Bike running like POO!!!

[slownugly007]

I just got somewhat settled back in Tennessee after moving back up here from Florida and I wanted to take the bike out for a little joy ride. I got about half a mile down the road and it died on me, it wasnt running well to begin with but I just figured id ride it out.....WRONG! As soon as it goes into fifth it sputters then eventually dies, and when I try to start it it wont start back up....then battery dies.

I got it towed to the house and charged the battery, checked the plugs, cleaned out the fuel filter and tried again. Again I get it to start but its not running great like it did before the move, so I take it out to try the fifth gear stall again....and again it sputters to a stop. Push it backhome...this time im checking the carbs...After trying to recharge the battery again I realize it was completely out of water so I topped off the cells and charged it up....could a bad battery cause it to run bad?

Before I moved I ran seafoam through the gas and began to wonder if it sat in the tank too long or freed up something that clogged my carbs, so I popped the carb bank off this morning and just took each one apart to see if they were gunked up. Every one of them looked good and gas came out of each one with no problem??? Reinstalled them, drained the tank and filled with new gas, cleaned filter and started it up...again it ran but just didnt sound right?

While on the centerstand I ran it up to fifth gear and it sputtered and died again!!??? So now Im taking it to the pros....you guys! Any ideas of what it could be? Is it the change in elevation, weather from moving from florida to tennessee, roughly 2000 ft above sea level??....carbs need rebuilding/re-jetting??...bad battery???...a guy suggested I had a bad valve, he placed a dollar bill over the exhaust and as it was running was sucking the dollar in (this was new to me) any suggestions?? Im stumped!
 Thanks guys!

[shinyribs]

I have seen many old timers use the dollar bill over the tail pipe trick. I've sucked dollar bills in the pipe with known perfectly healthy motors. Just saying. A low or dead battery could definitely cause your problem. I'd try again with a healthy battery before doing anything else. $0.02

[slownugly007]

Yea that was the first time Id ever even heard of it so I wasnt sure how reliable it was? Im gonna check the compression just to rule out anything internal. Im hoping its just the battery, but I find it weird that it dies when in 5th gear and that it ran perfectly a couple days before I moved and now that its here it wont run worth a squat?

[easym5]

Hi have you checked the colour of the plugs,might give you an idea how its fueling since your move

[shinyribs]

Slow,the theory is that if you have a leaking exhaust valve that the vacuum the engine creates on the intake stroke will draw vacuum thru the leaky exhaust valve,causing the dollar bill to draw in the pipe.

5th gear is the highest gear ratio,therefore the hardest strain on the engine. The high gear ration gives the engine no mechanical advantage over the rear tire. Whether you are riding or its on the center stand. Battery weak=spark weak-leads to engine compression in high gear snuffs out your flame. I'd say charge your battery and you'll be OK. If your tune was good before,it should be now.You didnt change anything

[dave Esch]

My uncle has a 74 suzuki 185gt. He has the same issue you have. His issue is the battery. It won't hold a charge. He charges it overnight and can get about an hour run time or so. And as soon as we get cruising on the freeway (fifth gear, of course) the bike loses a dramatic amount of power. It sputters and eventually runs on one piston. His doesn't die though. Anyway, different animal, but start with the simple things first and put a battery in it.

[Lucky 1]

2000 ft sea level change is not that significant.
I have gone from downtown Tucson ,Ariz., to the top of
Mt. Lemon (8,000) feet before my carbs got too rich to idle.

While you were moving, the motorcycle it could have got
 bounced around and dirt got into the idle jets.

[slownugly007]

Thanks for the response guys! I went ahead and ordered a new battery, Ive had the old one on the charger for a couple days and it still wont register as charged, so even if this isnt the main problem its definitely time for a new one. I also ordered a K&N filter and iridium plugs, not saying those are the problems but I read where the emgo filters (whats on my bike now) restrict a lot of air and cause it to run rich.

Im hoping its just the battery, which makes the most sense because if Im not mistaken coils need a certain amount of juice to run properly...correct? And if the charging system on the bike is working but the batterys not, then the built up juice isnt being stored in the battery properly since it wont hold a charge, and in turn the coils wont fire right because they arent getting a constant flow of requied volts? Sooooo....drum roll please......My bike runs terrible because the coils arent firing right? I have no idea if this is how the system actually works so if anybody can shine some light on my diagnosis, please do.

[shinyribs]

Your right. Coils store the extra energy needed to provide a fat spark that a battery cant supply. If they cant get 'fed' enough voltage from the battery they will never fire right.

[Hellbilly429]

Yep, my '81 spits and sputter around 5k rpms thro all gears right now since the charging system took a crap, not enough voltage at the higher rpms. If the battery isn't taking a charge that is most likely the problem, but I would still check the running voltage with a new battery to make sure your charging system is still working properly.