Do I have a problem?

[bigmacbkr]

Today is the first day the temperature has been up to 75 degrees since I bought my 2009 Nomad. Until today when I start it I don't touch the throttle, just hit the starter and it idles immediately. Today after it was good and hot I attempted to start it and it would sputter and die. After three times I finally twisted the throttle and it roughed out to an idle. It did this several times throughout the afternoons ride, it was not an isolated incident. Any other 1700 riders have this happen to you?

[MAS Tequila]

I don't know about the 1700's but my 1500 does the same thing sometimes.

MT

[macmac]

Are you also riding, or just starting a parked bike?

Are you using the idle controll called a choke?

[nomadpilot]

I haven't had that particular problem, myself but I did notice that once in awhile when coming up to a stop, the engine would die when I would pull in the clutch. Seemed like it went right through the idle to stop. When I had the first service done I mentioned it to them, and it turned out that the idle was about 50 rpm low, so they turned it up. Seems to run fine now.

I sometimes wonder if the manufacturers are so concerned with "green" that they set the fuel delivery systems too lean in order to minimize exhaust emissions. It does feel a little soft, or lean, off idle when accelerating. Maybe it's just me, but that's my take.

[Cajunrider]

Originally Posted by nomadpilot

I haven't had that particular problem, myself but I did notice that once in awhile when coming up to a stop, the engine would die when I would pull in the clutch. Seemed like it went right through the idle to stop. When I had the first service done I mentioned it to them, and it turned out that the idle was about 50 rpm low, so they turned it up. Seems to run fine now.

I sometimes wonder if the manufacturers are so concerned with "green" that they set the fuel delivery systems too lean in order to minimize exhaust emissions. It does feel a little soft, or lean, off idle when accelerating. Maybe it's just me, but that's my take.

Install a fuel processer and your problem will be solved.

[macmac]

Oh yeah thse bike dead stock are overly lean. That's the reason the manual says to run hi test gas.. This idea is supposed to be based on comp ratio, but it is based on fuel regs instead.

With a fuel modual you can run regular 87 every time, and many of us do. If that was all you ever did it would be better for the engine.

[bigmacbkr]

Originally Posted by macmac

Are you also riding, or just starting a parked bike?
Are you using the idle controll called a choke?

I am starting a parked bike on the stand. I do not touch the throttle, just the starter, the fuel injected Nomad doesn't have a choke. It never did this when the weather was below the seventies, I suspect for some reason it has to do with the warmer temperatures but don't know why. I hope I have some bad gas since I just filled up sunday, I put some gas treatment in and will ride tomorrow.

[ringadingh]

It could be stale gas, a bit of water in the gas, or a dirty throttle body as well. Id add some Seafoam to the tank, clean the throttle body and eliminate those probability's. If it runs well then, you fixed it, if not youve eliminated a couple things.

[Sin City Stan]

Originally Posted by bigmacbkr

I am starting a parked bike on the stand. I do not touch the throttle, just the starter, the fuel injected Nomad doesn't have a choke. It never did this when the weather was below the seventies, I suspect for some reason it has to do with the warmer temperatures but don't know why. I hope I have some bad gas since I just filled up sunday, I put some gas treatment in and will ride tomorrow.

I have the opposite problem intermittently. This morning it was 37*. I started the bike. Never touched the throttle. Put on my gear. Roll back wards out of the garage. Hit the throttle and go.

In a block I slow down for a LH turn and it dies. Pop the clutch and keep on going. Two more blocks it a RH and it dies as I approach the stop sign. Waited too long to pop the clutch and when I do the rear wheel locks. I stop, hit the starter and I'm off again. Never had a problem for the next 11 miles.

It's upper 50s when I come home and the only problem is in the first few blocks is the throttle does not drop to idle between shifts

None of this ever happens in warmer Temps.. It doesn't always happen with cooler Temps. I talked to the Dealer and he's familiar with the complaint but says Kawasaki is unresponsive to this problem.

Emails to Kawasaki have gone unanswered.

My take on it is that it's an ECU problem. Some days the throttle response is crisp other days it's mushy. No rhyme or reason. Not sure how a fuel manager would help this.

[bigmacbkr]

I rode over 100 miles today and the temp went to about 70 degrees, still a little cooler than yesterday, and I had nary a problem with starting! Granted it wasn't quite as hot as yesterday, but still.....I believe the glitch is due to the bike's electronic brain. There have been several times in much colder temps that after ample time to warm up, upon slowing and stopping, the idle raced way up and wouldn't wind down, sometimes even after several twists of the throttle. I seriously doubt it was bad gas or anything else and I only hope it is a seldom intermittent glitch.

[dogdoc]

Ive had my '05 die coming up to a stop on any kind of temp you want to pick. putting on the TFI did help with most of it. I dont like my idle set as high as the manual says so I will put up with a bike that dies every now and again.

[Top Cat]

Originally Posted by bigmacbkr

I rode over 100 miles today and the temp went to about 70 degrees, still a little cooler than yesterday, and I had nary a problem with starting! Granted it wasn't quite as hot as yesterday, but still.....I believe the glitch is due to the bike's electronic brain. There have been several times in much colder temps that after ample time to warm up, upon slowing and stopping, the idle raced way up and wouldn't wind down, sometimes even after several twists of the throttle. I seriously doubt it was bad gas or anything else and I only hope it is a seldom intermittent glitch.

Holy crap! I hope Kawasaki wasn't bought out by Toyota

[macmac]

All the 1500's and 1600's have a knob on the front left near the engine and above the horn the book calls a chpke! it isn't any choke at all, but is a cable to open the throttle linkage a slight bit.

I take it the 1700 hasn't one of these knobs then?

'IF" you are starting the engine and NOT riding at all, to warm the engine up for some reason, stop doing that. Only start up the engine to warm it up to work on it for a reason where it must be warmed up, ie: change the oil and filter, or ride the bike.

I am still not clear on if you are running a other wise parked bike.

If this is a parked bike get a battery charger rated to 1.25-1.50 amps like a Battery tender or a shumaker maintainer.

All running any engine for a few minutes to turn it off again does is create water in the oil, and gas wash the rings which in time ends up with gas/oil washed rings, and 0 compression.

[bigmacbkr]

Originally Posted by macmac

All the 1500's and 1600's have a knob on the front left near the engine and above the horn the book calls a chpke! it isn't any choke at all, but is a cable to open the throttle linkage a slight bit.

According to the manual, the idle can be set by the owner using the switches on the handlebar; however, there's nothing wrong with the idle, it idles fine. The starting problem has only occured that one time, so for right now since it didn't do it again today, I'm thinking ECU.

[macmac]

The 1700 evidently has changes, which I am unware of. If you had a ECU glitch, then I would disconnect the battery for no less than 10 minutes by pulling the ground cable. With the cable off, turn the key to ON and then turn it off.

I assume you have no code blinking.