2006 Venox 250 sputtering....Just bought it, put 200 miles on her..

[krisfnbs]

so as some of you know I purchased a 06 venox 250 about 2-3 weeks ago with around 13k miles. I have put 200 miles on her, mostly around the city and just a little on the highway. Everything sounded fine, etc. I did notice a little bit of sputtering/bogging, but I figured it was due to the bike sitting for 1-2 years. The tank had about a gallon of gas, and I filled it up with high octane gas. I have also changed the oil. That's all I have done so far.

I took the bike out on a highway trip this morning and for about 10 miles it was ok... then it started sputtering really heavy. I was jerking back and fourth around 60mph. Eventually the bike just lost all power and I had to pull to the side of the road. THe bike would only start if I gave it a little throttle. Beautiful sunny day, nice and hot outside.

I figure I will change the spark plug, fuel filter, air filter. Anything else you would recommend? I have read on here that some people have had issues with a vaccum line in the gas tank? or something about the kick stand?

I'm pretty confident nothing is seriously wrong with the bike, it had just been sitting for a bit. I dont want to jump into cleaning the carbs or anything more serious until I get the small stuff out of the way...

I have real basic knowledge of this bike at this point and I would appreciate if you guys can send me in the right direction...the last thing I want to do is dumb a bunch of money into something that doesnt need to be fixed. Thanks!!!

[ophelia]

You sound like you're on the right track with the filters and spark plug. Do those first and then come back if it doesn't clear up. You might just need a carb cleaning, but do the easy stuff first.

[max oradea]

It might be a classic case of plug fouling.
when you are one the highway and high rev, the engine require more air to run, but if your air filter is old then it restricts air and then you are running rich and richer until the carbon can not be burned off anymore and the spark plug miss fire and gets fouled.
I guess you are at home now so before you start the bike check the exhaust pipe for carbon, if its thick and black then it points to running rich.
As you say require throttle to start and keep in idle maybe and loss of power, check your exhaust pulse and see if they are both firing. if one cylinder is not firing and with a fouled spark plug you should feel significant loss of power, and a lot of vibration and jerks, jerks happen when the fouled cylinder is giving bursts of combustion, this is not good because excess fuel in the cylinder and carbon build up will increase compression pressure, and risk of detonition.
change the air filter and then new spark plugs, run for a good 50 to 100km if it lasts that long without repeating the previous symptom, take the spark plugs out for a check and also check the exhaust for carbon.
Good luck buddy! i had the same problem because i got a show room bike which was pretty new and was sitting for 2 years with the air filter... so hope thats your problem.
by the way photos of the screen mod will be nice!

[krisfnbs]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm going to hopefully change everything in the next week or so.

I tried to install the windshield this morning and I realized the mounting brackets it came with do not fit the venox 250 out of the box. I have to sand down the edges of the brackets to get them to fit, its rather annoying but I think it will look great once mounted. I will surely post pics as soon as it is!

[krisfnbs]

Is the fuel filter part number: 17540   17540-KED9-900    FUEL ASSY VALVE

on this: http://www.kymcopartsmonster.com/p/Kymco-Motorcycle-Parts#/Kymco_USA/RA50AA_Venox_250/Fuel_Tank/2K01110005/01110061

Just bought the air filter online, going to my local auto store to get the spark plug tonight....

[max oradea]

No buddy its the 1695A    1695A-KED9-900, the thing you will have to check for this part is if the fuel comes out of the vacuum side. the rubber diaphragm inside that auto fuel valve gets old and when you suck and release and suck again on the vacuum hose the fuel will slightly run down the vacuum hose and into the real cylinder manifold.
You wont have to change that part unless the rubber diaphragm is leaking within the auto valve body. The fuel filter is a plastic part inside the tank which is connected to the part 1695A    1695A-KED9-900 with a O-ring seal. you will be able to remove and clean and refit the fuel filter once you get the auto valve off. i had to get a new 1695A because as i said it was leaking fuel directly into the real cylinder manifold with every cycle of the engine making an un-adjustable situation for the real cylinder via the carburator idle mixture screw.
so dont get this part before checking if the valve is leaking.
The part you are looking at is a kind of a re-burner part of some sort, that mixes the exhaust gas with the fresh fuel. that part is pretty solid and will not be the part causing your problems of running rich and fouling plugs. when i had my issue a year back i thought it would be that too.
Trust me if you are suddenly fouling plugs then best guess is that the air filter has expired, they last for 2 years even without a lot of use.
infact your symptoms are identical to my when i had it and buddy i took the whole fuel system apart for 4 times before i realized that the air filter was the main problem, the bike when i got it was running good and suddenly big time fouling and even i try iridium plugs did not work. there is another symptom you can check for> starting cold without choke, if you are able to start a cold engine without choke means either the choke is jammed or you are running rich>> air filter block.
before i found the air filter problem i changed main needle, main jet, idle jet, idle mixture screws, was even so close to getting a new set of carbs. The problem was everyone thought i got a new bike out of the factory, if they only knew that it was show room bike sitting for 2 years then they would think air filter!

[krisfnbs]

Thanks for the info! I put the spark plugs in today and it fired up, but it would stall shortly after. it did this 5 times. So then I gave it some throttle and eventually it would die on me. Until the battery died. I even had full choke on. Maybe the engine is flooded with gas. I'm going to buy a new battery for it, doesnt cost much(ebay is great) and I have no idea how old this one is, and im pretty sure it has been sitting for a while anyways.

[Hairy Bob]

Hey there Kris. Sorry to hear about your hassles mate. I've got to agree with Max and the Surgeon. Before you go rip sh** and bust with complicated sh**, do the easy stuff first. Do the air filter before you do anything else, then the fuel filter. Sometimes, it's the simple sh** that brings you to a grinding halt. If it's any deeper, which hopefully it's not, then Max is the bloke to listen to.  I'll try and send you the parts manual, it's only 2,651Kb, so hopefully it might go through, unlike the bloody service manual.I'll do that as soon as I've finished this. Good luck, and keep us all tuned on your progress.
Positive vibes being sent your way,
Regards, Hairy Bob.

Here comes the parts manual ... with a bit of luck !!

[Hairy Bob]

Well hoobloodyray !!!  Looks like it went through Kris. Check your email and let me know ol mate. The service manual must have been just too big a file. Hope that's some help to you anyway.
So, once again, good luck mate,
Regards, Hairy Bob. 

[krisfnbs]

air filter is in the mail. I should have it by the end of the week. I put the spark plugs in last night. fired up and then died, until the battery died. i charged the battery overnight and tried it again today and got nothing. the bike was at least running the other day. Now it wont even start.(even with the new plugs) I dont think putting the new air filter on is going to make it start. I do think the carbs need to be cleaned out. I know whatever it is its nothing serious, its just frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!

[krisfnbs]

pics of the spark plugs:

[krisfnbs]

pics of the air filter:





on a side note, for sh**s and giggles I tried to start it down a small hill and drop the clutch and it didnt work lol

[Hairy Bob]

Errr, hey Kris, did you get that parts manual or not man I just thought it might have been the polite thing to do to let me know one way or another sport, or maybe it's just us Aussies that have strange little rituals like that !!
Hairy Bob.

[max oradea]

hi buddy just had a quick look at your photos, will need a down view of the spark plug for better diagnosis, and your air filter looks old and dirty so wait for the new one.
When you took off the spark plugs did one of them look black and maybe wet... and how are your exhaust pulses and exhaust pipe color?
if the insulator part on the firing end is coated with carbon then it can cause a miss fire, the spark will travel via the carbon deposit and will not jump across the bridge to generate a spark.
but again your air filter looks like on its way out so it should be that. a photo of the firing side of the spark plug will let us know also if your carburator needs to be balanced.
So first thing fit the new air filter and plugs, go for a ride and then come back and pull the plugs to see if they are doing ok. and make a note which spark plug is from which cylinder.

[krisfnbs]

hairy bob yes I did get it from you, thanks a bunch for that. I did end up buying the service manual for $10. seems very useful.