CUTTING OUT WHEN GOING TO IDLE SPEED

[bethanysdaddy]

Sometimes my 2000 Firestorm cuts out when changing gear or slowing down to a junction. It only does it now and again but it is very annoying. It seems to do it when the engine is settling down to idle speed. It only did it twice yesterday in 140 miles. Other than that it runs great. Any help would be appreciated, thank you.

[lloydie]

Sometimes my 2000 Firestorm cuts out when changing gear or slowing down to a junction. It only does it now and again but it is very annoying. It seems to do it when the engine is settling down to idle speed. It only did it twice yesterday in 140 miles. Other than that it runs great. Any help would be appreciated, thank you.

turn the idle up and balance the carbs after you've cleaned them .
new plugs help to

[VTRDark]

Has your TPS ever been adjusted? I had this problem when I first got the bike. I cleaned the carbs, put them back on and synced the carbs and it still happened. so I removed the carbs again and adjusted the TPS to 500 put them back on and re-synced the carbs and problem solved.

Does you idle fluctuate at the moment. If so then turn the idle speed up a tad and this will stop it cutting out. Basically what happens is that the idle fluctuates from time to time (I believe because of the TPS setting) and drops low enough for it to cut out.

(:-})

[bethanysdaddy]

Just had new plugs and idle speed is set to 1200rpm. Prob need the carbs balancing then.

[bethanysdaddy]

The idle speed does fluctuate alot, something I have noticed more recently actually.

[bethanysdaddy]

What does setting the Throttle Position Sensor to 500 mean? 500 what?

[VTRDark]

The TPS advance and retards the ignition. When they come out the factory they are set according to emissions and not performance. The Factory Pro website recommends setting the TPS to 500Ohms with a tolerance of -10 +10 either way http://www.factorypro.com/prod_pages/prodh77.html
quote from Factory Pro

Also - as with ALL VTR1000's - the TPS must be checked and set to 500 +/- 10 ohms - or low speed cruise smoothness is impossible to attain.
They have been seen as much as 900 ohms as delivered.

To adjust it you need some security torx bits to undo the two bolts that hold it on the side of the carb. These can be picked up cheap, like a few quid, on eBay. And you need a multimeter.

Once the carbs are off which makes it far easer to adjust as it's fiddly to get spot on to 500. You will notice 3 prongs inside the tps where the plug connects. You need to measure the resistance on the top two prongs. You do this with your mutlimeter set to Ohms (2000ohms on multimeter setting). Check what you TPS reads at factory setting. You will notice yours will be set at maybe 800 or more or less from the factory.

Loosen the mounting bolts with the security torx bit. You can now spin the tps anti clockwise in the slots, turn it as far as it will go to the left and measure again. My guess is that it wont be near 500. Now you can either leave it as it is or force it to go to 500 by adjusting further.

Adjusting it further there are two schools of thought. You can either elongate the slots with a dremel by removing the brass bit inside, elongate the slot, replace brass bit and araldite/fill the gap which allows you to turn the TPS furthur anti clockwise.

Or the way I prefer is to completely remove the TPS of the side of the carb. Don't worry there is no bits that can come flying out. Once the tps has been removed you can see two metal prongs. The lower prong needs to be bent slightly downwards towards the base of the carb. Use a pair of long nosed pliers or something but go easily and gently as you don't want to snap it off. I have not had one snap on me yet but there is the possibility, so bend a little at a time.

Then put the TPs back on noting the plastic prong on the back of it which slots in the middle of the two metal ones on the carb where you just bent one. Tighten the torx bolts as much as you can where you are still able to move the tps around. Get the multimeter back on and twist the tps around until you reach between 490 and 510. If you can get it spot on 500 then great but as I said earlier it is fiddly.

The reason it is fiddly is because you tighten the torx back up fully to lock it off the adjustment will move a little. For example, you could check it and it will read 500, tighten the torx fully and it moves to 520. So the trick is to tighten the torx as much as you can but not fully. Then move it a bit at a time. Maybe a gentle tap. Tighten the torx fully then check with multimeter. It could take you 20mins of fiddling around with it trying to get it spot on to 500, or you could just settle for it being within spec.

Hope that explains things clearly.

[scott02464]

Hey mate hows Bethany!

I had the same problem, it makes you nervous at the lights, as when it's starts changing to green the chuffer cuts out and makes you look like a Richard!

Lloydies right, I set my idle to 1200 and synced my carbs which sorted it. Hardly any fluctuation at idle now and no cutting out at all! (although I still have flashbacks)

As Carl says too check your TPS as that too makes a big difference (mine was way out!) I'll bet yours is too!

[lloydie]

Hey mate hows Bethany!

I had the same problem, it makes you nervous at the lights, as when it's starts changing to green the chuffer cuts out and makes you look like a Richard!

Lloydies right, I set my idle to 1200 and synced my carbs which sorted it. Hardly any fluctuation at idle now and no cutting out at all! (although I still have flashbacks)

As Carl says too check your TPS as that too makes a big difference (mine was way out!) I'll bet yours is too!

i dont believe it !!!!!
there's a first for every thing

[VTRDark]

I don't think you got first in English.

(:-})

[lloydie]

I don't think you got first in English.

(:-})

no didn't go i was tooo busy getting stoned

[VTRDark]

Me too

(:-})

[bethanysdaddy]

Bethany is great, she is only 3 years old and hates daddies noisy bike!!! It makes her cry

Well, again, thank you for your in depth and informative help people (especially Carl). I will get this sorted as this problem gets on my tits. But, will have to get some security torx bits first.

I think I will tollerate it for the next week or so (while the weathers good) and then have a good morning on it.

Not the end of the world, just another little quirk of the Firestorm.

Great feedback guys, thanks again

[VTRDark]

I cant remember the exact size of the torx bit for that particular job, but I just bought this cheap set here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OFFSET-TAMPER ... 484512e336 It does the job and then there's the other sizes in case I need them for anything else in the future.

Some people have used mole grips or drilled them out and replaced with allen key bolts and stuff, BTBH I think it's not worth messing about and just use the right tool for the job.

My nephew cries and freaks out at the sound of my exhaust. He loves sitting on the bike when it's not running though.

(:-})

[mr.john.coates]

A very interesting post by Carl, that I found very useful as a new 'Storm owner.

When I bought my Storm and rode it back from Sleaford it cut out several times at lights, and has done it a bit since then. I upped the idle speed to 1200 to fix it and resolved to balance the carbs as soon as I could.

I need to be checking tps too, so I'll add that to the list.