Problems cutting out and backfiring?

[TimRobertson06]

I just purchased a 2005 RTSD with a little over 7,000 miles for $6,000 which I am hoping was a decent deal. But any ways I test drove it and it never showed the first sign of a problem. But on my way home it started cutting out when accelerating and popping on deceleration. Well at the end of my 200 mile trip home the bike was cutting out pretty bad pretty much through about 70% of the rev band and popping any time I stared to decelerate. I know the bike has been siting for about 7-8 weeks and not sure if that would have anything to do with it or at least to that extent. (Oh, and the bike has a pair of BUB's on it if that may be contibuting to the problem). My last bike was fuel inj. so I never had any of these problems. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks: Tim

[Yammer Dan]

Sea-Foam!! Full can to 1/2 tank of gas. Run like you stole it til under 1/4 tank and refill.

[V7Goose]

7,000 miles in 7 years means that bike has done a LOT of sitting and rotting. It is actually surprising that it runs at all if it has not had recent work. ALL the fluids need to be changed.

 

"Cutting out" would generally sound like an ignition problem, perhaps exacerbated by bad fuel mixture or fuel delivery. But since that is such a subjective term, it could easily be completely fuel related. The popping and afterfire is certainly caused mostly by the ignition problem, but even after that is all fixed, you could still have popping caused by a vacuum leak or exhaust leak. Do start by running SeaFoam in the next few tanks of gas. But if the carbs a pretty gunked up like they usually are from sitting, it is gonna take more than that.

 

I think you got a good deal on the bike. Getting it fixed right will probably cost $500-$1,000 at a dealer. It is not particularly hard, but a lot of labor is involved. You are not too far from me - if you want to ride down here near Fort Worth, I will help you check out the total bike, change the fuel filter, clean the carbs properly, set the floats, check the coils and plugs, and sync the carbs and set mixture - your cost would be $200+parts (and being a paid member here). And you will learn an awful lot about your bike!

 

If you want to do it all yourself, the information is all over this site - all you have to do is look for it. And the members here will do everything they can to help answer your questions and point you in the right direction.

 

In case you need either, the shop manual is available for free download here, and the owner's manual is available for free download from the Yamaha/Star web site.

 

Welcome to the tribe - I know you will enjoy that bike once you get it sorted out!

 

And be sure to look up threads here about power and shift points - if you have not been riding a high-reving multi, I guarantee you that you are not riding this bike correctly yet (especially since it is not running well)!

Goose

Edited October 5, 2011 by V7Goose