I've only owned my Terra for a couple of months. It's got a bit over 3000km and has been running well. I've done the pod mod, changed the oil and fitted a bashplate and that's about it. Last ride was about 80km and she went fine. I've enjoyed the few rides I've done on it so far. So this morning I took off on a road ride. It was fairly warm, around 30deg Celsius. I was on a long steep road and was overtaking a couple of cars at around 110kph. I was interested to see how the Terra would pull up this hill and was initially happy enough. Then it slowly lost power, it wouldn't hold speed and started dropping down to 85kph. This wasn't right, so I pulled over turned it off and checked the oil. That was ok. Went to start her up again - turns over but will not start. Opened up the fuel cap in case there was a breather issue - didn't help. Listened for the fuel pump when turning the key on - initially thought there was nothing, but now back in the shed I can hear it prime. Ive had a good look over the bike and there's no obvious visible evidence of a problem. I disconnected the battery, reconnected, the motor turns over fine, but no sign of starting. There are no indicators on the dash that anything is wrong. So the gloss has gone off my new toy now, my princess is now just an old trollop. I don't know where the problem is, but the way the power dropped off slowly, I'm thinking fuel. So, before I start dismembering my bike, has anyone experienced anything similar? I'm not much of a mechanic so would appreciate any tips or advice from inmates.
Fuel is very likely, and could be possibly a blocked Fuel Pump filter, its in the tank and requires removal of the whole pump which is not really a big job. However I would expect it to fire or even try to run on a blocked filter. If it had suddenly died I would suspect Fuse F10 which powers the EFI, but it didnt. Still worth a check though. Next job is to pull the plugs and have a look there, but possibly they are ok too.
I think the batteries ok, the motor turns over fine and I've put it on a trickle charger and it made no difference. Bad fuel? Maybe, last fuel was at a high turnover location though, so I it is unlikely. If water in fuel though, I would expect it to "try" and start, but there's no hint of it. Thanks for the suggestions guys
Pulled the fuel pump out this arvo. Fairly straight forward procedure. The pipe came out with a bit of a pop, so pressure seems ok. All looks in good order. Inverted and drained to give it a bit of backwash. Reinstalled, tested - no start. Will pull the spark plugs next, but I think it's fairly unlikely both plugs would blow together and I would have thought with 1 plug functional it would run a bit, if not roughly? After that it's onto the sensors - will have to learn how to test them. If I'm going to own an orphan, might as well learn to be self sufficient....
Reliving the failure, something slowly drained off the power and you stopped and it will not start. Did it have any throttle response before you shut it off? It sounds like a fuel starvation or electrical degradation. Probably not electrical without some sort of warning/trouble codes. So then, bad fuel=clogged injector, OR, how did you do the pod mod? If something sucked into the intake and got stuck, that would choke the engine out. You can pop you pod filter and juice the engine with starting fluid and eliminate electrical. Have your camera ready for the photo op. The only other thing might be valves. I wouldn't think they would go that fast, should be more of as slower "over time" performance issue, unless something stuck under load.
Apologies, yes it is F8 for the EFI, but I would expect the motor to instantly die and not gradually lose power as you have described, also there would have been an Engine Warning Light showing. The bad fuel, valves and water ideas also do not ring true as the engine should at least try to fire, both plugs dying together is also unlikely. So.....squirt a bit of petrol or even lighter gas directly into the throttle opening and see if it fires when you try to start it. Good luck !
Not a happy camper. Today my wife tells me her car has done a head gasket, the water pump to our house is shagged, then I go out to the shed to spray a bit of petrol down the throttle body and discover my bike problem is getting worse..... I noticed the same issue when I did the pod mod, but the dealer changed the oil before pickup and I thought the lazy pricks didn't drain the top tank and overfilled it (I still do). So I changed the oil properly and problem solved, or so I thought. Now when I first trailered the bike home after it dying this oil wasn't there, just trying to start it in the shed is doing it. I emptied the oil out of the air box and tried again - yep, turning it over is pumping oil into the air box. What would do this? I don't think I'm going to like the answer
Fairly. I emptied the sump and the top tank completely, then refilled with 2L oil. I had done a few rides since the oil change, say 200km, and no sign of any issues I think the fact that I was going up a long steep hill on a fairly warm day has something to do with what happened.
If its any consolation Muddler, your not alone. Apart from my Terra gearbox problems (estimated labor 10-12 hours to fix + parts), my wife tells me the transmission in the Ford Territory is playing up. These are not expenses needed leading up to Christmas. I'm inclined to think your Terra problem sounds like fuel injectors blocked. Did you end up squirting some fuel down the intake?
When, it rains it pours.... Yes, injector is a possibility. Unfortunately I'm not game to start it now I have this oil issue. Just in case the motors not already toasted, I don't want to make it worse.
House water pump and Car head gasket first then you may have time to look at exactly where the oil is coming from and how is it being "pumped into the airbox" as you turn the engine over. Apart from the Throttle Body there is only one connection from engine to airbox and that is the breather pipe from the right side casing. The engine main oil breather is another pipe that leads from the cylinder head into the top of the oil tank and it cannot be that. Pop the breather hose on the right casing and see if there is oil pumping out, therefore going up to the airbox, but I would expect that to be showing as oil running down the front of the right side of the bike. Take off the Pod Mod and inspect the Throttle Body, is there oil coming into the airbox from that direction?
