My bike's spluttering, please help.

Question

Bike: Aprilia RS50 2005

Okay, here goes. I start the bike with the fuel set on "On" (Three settings, "Off", "On" and "Reserve") and set off all is seemingly fine until i slow down at a red light or to turn at a junction whereby when i try to start off again when the light has turned to green my bike gets up to about 3k revs and dies on me but not before announcing its displeasure by coughing loudly.

However, if i put the bike in reserve (Which i had to do to avoid embarrasment) it seemingly runs fine and it doesn't complain at me. The drawback of this is that i then don't have a reserve tank to fall back on if i run out of fuel.

The bike was stationary for about 4 days after i had last ridden it (which was when i filled up the fuel tank) and the bike is also new to me and I assume it wasn't run in a long while, although for the first three weeks i had it it ran great.

Any help is appreciated.

Adam

Answer 1

This is without a doubt, definatley clogged! it sounds more like the filter as opposed to the actual tank as mentioned eariler.

if you using the normal tank and you let it get to empty, there is always a few bits  of rust floating around the bottom of the tank. It sounds very much like you've picked some of this up some where.

The best thing you can do is give it a blast of engine flush, this is about £5 -£10 from halfords, i'd try that first to flush out any dirt.

Failling that i'd maybe replace the fuel filter, incase you've really colgged it and, failing that, i'd take it to a garage and tell them there something either in the fuel tank, fuel lines or filter.

This is definatly not a cylinder problem as it works fine on the reserve tank. there is however, a minimal posiblity that this could be an electrical problem, but i'd be extremely surprised!  

Answer 2

from how you explain  the problem sounds like a fuel tap fault on the on setting the fuel is taken from the longest pipe on the tap inside your tank reserve is taken from the shortest empty your tank remove the tap the longest pipe probably has a blockage try to clean this out and make sure the filter is not  split if it is replace it  

Answer 3

Remove the fuel line from the petcock (on/off valve).

Put a cup under it to catch any fuel.

Turn it to ON and check if fuel comes out.

Answer 4

Empty the tank & unbolt the fuel tap assembly from the bottom. You'll see two different length pipes with gauze filters - you'll find the long one is clogged or crushed.

For a thorough job, disassemble the tap itself & clean out the fuel paths.

Answer 5

JG is correct! be careful unscrewing the tap from the tank because it could be reverse thread. take your time!!!

Answer 6

Sounds like water or dirt (rust?) in the main tank. Possibly even a clogged filter.

Other than that I can't think of anything.