[slowtorque]

Hey there! So I'm new-ish to riding (1-1/2 years), new to forums, and new to a motorcycle that dies within a mile of starting and then dies every 1/4 mile after that. It's a 2016 Rebel 250 - my first bike, brand new, and out of the 1 year warranty - also, I believe this is the last year they made the 250.

It starts just fine in the morning and again after work. I let it warm up for about 5 minutes. Then when I start to ride, within a mile or so it will die. The lights stay on. It kind of looses power for a second a couple times, then dies. Once I'm on the side of the road it will turn over once then die again. After I sit there for a minute or so trying to start it, it will finally start. I let it warm up for another minute. Riding down the road it will die again in less than a mile. The further down the road I go the sooner it dies. It's a 5 mile ride to work and dies about 6 to 8 times.

I'm in Fresno, CA and the motorcycle is from here.

I've sprayed Seafoam into the carburetor and added Seafoam to the gas. I have an inline fuel filter which is still clear and has gas in it. The 4 drain tubes at the bottom do not appear to be clogged. The oil change before last I put too much oil in and it was leaking out the large clear drain tube. But I did not overfill this last oil change - no leaking of anything on the ground. Possibly one of the drain tubes are clogged so nothing can leak.

Any help would be great!

 

[01-7700]

Welcome slowtorque !

 

[01-7700]

What is your procedure regarding the choke / enricher ?

Can you verify that you have free flowing fuel from the tank, through the inline filter ? Just remove the line from the carb and let it run into a gas can. If you notice a trickle, try opening the gas cap. Don't ride it with a loose gas cap, just checking if the tank has enough vent to allow the fuel to run through.

 

[slowtorque]

Choke use and something new

Sorry I didn't respond sooner. Like I said, I'm new to forums and did not expect a response so quickly.

As far as the choke use goes, before the stalling started (ironic that, eh?) I would use the choke to warm it up. Once it sounded "louder" I would kill the choke completely. Let it warm up a little longer, then ride with no choke - no probs.

As it started stalling, I tried leaving the choke on half way, 3/4, full, various other scenarios that would seem to help 1 day, but not the next.

New development this morning. When it stalled, while I was sitting there on the side of the road bumming about my life choices, I noticed that the inline fuel filter appeared to be either full or empty. I opened the gas cap and fuel began to flow into the filter. Yesterday I read in one of the other threads that this had something to do with the EVAP or a vacuum condition in the gas tank. I'll have to read around again.

Yesterday afternoon, I lifted the gas tank to check the fumes line (not sure that's the correct term) coming off the tank for kinks (another thread mentioned that might be a problem). But there were no kinks or signs of pinching. I followed the line all the way to the EVAP canister. It looks fine.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[flitecontrol]

Many members with California model bikes have had issues with the evaporation canister. Try unplugging the line to the canister and see if that helps. The fuel filter will always have some air in it.

I would suggest using the choke sparingly. Once the bike is warmed sufficiently that you can ride, do so. Then ease the choke off as the engine warms completely. No need to let it idle for extended periods. If none of the above help, I'd begin to suspect the carburetor might be dirty, but that isn't likely for a 2016 model unless it sat with gas in the carb for extended periods, or carbon from the canister got sucked into the carb.

 

[01-7700]

Sorry I didn't respond sooner. Like I said, I'm new to forums and did not expect a response so quickly.

As far as the choke use goes, before the stalling started (ironic that, eh?) I would use the choke to warm it up. Once it sounded "louder" I would kill the choke completely. Let it warm up a little longer, then ride with no choke - no probs.

As it started stalling, I tried leaving the choke on half way, 3/4, full, various other scenarios that would seem to help 1 day, but not the next.

New development this morning. When it stalled, while I was sitting there on the side of the road bumming about my life choices, I noticed that the inline fuel filter appeared to be either full or empty. I opened the gas cap and fuel began to flow into the filter. Yesterday I read in one of the other threads that this had something to do with the EVAP or a vacuum condition in the gas tank. I'll have to read around again.

Yesterday afternoon, I lifted the gas tank to check the fumes line (not sure that's the correct term) coming off the tank for kinks (another thread mentioned that might be a problem). But there were no kinks or signs of pinching. I followed the line all the way to the EVAP canister. It looks fine.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

np, i just happen to be online

i think you found your problem - life choices restored

 

[Duckster]

The fuel filter will always have some air in it.

Just a minor distinction, the point is still valid, but It won't be air in the fuel filter, but gasoline vapor. Gasoline is highly volatile, and when placed under the slightest vacuum it will vaporize to fill the vacuum.

 

[slowtorque]

When I unplug the line from the gas tank to the evap canister, I will leave the end of the line open. Do I need to plug the input to the evap canister?

 

[Duckster]

When I unplug the line from the gas tank to the evap canister, I will leave the end of the line open. Do I need to plug the input to the evap canister?

No, why would you have to plug it?

 

[slowtorque]

Just asking. In case there is a vacuum issue or something.

 

[flitecontrol]

If it's something a dirt dauber might like to nest in, plugging it will keep them out.

 

[kryton]

The tank's vent/breather/vapor tube goes through the charcoal canister and out one of the 2 open free-air ports on the canister, to 'capture' fuel in the charcoal and let the air continue. when the engine is running, the intake draws a vacuum on the Purge Control Valve (PCV) which opens and draws a trickle of air from the 2nd free-air port on the charcoal canister, through the charcoal picking up 'captured' fuel and on to the intake so this 'captured' fuel can be burned.

Except the tank's vent/breather tube is supposed to have a T fitting in it (part #13 on fuel tank fiche) with 1 leg going to the charcoal canister and the other leg just routed down to free air with the other tubes poking out the bottom around the puke tube, as though gasoline fumes were lighter than air? and would take the branch instead of just venting out the bottom? (actually it's so overfilling the tank drains out onto the ground instead of filling the canister with liquid fuel)

if unplugging your tank's vent hose from the canister solves the problem then you might be missing the T fitting and the extra bit of rubber tube...

 

[kryton]

side note ref another thread from a while back: where OP had fuel line forked to canister instead, and adamant that's how its previous owner sold it and it ran for over a year...its easy to see how looking at parts fiche without a manual could confuse someone as to which is the fuel line and which is the vent line, just saying....

 

[slowtorque]

Still stalls

I pulled the tube that runs from the gas tank to the evap canister off the canister end and routed it down this weekend. The bike still stalled this morning while riding to work. Open the gas cap and it starts back up, runs for a while and stalls again. Repeat. Stalled 2 times in the 5 miles to work. This weekend I am thinking I will pull the gas tank and tube and blow out the rubber tube with an air compressor. But how would I clean the metal tube into the tank? I was thinking a pipe cleaner but I don't know what or where to look inside the tank to know if I'm cleaning all the way through and if I'm pushing junk into the tank that will need to be cleaned out somehow. Does anyone have a picture/description of what I should be seeing. Also, is a pipe cleaner to thick? Could I use the air compressor on the internal tank tube from the bottom nipple?

Thanks!

 

[01-7700]

read post #12 again

 

[kryton]

Fuel only trickles slowly from the tank to the engine, so unless the vent is completely plugged and sealed shut your issues is other than a vacuum in the tank.
with the gas cap off blow air up through the vent tube, you should be able to determine if air is going into the tank or the vent tube is completely clogged. don't worry about blowing the crud into the tank, you have a petcock fuel screen and an in-line add-on fuel filter.
If air goes up the tube and into the tank then its time to look elsewhere for a warmed up engine to stall...

 

[Duckster]

I pulled the tube that runs from the gas tank to the evap canister off the canister end and routed it down this weekend. The bike still stalled this morning while riding to work. Open the gas cap and it starts back up, runs for a while and stalls again. Repeat. Stalled 2 times in the 5 miles to work. This weekend I am thinking I will pull the gas tank and tube and blow out the rubber tube with an air compressor. But how would I clean the metal tube into the tank? I was thinking a pipe cleaner but I don't know what or where to look inside the tank to know if I'm cleaning all the way through and if I'm pushing junk into the tank that will need to be cleaned out somehow. Does anyone have a picture/description of what I should be seeing. Also, is a pipe cleaner to thick? Could I use the air compressor on the internal tank tube from the bottom nipple?

Thanks!

Fuel should flow out of the tank in a fairly strong stream when you disconnect the gasline and run it into a container. If the vent is plugged, the strong flow will turn into a trickle very quickly.
Has your gastank been lined with Caswells or similar? Mine was when I got it, and whoever did it plugged the metal pipe inside the tank with the material. It is impossible to clean this stuff out because the pipe is bent. I had to drill a small hole in the fuel cap to convert it to a vented cap to fix my problem.
Anyway, do the flow test and run about a pint of fuel into a container. If it streams strongly out of the gas line the whole time, your problem is not the vent.

 

[slowtorque]

I don't know what, if any, coating is inside the tank. I bought the bike new from the manufacturer (local dealer) and they had just finished assembling it from shipping. They did not assemble it very well, but I don't think there was anything extra done.

I will try the drain test soon.

 

[01-7700]

looking forward to the result...

 

[R.Tillery]

First...welcome aboard. My Rebel cmx 250 is a 2002 that I purchased for my wife several years ago, the only issue that I've had with it was a symptom just like yours. My first thought was the problem was "temperature" related which led me to the coil. So, I put some spark plug removal tools & gloves in my pocket & took off, when it failed I pulled over, pulled out a plug, connected it to the coil wire, laid it on the head(for ground) & spun it over. Sure enough...no spark! I had an extra known good spark plug in the saddle bag so, stuck it in(it was cooler), damn if that cylinder didn't start firing. limped it home on 1 cylinder, changed both plugs, problem solved, but mine prefers an NGK plug. You might check your spark @ the plug during the failure, it's easy & costs nothing but a few minutes to do.