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Dropped bike and now it runs poorly

2K views 18 replies 8 participants last post by  fibersport 
#1 ·
As the title states, I went to stand the bike on the side stand and didn't realize it was pulled up, talk about a DUH! moment. Anyway, I noticed it was running a little odd, like the carbs were flooded or something and there was a slight bog. I didn't think too much about it since it was early morning and when it fell over, it was still running until I shut it off. It rode fine after a couple of miles. On my ride home, it seemed to still be acting up again. When I got home, it idled around 500 rpm, has a rattling sound from the timing belt area that goes away when I pull in the clutch and the exhaust smells maybe rich. Timing belts are new last year by the way. If I roll on the throttle, I can hear maybe some pinging and the exhaust note "could" be different than normal. I also noticed when I pulled it in the garage, having it on the center stand and idling, it would simply shut off, no sputtering or anything, as if the key were turned off. It does seem that it behaves a lot like it did last fall when I had a vacuum leak, the one hose between the throttle throats.

I feel real stupid about laying it down and am not in the mood to tear into it tonight. I thought maybe someone could add some insight into what I'm experiencing. I'm not sure if there are some knock sensors or something similar on the engine. The rattling sound however does concern me more than anything else.

If it makes any difference, when it fell over I was parallel to my garage door and the bike landed on the left side, with the slope of the driveway, it actually heeled over past the roll bars and landed on the mirror. I'm concerned that the impact may have done something to the engine although there are no leaks anywhere. I have floor boards which did fold up into the shifter but it shifted fine all during my 60 mile commute. Any thoughts or comments about the bike, not my stupidity, would be appreciated.
 
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#3 ·
As the title states, I went to stand the bike on the side stand and didn't realize it was pulled up, talk about a DUH! moment. Anyway, I noticed it was running a little odd, like the carbs were flooded or something and there was a slight bog. I didn't think too much about it since it was early morning and when it fell over, it was still running until I shut it off. It rode fine after a couple of miles. On my ride home, it seemed to still be acting up again. When I got home, it idled around 500 rpm, has a rattling sound from the timing belt area that goes away when I pull in the clutch and the exhaust smells maybe rich. Timing belts are new last year by the way. If I roll on the throttle, I can hear maybe some pinging and the exhaust note "could" be different than normal. I also noticed when I pulled it in the garage, having it on the center stand and idling, it would simply shut off, no sputtering or anything, as if the key were turned off. It does seem that it behaves a lot like it did last fall when I had a vacuum leak, the one hose between the throttle throats.b

I feel real stupid about laying it down and am not in the mood to tear into it tonight. I thought maybe someone could add some insight into what I'm experiencing. I'm not sure if there are some knock sensors or something similar on the engine. The rattling sound however does concern me more than anything else.

If it makes any difference, when it fell over I was parallel to my garage door and the bike landed on the left side, with the slope of the driveway, it actually heeled over past the roll bars and landed on the mirror. I'm concerned that the impact may have done something to the engine although there are no leaks anywhere. I have floor boards which did fold up into the shifter but it shifted fine all during my 60 mile commute. Any thoughts or comments about the bike, not my stupidity, would be appreciated.
First there is no reason the bike was still running when it was tipped over that much. The bank angle sensor should have turned off the engine long before that. That is not the issue but something you should check in to at some point. The bank angle sensor is not doing it's job.
As for the poor running I think maybe you already touched on a possible issue. When the bike went over it could have jarred a line loose. It also might have jarred the carbs enough that they moved on the rubber isolators. Either way I wonder if you are not going to be chasing a vacuum leak. Do you use propane to find vacuum leaks?
Another possibility is that it might have broken off a spark plug on that side. Pulled off a plug wire a little or pulled a plug wire apart.
The rattle is probably not an issue. It is probably the gears in the transmission rattling because the output from the engine is erratic.
If it makes you feel any better I did the exact same thing. I tipped mine over at Taco Bell. So all the customers got a meal and a show for the cost of the meal. :)
 
#6 ·
The bank angle sensor should have killed the engine, investigate why it is not working.
Sounds like it took a good jolt going down. Low idle RPM, different exhaust sound and smell confirms something is not right with ignition or more likely mixture. After a visual inspection of components strip it down a bit and diagnose the problem.
https://www.goldwingfacts.com/forum.../426066-1500-fuel-mixture-diagnosis-test.html
 
#7 ·
With the engine running on its side - Wondering if maybe a stuck carburetor float....

Try this: Disconnect fuel pump power at the tank, disconnect and plug vacuum line at the petcock, start engine and run the carburetors out of gas.. Use the choke when engine starts to sputter to use the last of the fuel in the bottom of the carbs. After it dies, reconnect vacuum line and fuel pump.

This exercise "Should" drop the floats to bottom of travel and maybe restore normal operation if one was stuck.
 
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#8 ·
There was a recall for the Bank Angle Sensor (BAS) for the 1988 - 1993. One possibility why yours did not work.

The BAS provides a "ground" to activate the ignition relay....!

Technicians were supposed to stamp an "X" on the frame (near the battery) when completing the recall.


In your post........................

I pulled it in the garage, having it on the center stand and idling, it would simply shut off, no sputtering or anything, as if the key were turned off.

You might want to investigate the BAS situation.......Maybe even first.

Don't "overthink" the issue....!!
 
#9 ·
Thank you to all, very good things to check. I hate to admit but this is not the first time I've dropped the bike however the other time it did shut off, so looking into the sensor needs to be a priority. Haven't had any time to really look into things, hopefully over the weekend as we are having some great riding weather.
 
#11 ·
At least it wasn't moving at the time, even after two years of having it I still forget to plan for the weight of it. I need to keep remembering keep the front wheel straight when stopping and now remember to check for that side stand light! My Shadow 600 was so different, almost like getting on a kids bicycle.
 
#13 ·
OK, I'm feeling better with comments like that .....


Started taking it apart, nothing found yet although I now have two screws with stripped heads that hold the air filter housing to the carbs, that's when I stopped for the night!
 
#14 ·
Update:
I pulled the carbs off today and have not found any possible reason for the low idle. The rattling noise only happens around 500 rpm, at normal idle speed it's fine. The orange stripped hose that goes between the intakes under the carb is fine, as are the rest of the vacuum hoses at least as far as I can tell. To check the floats I blew into each fuel inlet and rotated the carb until the needle closed, they don't appear to be stuck. I have spark at all 6 plugs, however the left side plugs are a little black and sooty whereas the right side plugs are a more normal tan/whitish. I'm a little stumped, I have spark, I have fuel and I have compression - except it seems that something is not quite right. Any more thoughts while it's all apart?


Anyone know where the bank angle sensor is? Can't seem to find it in my manual.
 
#16 ·
Update:
I pulled the carbs off today and have not found any possible reason for the low idle. The rattling noise only happens around 500 rpm, at normal idle speed it's fine. The orange stripped hose that goes between the intakes under the carb is fine, as are the rest of the vacuum hoses at least as far as I can tell. To check the floats I blew into each fuel inlet and rotated the carb until the needle closed, they don't appear to be stuck. I have spark at all 6 plugs, however the left side plugs are a little black and sooty whereas the right side plugs are a more normal tan/whitish. I'm a little stumped, I have spark, I have fuel and I have compression - except it seems that something is not quite right. Any more thoughts while it's all apart?
Anyone know where the bank angle sensor is? Can't seem to find it in my manual.

The key to a successful repair is to diagnose the problem to a component. No mechanic dives into a problem hoping they will see a fault, it is done through DIAGNOSIS. You were given a routine to follow earlier. Like minded problems on an internet forum is a shot in the dark and a guessing game.

Now, your darker colored plugs could mean proper combustion with lighter lean combustion or darker colored rich combustion and lighter colored correct combustion.:nerd: This would have been confirmed one way or the other through proper DIAGNOSIS before ripping things apart, now you are pucked and back to square one.:frown2: I pretty much gave up long ago trying to convince folks to DIAGNOSE the problem first before the masses (more often wrong) easy replacement part fix.:?
 
#15 ·
It is not unusual after years of use that the carb insolators shrink up and become loose. A dropped bike could cause the carbs to move and suck air. That would lean out fuel mixture. A small leak will increase idle speed. A bigger leak will cause the idle to slow down.
If that is the case the plugs will turn black from misfires so don't let that fool you. Lean mixtures can have black plugs.
Beware, there are stops on the clamps so they can't be overtightened at the factory. After you put the carbs back on try to rock them back and forth. You should not be able to pull them loose from the manifolds very easy.
One of the best ways to find a vacuum leak is to use your propane torch or gas from your gas grill. Make sure you use the regulator on the gas grill tank.
One other thought. Try turning the idle up to 750 with the adjuster knob under the fuel filler door.

https://www.google.com/search?sourc...hUKEwirzLmLtNHkAhWTup4KHb4TC4wQ4dUDCAg&uact=5
 
#17 ·
Redwing52 - I once had a 73 Beetle, also used a propane torch to check for leaks but since the drop in rpm was on the high side, I thought for sure it was a problem with the orange marked hose between the intakes. My insulators were nice and tight, I had also thought maybe that's where I would find the problem but no such luck.



DriverRider - You did privide a nice tutorial on diagnosing but you also suggested "After a visual inspection of components strip it down a bit and diagnose the problem." Part of my visual inspection was to verify that the 30 year old vacuum lines had not developed any holes or cracks, really can't do that unless you pull off the carb, and besides I had a few hours to myself and my bike. Now that I know the vacuum lines are not the cause of the problem, I can continue to inspect and diagnose. I do appreciate your assistance on this and your diagnostic method is indeed a good methodical way to approach an unknown problem.
 
#18 ·
DriverRider - You did privide a nice tutorial on diagnosing but you also suggested "After a visual inspection of components strip it down a bit and diagnose the problem." Part of my visual inspection was to verify that the 30 year old vacuum lines had not developed any holes or cracks, really can't do that unless you pull off the carb, and besides I had a few hours to myself and my bike. Now that I know the vacuum lines are not the cause of the problem, I can continue to inspect and diagnose. I do appreciate your assistance on this and your diagnostic method is indeed a good methodical way to approach an unknown problem.
Your thirty year old hoses would not have suddenly out of the blue developed holes after a tip over.:?You read too much of the false internet, not everything written on the net is factual.
Your problem would be diagnosed to a component in my shop in less than 30 minutes after plastic removal.0:)
 
#19 ·
Turns out it was fouled plugs. When I started thinking about it, the fact that my bike will sometimes put out a puff of smoke if left on the side stand for a few days got me thinking. When it fell over, it went past the roll bars and really laid down. That allowed oil to flow into the left valve cover, when I righted the bike and went to start it, some of that oil leaked past the valve guides an went into the left cylinders which then allowed the left plugs to get fouled with oil. New plugs and she's purring like a kitten.

Thanks to all who replied, having a bunch of ideas does help.
 
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