bike was running ok and you changed them just to fresh one4s.
That way you have a set to swap over, to see if the problem goes away.
If it does, it was plugs, if it doesn't, it's coils.
Don't forget the ECU connection, might be worth unplugging and spraying with proper electrical contact cleaner.
While you're there, why not do the coil stick conversion?
But it's jut occurred to me as I type- it's not low battery or RR failure, is it?
It's not falling off, it's an upgrade opportunity.
Ive changed the RR before that broke on me so I doubt it is that. Ill give the ECU connection a check.
Ill try changing the plugs tomorrow and if that doesn't fix it, Ill change the coils and leads. From the description of where they are am I right in thinking that this should be quite straight forward? I'm probably going to have to do this out in the rain so I'm hoping so
I did the stick coil mod a couple of weeks ago and it took me a leisurely hour in good weather so I am sure you would be quicker with rain down your neck!
Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero F3, 954 USD front, K Tech springs, Braced swinger, Penske shock, Six spoke Mockesini wheels, Harris rearsets, QaT, Flywheel diet!, A&L stacks, stick coils, K&N, FP Ti jets, lashings of Ti & CF
+1 on the stick coils..........for the same money you would spend on getting a pair of 10yr old Storm coils, you can get the newer high efficency stick coild off a CBR600 and get rid of the whole HT lead and all its problems.
while you are waiting for the parts and the rain to stop, I would quickly change the plugs and unscrew the Plug cap, cut 1/2" of the end of both HT leads and screw the plug cap back onto fresh section of HT.
Also check the drain hole for the front plug, you will find a 3mm hole below the exhaust port, poke a screw driver up there and make sure it is not blocked
AMCQ46 wrote:
Also check the drain hole for the front plug, you will find a 3mm hole below the exhaust port, poke a screw driver up there and make sure it is not blocked
Check that water hasn't, bypassed the seal on the plug caps and filled the spark plug hole. Take the cap off and give it a good squirt of WD40, plus get any water out from the SP hole, clear the drainage hole as per AMCQ46 - and then use some silcone grease to help seal the plug cap rubber when reattaching.
It may be that your whole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
Thanks for all the advice. I changed the plugs, coils + leads, checked for water getting to the front plug, and checked the ECU connection yesterday. All of this has made no difference.
However the plugs were in quite a state (they were okay 1.5k ago).
I have been listening to it misfiring at idle, it sounds more like a spit back through the carb. Given the colour of the plugs is it possible that the idle mixture is wrong? There is alot of popping and banging on the over run but I have always but this down to being a characteristic of the Firestorm.
I am thinking air leak on the inlet somewhere, do you have a scott oiler or a front vac pipe fitted, could it have a small split or the bung dropped out?
AMCQ46 wrote:I am thinking air leak on the inlet somewhere, do you have a scott oiler or a front vac pipe fitted, could it have a small split or the bung dropped out?
My mechanic did fit vac pipes for balancing the carbs ages ago. I will check to see if the bungs he fitted have fallen out.
Stratman wrote:Is the choke staying partially out? Plugs look very sooty, so could be a possibility?
It feels as if it is going in and out as usual. I have not physically checked though.
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