my bloody bike keeps conking out, please help

[jeff]

hey guys,
have recently got an re5a back on the road after just under 25 years in storage (not mine all that time)
its only done around 15,000 kms and is pretty original
honest answer is i have done nothing with it except replace battery, check oils and add coolant, put a new rear tyre on started and ridden it
have had no problems until recently when it just stopped on me (on the bottom of a steep hill ) after about a 5 mile run
pushed it up that bloody hill and left it somewhere safe while i went home and got my trailer
so left it for a few days then decided to see if it would start, boom started straight away as if nothing had happened
so thought cool, checked all levels and seemed in order, went for another ride around 5 miles and it didnt miss a beat
turned bike off and done a bit of quick shopping
started bike and hadnt left the carpark before it just stopped, again
tried to start but just kept turning over but not starting so went through the whole trailer process again
havent got a clue whats wrong as once home after leaving for a couple of days its started again
hanging out to go for another ride so would appreciate any advice as to possible cause and solution as getting sick of trailer trips
thanks jeff

[steveuk]

Could be the coil overheating, or the fuel tank preasurizing if it does it again remove the tank cap then see if it will start again,

just a thought Steve

[jeff]

thanks steve,
will try that, any other tips also appreciated

[re5guy]

Hi Jeff,

Early in the year I had a similar problem. It kept stopping after a few miles, and eventually I found it to be the plug overheating and breaking down. It would start cold and run, but once it got up to a good temperature, it would start mis- firing and coughing. I did have another plug, which I kept swapping, so it tended to distract me from the true problem, which turned out to be the ignition timing, advancing too soon and too far, causing the engine to run hotter than normal. Basically weak springs on the mechanical advance and retard unit.

I run Yamaha race plugs using Jess's adapter, which I would recommend to anybody.

ps. Pushing your bike up hill is a fantastic way to keep fit, unless it kills you in the process!

Guy

[raychappo]

I had similar problems that I eventually found were caused by fuel tap. The vacuum was not opening tap. Found the problem after I'd fitted a small clear inline fuel filter, then fuel flow was visable or not as the case may be. A quick check is to put the fuel tap in the prime position, mine ran perfectly in this position.
Ray

[Jess]

Sounds like the cdi is getting ready to pack it in...

Just a thought.

Good luck!

Best

[Jess]

Pushing the bike... At my age and fitness level is a sure way to induce a heart attack. I had an engine blow on my about 7 years ago... I pushed the bike home(over 3 miles). I thought I was fixin' to die... Said never again.

That's what trailers are for...

Cheers

[jeff]

thanks everyone for there help
rode it a short distance yesterday and it ran fine, got home and it started spluttering so turned bike off, undid fuel cap and started again
didnt seem to splutter after doing that, not saying its fixed but
pretty sure its a fuel related problem though
did fit new o-rings to the petcock as they were leaking when i first got it running
will take everyones advice though as next few days am going to ride it around the block until/unless it conks out, at least i'll be close to home then
on another note used to push my re5 about 2 miles at 7am every morning up to a steep hill to roll start the bike to go to work, as it would never quite have enough ooomph with the starter motor to get started
that was 25+ years ago though
when it broke down the other day i rang the misses to let her know what happened, she thought i was having a heart attack
thanks again guys will update when i know more

[raychappo]

When I had my first RE in '82, I had to press the starter button and kick it at the same time to get it to turn over fast enough to start. Looking back now I thinkit must have had a starter motor fault or battery as my current one spins over great on the starter motor.

[HGH 770N]

Ray. I had simmilar starting problem some 20 years ago, It would start when i stood on kick start with some help from electric starter . I found out that my 6 month old battery had a cell gone and there fore 9volt not 12volt, im not sure why the CDI still worked @ 9 volt but it did.
nowadays i can stand on kick start and wheighing some what alot heavier than 20 years ago it would start with out the aid of the starter .
LOL
Rog

[raychappo]

Rog, its funny how things change, 30 years ago I could pull the bike onto the centre stand without a problem, these days, either 30 years of muck have made the bike heavier or I don't have the muscle I use to have........ the latter me thinks

[riversidogs]

Funny I have noticed the same thing.