- This topic has 9 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 6 months ago by Munch.
EN 500 “Vulcan 500” problems SOLVED!!! (hopefully)
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October 8, 2008 at 1:05 am #2221MunchParticipant
Hey guys, wanted to let you in on a frustration of mine…….
Bought the 09 Vulcan 500…. I know ..new rider = likely dropped new bike…. no worries personally I’d rather it be MY ding and not someone elses with a history I have no clue about.
No I haven’t dropped the bike…. came close..but luckily no cigar
However …. At the 500 mile check up just before taking it in the 500 now named “Ginny” ( as in female mule… the rest of story eludes to why) I am doing 75+ mph to keep up with traffic and out of nowhere it chokes out on me. Clutch squeezed and searching for a break in traffic to hit the shoulder I finally make it over. Try to start her… all crank no run. Open up the choke full…. bingo we have run, but at near max rev. Move to 1/2 choke… running good, roll throttle a touch… choke out. Repeat last 2 steps and wait a couple minutes in half choke drop to closed choke and we are good to get home. 1200 miles later same scenario in dang near the exact spot…. this time with a twist, after repeating the above steps….. she ..”Ginny”…. does it again!!!! No longer calling her by the name referring to the mule species and leaning more towards the canine species, I go back through all the steps. She gets me home like a scalded dog. After getting the dealership to come pick her up tomorrow on my way home today the huzzy done it to me again… this time 1 mile form the house.
Now after some searching internet I have found a possible solution: Apparently Kawi made to small a vent hole for the fuel capors in the tank. Causing enough vacuum to either draw the fuel lines pinched shut, thus choking it out… or so much so that the fuel pump can’t actually pull the fuel through the lines. The dealership will have it through to the week end to find a solution.
If they don’t get it fixed properly I am just gonna have them upgrade me to the Vulcan 900 Classic. It sux when you have more confidence in your riding skills then you do your brand new bikes ability to get you home.
I will let you know what fix was initiated and what the conclusion is.October 8, 2008 at 1:07 am #13496MunchParticipantYes the tanks full, no the Vulcan does not have an “off ” setting on the fuel valve and no it wasn’t on reserve, and yes I run seafoam in her every third tank.
Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h
October 8, 2008 at 2:43 am #13498bob250ParticipantDid your Vulcan make a whistling sound every now and again? My 08 Ninja does and I think it has to do with the same vent hole you mentioned. I am not a mechanic (anymore) but it sounds like it may be the carbs or maybe bad gas. Just a guess. Glad to hear you made it out of that traffic in one peice. Hope you get Ginny back running like a top and let us know what the dealership finds out.
October 8, 2008 at 5:51 am #13500BenParticipantThats a bummer to hear that about the Vulcan, I hope it is an easy fix, it is one of my favorite bikes.
Ben
~Best Beginner Motorcycles AdminOctober 8, 2008 at 9:07 am #13504ReindeerParticipantSounds like a problem I was having with my Camaro earlier this summer. State has mandated use of 10% ethanol in the gas, and as everybody knows, alcohol absorbs moisture in the air. Make a long story short, my car started to run cranky and would like to occasionally stall out for no apparent reason. Turned out to be bad gas. Started running Iso-Heet in the fuel, and the problem went away.
If it is the fuel vent that is the problem, one possible fix I’m thinking of might be to very slightly ream out the vent hole… slightly larger hole shouldn’t pull as much vacuum through the fuel system, and may solve the problem. Again, just my thought on the subject… obviously let your dealership check it out first and see what they come up with.
October 8, 2008 at 10:10 am #13506MunchParticipantYea we kicked around the ethanol theory only hole in that is that it took 1200 miles in between occurrence. I fill up at 2 gas stations. One has the ethanol @ 10% the other not. So it really doesn’t lend itself to being that.
But yes, another reason why I bought new…WARRANTY!
I hope no one gets the wrong impression too much. The 500 has been awesome! Great power and acceleration, heck I even had it take on a Softail yesterday going to work. The guy wouldn’t change lanes to get in front of me but kept trying to pace me throttle for throttle and brake for brake. After about 5 miles of this and watching his turn signal constantly on I had enough, cracked the throttle and left him with his jaw hangin. We were already doing 70 mph :^) The Vulcan had plenty of get up go to spare.
I think they are going to check into opening the valve up, my only concern is the location and rain. Hate to go from having a vacuum problem to having water get into the tank anytime the ride gets moist.
Secretly though ………. I kinda want to get the Vulcan 900 too. I just need more justification for doing it then “want”. Cause other then this the 500 is perfect for what I use it for.Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h
October 8, 2008 at 12:44 pm #13510LongRangerParticipantI have been having a tank venting issue with my virago. After riding about 10 miles or so it would start to choke out like you have discribed. It would happen more often with a full tank of gas. If I open my gas cap sometimes I can hear the air rush in when the seal is broken. The virago, non CA model, is vented thru the gas cap and I can not find any good answers as to how it vents, but I have disassembled the whole cap, lockset and all, and cleaned everything. Hopefully that will help with my problem. A quick way to verify if you are having a gas tank venting issue is when the motor is choking out and dieing open the gas cap and see if that stops the problem…it does with mine. At least with my problem, if cleaning the cap did not help, I can pull to the side of the road when the motor acts up and just pop the cap then continue on my way.
October 8, 2008 at 6:12 pm #13531BuddParticipantYou might need your valves adjusted, they get tighter as they go.
“I am the best there is at what I do, and what I do ain’t nice.”-Wolverine
October 8, 2008 at 8:55 pm #13547smokeizfireParticipantOne day I was riding down Sepulveda Blvd, and my bike shut off and would not start. Long story short, I called the dealer and ensured them that it wouldn’t start, not for some silly reason like the engine cut-off is engaged, or the kick stand is down( safety mech for my cruiser), etc. They came, not so right away, with their mechanic and he tinkered with it until it started. Stated it was something electrical, and that I should bring it in for him to tape up and re-route some of the wiring. Changed course to home from previous destination. It happened again. Called the “guys” again. They met me, not far from the original location where I was stuck. They picked me and the bike up, got me home and the bike to the dealer. Next day, I picked “her” up and been taking her to look at other “horses” ever since. They said they had to replace the “fuse regulator”(whatever the hell that is…guess it regulates the fuses…duh). The Irony to me of both, topic and this post is, all the while I was getting advice being told to be wary of “new” manufacturers. “Go Japanese”, they said”, “for they are more dependable.” It seems when we make these arguments, we are comparing granny smith’s to red delicious.
Good ol’ Munch. Sorry about your 500, man. That was a hopeful of mine as well. The Vulcan classic is solid. I like the 900 custom a little better…..ok maybe a lot better. However, the overall “classic” look is the most appealing to me….like the Shadow aero or V-star classic. I agree with you on that 8-letter word you used…that starts with a W. There’s a lot of power in that word. ..LOL May the force be with you….so you may cruise the galaxy once more.
HE WHO DIES WITH THE MOST TOYS WINS
October 14, 2008 at 11:42 pm #13852MunchParticipantOk after three days of tsting electric connections, voltages, parts tightened etc. They decided to take one more look befor egiving up. I had mentioned to them some things I have found from other Vulcan 500 owners that had the same problem. From there they went hose for hose and line to line to check flow. Come to find out the company that the dealership contracts for pre delivery assembly had connected the fuel overflow line backwards. Causing an extreme vacuum and pulling the fuel line pinched shut.
I got “Ginny” back today and start riding the rest of the week to work. Wish me luck and if it dies again… you’ll know cause I will be celebrating the home coming of a new 900.Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h
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