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Dies after 20-30 minutes of riding

3K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  btom 
#1 ·
I have a 2001 Vulcan 800 classic with around 7000 miles on it. I bought it recently (about 6 months ago) and have been riding it every chance I get. Within the last month or so, the bike starts losing power and then the engine cuts completely off as if it is running out of fuel while I am riding. So far, this only happens after I have been riding 20+ minutes and only when I am cruising at a semi constant speed (never during stop and go driving). I have taken the carb off and completely cleaned it about two weeks ago after I noticed it. I can definitely tell a difference in how it is running, but it still dies. Any ideas as to what I should check for next?
 
#2 ·
Have you replaced fuel filter? Constant fuel pressure could be pushing debris and clogging it. When you let it sit or take a break the debris will fall or settle allowing semi clear fuel flow until you've started stirring it back up again. Not definitely the issue but something to consider. Same thing had happened to a close friend. We chased the issue for two weeks until I was filtering old paint one evening and kept clogging my paint funnel filter and it clicked. Lol good luck
 
#3 ·
Well, is it running rich? Or is starving for fuel? Smell fuel when its doing this? If not, its running lean....
See if you can get it to do it once again, then pull out your choke. If it perks up and runs better for a short time, your starving for fuel....
Check your fuel pump pressure. If low, could be your pickup in the tank is getting blocked....Or pump is loosing pressure, possibly a fuel filter clogging up.
Also, check your float/valve assembly for trash, and that it moves freely. Also, check that its not sticking shut....
Sounds like your fuel delivery system, possibly even your coils going bad....
Can you immediately start it after it dies? Or do you have to wait a few minutes?
 
#4 ·
I will check the fuel screen to see if it is dirty at all. When it does die on me, I usually have to wait a minute or two before it starts up again. The carb and float bowl are all clean as I took the carb completely apart and cleaned it. The float is clean and does not get stuck. The 800 does not have a fuel pump, but it could still be a vacuum line clogged. I haven’t tried running it with the gas cap open yet, so I might try that soon to see if that is the case. I did adjust the idle adjustment screw when I cleaned the carb, so maybe I moved it too rich because I do smell a little bit of gas when I start it and let it warm up.
 
#5 ·
I would also drain out the old fuel outta tank, too, just in case of some watered down ethanol....and start with a fresh splash of good gas....put some Seafoam in there too, to help clean your carb....
 
#6 ·
I have already run a tank full of cleaner through and have a brand new tank ( maybe two days old at most) so I know it isn’t the gas. It seems like there are quite a few forums on here about a problem similar to this, but I haven’t actually seen a resolution that works yet. I am also going to try and test the side stand shutoff switch. I am at a loss right now. It is annoying because I have to ride a decent distance and have to get a trailer if it doesn’t start back up.
 
#7 ·
your bike has a fuel screen? like a fuel filter? if so maybe consider removing it and just have a hose from petcock to carb with no screen or filter
 
#8 ·
From what I understand about the 800-A, there is a screen built into the OEM petcock as it goes into the tank, apparently that is stock. I haven’t had a chance to look at it yet, just from what I have heard in other forums. Also what the dealer that I bought it from told me.
 
#9 ·
I agree with PapaTwisted and DragonLady. Check those easy and cheap fixes first. Eliminate fuel as the issue then do a check on your coils. If it doesn't do it in stop and go traffic, but does when moving for 20+ minutes, I would suspect the coils, though.
 
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#10 ·
there's a screen on that petcock tube that goes inside the gas tank, don't remove the petcock because that screen is probably not plugged and you probably don't need to check it, I think that screen is for larger items, I've never heard of a 800 owner having a problem with that petcock screen being plugged, maybe it's a gas flow problem you're having, because one time I filled my tank up too full at a gas stop and got going down the highway then the bike just died on me, turns out that when I had filled up the tank to the top and closed the gas cap some gas got into the tank air vent line and it prevented air going into the tank and it created a vacuum which stopped the fuel from flowing.
 
#11 ·
i suspect your bike dying on you is because of a gas flow issue, that's my suspicion, and the nature of gas flow on those carb 800 with a petcock is very much dependent on carb vacuum, when air flows thru the carb the carb will create a vacuum in that single hose running from the carb to the petcock, I say single because out of the factory there's a bunch of EPA stuff on those 800s that can be removed and you can just put on a single vacuum hose from carb to petcock, what will eliminate any potential problems with the loss of a vacuum in that hose, and the vacuum will pull on a rubber stopper that inside the petcock which allows that gas to flow to the carb, if there is little to no vacuum in that hose then the spring on that rubber stopper with push that stopper closed shutting off gas to the carb, I suspect that this might be the problem, loss of a vacuum, does your bike still have the EPA gold valve and stock hoses? or did the previous owner remove all that EPA stuff before you bought it
 
#12 ·
Update: I took it out today and rode it until it started to die. I switched the petcock to prime before the engine dies all they way and it started gaining rpms and I rode it for another hour afterwards. SO!! It seems like it is just a vacuum issue. I will look into replacing that hose and see if that was the problem.
 
#13 ·
on your 800 petcock dial, there's 3 positions, (ON, PRI and RES), ON and RES work the same with a vacuum except the RES (Reserve) will give you another 3 liters of gas at the bottom of the tank until the tank runs dry, but only if the bike is running and there's a vacuum in the carb. But the PRI (Prime) will allow gas to flow even if the bike is turned off, it doesn't work by vacuum, there's nothing to stop the gas from flowing when the dial is set to PRI, except a metal stopper plug inside the carb bowl, when the carb bowl float raises up, it closes off the gas flow with that metal stopper plug, that's the only thing that will stop the gas from flowing when petcock dial is set to PRI, bike running or not running. We only use PRI for 12 seconds to fill the carb bowl up with gas after the bike comes out of winter storage and then after 12 seconds you turn the dial to ON,
 
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