Author Topic: Djebel 250 sputtering on higher revs (Read 2332 times)

Koet · « **on:** December 04, 2014, 09:02:53 am »

Morning Dawgs

It started happening again last night. The little 250 Djebel sputters when revs go medium/high. It doesn't have a rev counter, so the best description is that in 6th gear, when I reach more than 60km/h it starts sputtering and backfires. It happened twice before, and that was also just after refueling. What is weird is that after a couple of kilometers the bike sorts itself out. Now I wouldn't worry too much about this usually, but this morning it happened again on my way to work - and quite badly. So bad that at some stage I couldn't even pull away at a traffic light. I pulled over to the side and the bike died. I kick-started it and let it idle and blipped the throttle a couple of times. It sputtered badly but at least I could ride a bit (but only at low revs). Then roughly 12km into my commute the bike got over itself and for the last 4km it was fine.

Any idea what could be causing this? I was thinking maybe it's a dirty carb or fuel filter? Will have to dig a bit this weekend, but I'm quite limited for time.

lecap · « **Reply #1 on:** December 04, 2014, 09:42:23 am »

Water in fuel. Drain float bowl. Turn tap to RES, fill float bowl and drain again. If problem persists it's something else

Koet · « **Reply #2 on:** December 04, 2014, 09:44:53 am »

Quote from: lecap on December 04, 2014, 09:42:23 am

Water in fuel. Drain float bowl. Turn tap to RES, fill float bowl and drain again. If problem persists it's something else

En in ingels? Of afrikaans? What/where is the float bowl? And what do I fill it with? Sorry, very new to this "fix-my-own-bike" thing. But learning slowly....

Mmmmm, after doing a bit of googling I think it might be out of my knowledge range... Will maybe have to watch someone do this first to make sure I don't screw it up...

Koet · « **Reply #3 on:** December 04, 2014, 10:08:47 am »

Found this post on a forum somewhere:

"...try draining the float bowl. You need a 14 or 17 mm ring spanner to undo the bolt at the base of the carbie float bowl. Turn off the fuel tap and then when it stops flowing out, let a bit more flow though. Then put the bolt back in ( not too tightly) and then try the feul tap again."

Is this what you were referring to? On the Djebel 250, where will I find the screw/plug to undo to drain the float bowl?

Eisbein · « **Reply #4 on:** December 04, 2014, 10:18:17 am »

Float bowl at the bottom of the carburetor.

Carburetor is between the airbox and the engine:

Koet · « **Reply #5 on:** December 04, 2014, 10:19:19 am »

OK cool, thanx. I'll go have a look to see if I can find it on my bike...

LouisXander · « **Reply #6 on:** December 04, 2014, 12:04:48 pm »

Kyk of carb rubbers mooi vas is tussen airbox en carb en engine en carb

Koet · « **Reply #7 on:** December 05, 2014, 08:49:52 am »

Eisbein, is there an easy way to get to that float bowl to open and drain it? I had a look last night but couldn't see a way to quickly get at the float bowl.

Then, if it is water in that little bowl, is it OK to ride the bike like that even if it splutters? Will the water just work itself out of the system?

And how on earth does water get in there in the first place?

kwassi · « **Reply #8 on:** December 05, 2014, 09:07:27 am »

Eisbein · « **Reply #9 on:** December 05, 2014, 10:30:27 am »

Quote from: Koet on December 05, 2014, 08:49:52 am

Eisbein, is there an easy way to get to that float bowl to open and drain it? I had a look last night but couldn't see a way to quickly get at the float bowl.

Then, if it is water in that little bowl, is it OK to ride the bike like that even if it splutters? Will the water just work itself out of the system?

And how on earth does water get in there in the first place?

I don't know on the Djebel, but there should be (at the bottom of the bowl) some form of extruded point with a bolt or screw (can be an sunken or normal screw/bolt).

Similar to the bottom (please note that the red circle is the one I added highlighting the drain - the black line was there from another article on where to adjust).

It may or may not have what looks like a 'bleed nipple' with (or without) an overflow pipe attached to it.
If I remember correctly you don't take that screw/bolt out totally - you just turn it out 'till fuel begin flowing out of the bleed nipple.

Just make sure that you know how the petcock (tap) works. On some bikes you have a 'prime' as well as the normal on/off/reserve setting.

If you drain the float bowl and you don't have a 'prime' to fill it up again it will crank a couple of times before it will start as it have to fill the bowl with fuel again.

The standard disclaimer of 'if you are wondering about these things then it is probably better to take it to someone who has done this before' applies.

Also - having said all of the above - have you checked out the side stand switch as well ?
Friend of mine had it on his KLR that the bigger vibrations of higher revs caused the side stand switch to become very finicky and cause the same type of symptoms.

Koet · « **Reply #10 on:** December 05, 2014, 10:44:53 am »

Thanx! I'll go have a look to see if I can find something. It's definitely not the side stand, as that cuts out the engine properly. My issue is with sputtering and loss of power, which comes and goes. Usually the start of my commute (for the last couple of days) is horrible and I can barely get going. After a while the bike sorts itself out. Weird.

Koet · « **Reply #11 on:** December 07, 2014, 11:39:11 am »

OK, found the little screw and drained the bowl twice. Will test it later this afternoon. Hold thumbs!

sidetrack · « **Reply #12 on:** December 07, 2014, 11:24:17 pm »

If the draining the float bowl does not work also try :

Check spark plug and cap
Check all connections are tight at ignition coil
That the stator is not faulty or failing (burnt coils)

Koet · « **Reply #13 on:** December 08, 2014, 07:52:53 am »

This morning the little bike started once, idled for literally a second and then died. No fokol. Can't get the thing to start AT ALL. Engine turns over, but nothing happens.

I now also drained the battery trying to get the thing started, so I'll need to charge it again or jump-start it from my car to continue to get it working. All I did was drain the float bowl. This is so frustrating!

Eisbein · « **Reply #14 on:** December 08, 2014, 08:46:52 am »

Did you manage to 'prime' it again ?

(Does your fuel tap have a prime ?)

Koet · « **Reply #15 on:** December 08, 2014, 09:05:21 am »

Got the bike sorted.

It doesn't have a prime on the fuel tap, only RES, OFF and ON.

Basically lots of knee grease (electric starter was useless in this instance). Stood for almost an hour just kick-starting the thing. Every now and again it would take and then die quick. This at least gave me hope to continue trying. Then just before 8:30 it purred into life.

On the way to work it stuttered once or twice again (not bad) but for the rest of the commute it was back to it's sweet little old self.

Gonna avoid that filling station in the future.

LouisXander · « **Reply #16 on:** December 08, 2014, 02:06:48 pm »

Koet, daai klink soos stator probleme.

Laat toets jou stator. Dark electrical in Malvern.

Koet · « **Reply #17 on:** December 08, 2014, 02:11:18 pm »

Hi LouisXander

Die main probleem was verseker water in die carb. Maar ek dink jy mag dalk reg wees dat my battery nie genoeg laai nie as gevolg van die stator. Ek sal die ding moet toets, maar dit kan wag tot volgende jaar.

LouisXander · « **Reply #18 on:** December 08, 2014, 02:19:25 pm »

Aan en af start is gewoonlik stator. Waar in GP is jy?

Koet · « **Reply #19 on:** December 08, 2014, 02:22:11 pm »

Di bike start nou darm elke keer - dit was net toe ek die floatbowl gedrain het dat ek vanoggend gesukkel het.

Ek is in Randpark Ridge, soortvan Wes JHB. As jy kan help om te kyk na die stator ens sal ek waardeer!