Unusual Issue

[Miairhead]

I had a unusual issue twice now. Both time in 5th gear, it seems as the NT was starved for fuel. I could not get it to go higher then ~4800 RPM. It just seem to lack power, I shift down to 4th, no issues, and it would let me go past 5-6-7000 RPM, and then when I shifted to 5th again, no issue every seemed fine.

I know the second time on a expressway, very flat area, light grade maybe. Just the down shift, and back up to 5th and hesitation was gone. More then a 1/2 tank of gas. Bike has a little under 5K and other then these two times nothing seems out of order.

 

[Bob]

Never on a bike but both times I have had that behavior with a car it was the fuel filter. Had it once also on an outboard, it would loose power like it was running out of gas. I would check the gas, it would be fine, would run great for 5 minutes then the same. Turned out to be the gas tank breather cap wasn't breathing and so it kept pulling a vacuum in the gas tank.

 

[seagrass]

I would also recommend checking the plug caps as this was a known problem on some of these bikes and the symptoms you describe could easily be caused by faulty plug caps

 

[YKnot]

plug caps?

 

[RedLdr1]

plug caps?

The 2010's had a bad batch of spark plug caps that caused all sorts of weird issues. Honda issued a service bulletin on it... If you dig around in the older posts you can find it.

 

[NoVa Chris]

Did your MIL (check engine light) come on? If so, look at some of the posts by members who have experienced cutting out at higher speeds, apparently because the fuel injection system goes into a "limp home" mode. The fact your condition comes and goes the way it does makes me suspect this is not your problem.

 

[Miairhead]

I saw no light, just lost of power in 5th, and with a quick shift to 4th gone. Shift back to 5th running normal. The first time was a couple of weeks ago, then again Tuesday. I put treatment in when I got bike because i though it might of sat for awhile. Just this week I discovered that the bike was purchased in May '13 and I got it in August with 2K on clock. I not check the caps yet, but going to see if the warranty is still in effect.

 

[Chuck 500]

The plug cap issue created this hesitation problem as I recall. Even though the bike was purchased in '13 it is like a '10 and could have the problem. I think it was covered undered Service Bulletin #1. The dealer can confirm. If you r bike has the "bad" caps, the repair is a warranty item.

 

[Phil Tarman]

And if the bike was purchased new in May of '13, you're still under warranty. In fact, you should still be eligible for Honda's extended warranty. I bought my bike in March of '10, bought a 4-year extended warranty that lasts till March of '15. I think I've already gotten about $1600 worth of warranty parts + labor. I guess I'll skew Honda's warranty numbers a little, but I'd also guess that I'm an outlier and that they're still coming out ahead on selling extended warranties.

 

[Miairhead]

I not checked to see if there is a way find out if the warranty is good. I purchased from a Milwaukee dealer and it was sold for a Chicago area dealer. So I guess I call the original dealer and find out what I can to see of it still on warranty.

 

[YKnot]

The 2010's had a bad batch of spark plug caps that caused all sorts of weird issues. Honda issued a service bulletin on it... If you dig around in the older posts you can find it.

Thanks. I will have to look into that...

 

[NoVa Chris]

I now think that bad spark plug caps may be the cause of my NT cutting out at higher RPMS. I did not bother with Honda and warranty, I just got a pair of NGK angled resistor caps (VDO5F), from my dealer, for about $6 each. I was able to change the caps by removing the black plastic mid-cowls. The NGK's are not exactly the same angle as the OEM caps, but they fit perfectly. In several longer runs since changing the caps, I have experienced no running problems, and no MILs. Given that I have already made several wrong guesses as to the problem, I'm waiting until I have some more miles on the bike before updating my separate thread.

 

[karl]

I have a truck that is all done at 85mph. Empty pulling a loaded car trailer doesn't matter. It is the way its geared. Our 680cc machines don't make a lot of grunt and fifth is already a pretty deep overdrive...