jhawk Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Had a horrible ride into work today. There was a stopped train on the tracks I have to cross and my bike acted up and has been doing so since. I noticed something odd almost like it was out of gas kind of lurching. Once stopped at the train, I decided to go another route and all thru 3rd gear it lurched and sporadically lunged untill finally dying after a mile. It wouldn't start at all. I was able to get it started and get to the office a few miles away, but had to practically pin the throttle just to keep it idling. Nor did it sound right while riding. Another thing that happened is the tach would bounce all over the place in RPMs, no matter what the engine was doing. Tach read 0 at some points while sitting at a light in idle and would jump all the way up to past 8000 and all over the place. Bike is a 1988 Honda Hawk. What I can find online states battery, rectifier, coil contacts, carb cleaning, so not really sure where to start. Anyone got suggestions? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 test the battery first. If it's dead I'd charge it and then test the alternator output by running the motor at around 4k rpm and looking for 14 volts at the battery. If you don't see a significant increase in voltage from idle to 4k rpm then your rectifyer/voltage regulator could be cashed or it could be your stator. I would have said carbs right off but if your tach was acting strangely and it's electric (vs a cable that runs off the camshaft) then I'd say you have an electrical issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 BIke starts, battery tested OK while off 12.8. Will go out and test it as you suggested while running and see if it improves while doing so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Battery was at 12.9 before starting. Went up to 14 while running, sputtered and died. Started back up and idled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Not familiar with the Hawk model, but I'm guessing from the year that it's carb and not FI. If it sounds like fuel delivery, check for a dirty/plugged fuel filter, either in-line or in the bottom of the tank? However, is there a fuel pump? Disconnect the outlet side of the fuel pump and check flow rate; check for a plugged filter at the fuel pump intake. If it appears to be electrical, first thing I'd check (after the battery ritual you performed already) is corroded ground connections (at the frame), fuse and fuse box connection integrity, and then go on to trace the wiring circuits for breaks, worn/cracked wiring insulation, melted connectors, oxidized pin junctions. Lastly, are the plug wires original? You can lose a lot of high-voltage charge thru cracked/dry-rotted plug wires/caps by jumping to ground. Replace as necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 I'd say fuel isn't getting into the carbs fast enough but the tach acting crazy sounds like electrical.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 It's got a pump, could have failed but that still doesn't account for the haunted speedo which is electronic. Possible they're on the same fuse and it's loose Or bad wiring to the block? That would account for intermittent fuel and tach issues...lemme find a wiring diagram.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Look at the wiring going to the coils, that seems to be the only common component with the fuel pump and tach. See if anything is loose or corroded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Will look this evening, first goal is to get home on it. Luckily only 10 miles away and mostly back roads. Thanks for all the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Good luck, post up some findings. I know there's usually a way to jump the fuel pump to rule out the relay being faulty, should be a matter of unclipping a quick connect and jumping 2 pins in it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 New to wrenching, but work with electrical people that may be able to lend a hand. Will take tank off tonight and see if anything appears strange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 So just got seat off an started bike to run gas out of carbs in case they need cleaning. Noticed back muffler isnt hot like front one. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Ah ha! Check plug for spark, check plug cap and wires for cracks, check coil as well. They really run like shit on one cyl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrenchandsprockets Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Is this one of your first rides on it this year, and was the fuel stabilized over the winter? I don't believe anyone has mentioned checking the spark just yet... I'd recommend it as a way to check if it's electrical vs fuel. I've noticed some motorcycle tachometers run off of the spark signal to the coil also. Use a timing light while it's running and look for the light to cut out indicating the a miss in the spark. An alternative way to test... With the spark plugs, or a tester that can increase the spark gap, look for a miss in the spark while turning it over with the starter. Be sure to turn off the fuel, and disconnect the other spark plugs while testing each cylinder. Otherwise it may fire up & start running... possibly blowing fire into your face. It may or may not show up at cranking RPM's but could help diagnose the root cause without much hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpgasser Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 (edited) I loved my Hawk!! I had a similar problem and ended up being a bad Fuel Pump...I replaced it with one from an R6 and all was good. DPG. Edited May 12, 2015 by dpgasser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Been riding it a lot so far this year. Not sure if i have the tools to check spark. Never done so, will look at youtube. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Checking spark is easy. Remove plug, plug it into the cap, lay against the motor and thumb the starter. you want a bright blue arc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk Posted May 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Getting no spark to the rear, only frontSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 swap the plug from the front cyl to the rear. If it sparks it's the plug. If it doesn't the issue is further upstream.We will fix this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk Posted May 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 I put new plugs on both sides, but will checkSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk Posted May 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Confirmed, purple on front nada on rearSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 Ok. chase your plug wire back to the coil and make sure your connection is good. Then inspect the wires that go to the coil, make sure those connections are kosher. If all that checks out then you'll need to check your coil with a VOM and see if it's cooked. Where in ohio are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk Posted May 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 In westlake, just west of cleveland.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 I'm in massillon, that's between akron and canton sorta. not exactly a short drive. you can swap the small wires between the front and back cyl coil and see if the problem Follows the coil or the wires. from there you can tell if you need a new coil or if you have an issue with the cdi box, the ignitor or the wiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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