2012 RT Stalling/Erratic Idle

Title pretty much sums it up. Yesterday after running about a 1/2 tank of gas though my Spyder without issue I pulled up to a stoplight and the motor skipped a beat and stalled, restarted but idled poorly and stalled again. I restarted it a gave it enough thottle to keep it running and drove about 3 miles home, let off the thottle and idled ok for a minute and then started idleing erradicly and died.

Never got a check engine light or a code.

Bike has about 15000 mi on it, I changed the plugs and wires with BajaRon's kit and checked valve clearance about 500 mi ago.

So far today I have replaced the two hoses to the MAP sensor, cleaned the thottle bodies, ckecked battery connections and plugged the vacuum line to the purge valve.

Anyone have anything else I can look at before I take to the dealer?

Yes, purge valve. Mine was bad and did the same thing. I did not get any codes. Bruce

you covered most of the usual causes. Have you ever changed the fuel filter ..?? next you might have or check the coils out. You may have to have her hooked up to BUDS to see if there are any stored codes to help out. :dontknow:

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Originally Posted by Chupaca

you covered most of the usual causes. Have you ever changed the fuel filter ..?? next you might have or check the coils out. You may have to have her hooked up to BUDS to see if there are any stored codes to help out. :dontknow:

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Thanks for your thoughts.Where's the fuel filter, in the tank as part of the fuel pump? Didn't really think about the filter since it was running fine at high speed, also I'm pretty careful where I buy fuel but It may worth looking at.

Since you found the purge valve and canister, the fuel filter is right there. After you replace the old one, cut it open. You'll be surprised how black it is inside.




P.S. And where / how did you plug the vacuum line to the purge valve? If it's not the fuel filter, it's still acting like a large vacuum leak. Might want to ensure you actually blocked off the purge valve line, and also check the rubber boots at the throttle bodies to the manifold. Yes, if the purge valve sticks open, it sucks in outside air through the canister vent to atmosphere giving you a large vacuum leak.

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Originally Posted by Chupaca

Have you ever changed the fuel filter ..??

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And in that same vein, put in some "multi-purpose" fuel system cleaner and fill the tank.
There may be some contamination in the gas.

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Originally Posted by safecracker

Yes, purge valve. Mine was bad and did the same thing. I did not get any codes. Bruce

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I agree, my 13 has the same symptoms and it was a bad purge valve.

Thanks all for your thoughts, I found the fuel filter and will change it, I did add seafoam to the fuel tank when the issue happened with no change yet, I pulled my thottle bodies off when I cleaned them and inspected the mounting boots and made sure they were seated firmly.

I isolated the purge valve by pinching off the vacuum hose connected to the motor with change to the bad idle, is there a better way to test it?

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Originally Posted by ByronM

I isolated the purge valve by pinching off the vacuum hose connected to the motor with change to the bad idle, is there a better way to test it?

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Well, you seem to be very handy around the shop. But if there's any question on whether that line was fully blocked, I'd pull the hose off the fitting on the canister where the purge valve hose connects to it. It's an Oetiker clamp I believe, so you'll have to destroy it to get it off. But you can replace it with a worm gear clamp later. Then plug and clamp the line to the purge valve. Nothing fancy - just a bolt and a hose clamp will do temporally. You got the idea right - to block off that line in case the valve is stuck open. If it turns out to be the valve, you can replace it yourself.

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Originally Posted by Snowbelt Spyder

Well, you seem to be very handy around the shop. But if there's any question on whether that line was fully blocked, I'd pull the hose off the fitting on the canister where the purge valve hose connects to it. It's an Oetiker clamp I believe, so you'll have to destroy it to get it off. But you can replace it with a worm gear clamp later. Then plug and clamp the line to the purge valve. Nothing fancy - just a bolt and a hose clamp will do temporally. You got the idea right - to block off that line in case the valve is stuck open. If it turns out to be the valve, you can replace it yourself.

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Thanks Doug, I used a pair hose pinch off pliers which should of worked but it won't be a big deal to pull the line off and plug it to make sure.

Well here is what I know (read the issue in my first post):

Changed MAP sensor hoses, thought I found problem as one was badly cracked, added seafoam before starting, started (cold) idled poorly and stalled several times. Smelled rich.

Pulled spark plugs, looked fine, lean if anything, pulled thottle body inspected boots and although the thottle bodies were not dirty cleaned them anyway, reinstalled checking to make sure they were fully seated, started engine (cold again) idled poorly and stalled several time again, pinched off purge valve line and tried again, no change. Changed fuel filter and plugged off the vacuum line to the purge valve, started again, it idled poorly and stalled several times, Still smelled rich.

Decided to keep it running untill engine temp came up, kept a hand on the thottle, below 2500rpm it seemed to be to be more of a miss then a surge, then after the fan came on I let it idle, WTF it idled fine and the rich smell was gone, I buttoned it back up and took it for a 3 miles ride, ran it up to 8000rpms, stopped at several stoplights and came home and let it idle until the fan came on again with no issue.

At this point I guess I needed too change the cracked MAP sensor hoses and fuel filter, along with cleaning the thottle bodies anyway so no harm, no foul. Although I think I will take it in to have it hooked up to BUDs.

Since I was not letting it run for long between tests maybe the seafoam was the miracle cure.

If get more information I will update this post.

THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR HELP.