slowspecv Posted August 10, 2012 Share #1 Posted August 10, 2012 ok i do not ride a venture but i do work at a dealership, small one, like i am the only employee and the other folks own it. I have a weird issue with a venture that i cant figure out. even called yamaha and they seemed puzzled. what it does you can cruise around all day at in town speed and nothing will happen, you hop up to highway/ interstate speeds (70-80) and the bike dies, check engine lighgt blinks twice and then the bike comes back on, no set time period as to when it will do this, seems completely random. owner has removed radio stuff from the bike. I have no idea where to go next Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utadventure Posted August 10, 2012 Share #2 Posted August 10, 2012 First, thanks for your concern to take care of your customers needs. You indicate that the bike dies and then comes back on. My first inclination would be to check the fuel pump (a recurring issue on the bike). While riding around town, the pump may be able to keep up with fuel needs but when you hit the highway, the fuel pump may be heating up and then works intermittently. Good luck on your search to find the problem! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibvel Posted August 10, 2012 Share #3 Posted August 10, 2012 Does the engine sputter and die, as in not getting enough fuel or air, or does it just flat quit? Does most or all of the electrical go out or does the engine just die and the electrical stay on? It it just quits I would suspect electrical... Maybe the ignition switch but I've never really heard of these symptoms with the ignition switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seaking Posted August 10, 2012 Share #4 Posted August 10, 2012 ok i do not ride a venture but i do work at a dealership, small one, like i am the only employee and the other folks own it. I have a weird issue with a venture that i cant figure out. even called yamaha and they seemed puzzled. what it does you can cruise around all day at in town speed and nothing will happen, you hop up to highway/ interstate speeds (70-80) and the bike dies, check engine lighgt blinks twice and then the bike comes back on, no set time period as to when it will do this, seems completely random. owner has removed radio stuff from the bike. I have no idea where to go next I honestly don't know if this will help you at all but based on my past experience with this bike.. If you're running the bike at 70-80 mph and the engine quits, and all the electricals are still running, the radio, console etc, and you're able to restart the bike, read on as this is what happened to me a couple of years ago. I had a very similar problem with my 2006 a couple of years ago, sounds like the same symptoms. The fix to mine was replacing the fuel pump and it's been going on strong ever since.. and yes this problem puzzled the tech reps so much that I ended up with over $2000 of new parts under warranty as they hunted for the fix.. but it was the fuel pump in the end, confirmed and fixed by a second shop ace mechanic who identified the problem in 15 minutes.. If you're running the bike at the speeds you mentioned, and the bike suddenly quits (engine shut down, but all electricals still work, radio, gauges etc) then this sounds like a fuel feed problem. At those speeds the pump is working harder than at city speeds and heats up and breaks connection at the electrical contacts.. (this was the case with my bike). The pump was weakened and overworked because of a filthy fuel filter that caused the pump to work harder to suck the fuel through that filthy fuel filter. I had changed the filter when the bike acted like it was running out of fuel at 1/2 tank level.. once the filter was changed then all was good again but unfortunately the damage was done to the pump and it subsequently failed a few months later with those symptoms I described. At first, the pump will fail occasionally, and at the weirdest times, then more often.. sometimes requiring a soft tap with a wooden handle and then it dies.. or it just up and dies cold on ya.. at the wrong place and time. Best of luck, please DO let us know what the final fix was when the bike is fixed.. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowspecv Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share #5 Posted August 11, 2012 Thanks for the info whats odd to me is its almost like someone reaches up and flips the kill switch off. The other odd thing is the check engine light it blinks 2 times and shortly after that the bike fires right back up as long as your not holding in the clutch. It does not matter if the cruise control is set or not. When the bike does die it stays off for the same amount of time each time. It may only die twice and not do it for the rest of the day then again it may die 10 times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seaking Posted August 11, 2012 Share #6 Posted August 11, 2012 Thanks for the info whats odd to me is its almost like someone reaches up and flips the kill switch off. The other odd thing is the check engine light it blinks 2 times and shortly after that the bike fires right back up as long as your not holding in the clutch. It does not matter if the cruise control is set or not. When the bike does die it stays off for the same amount of time each time. It may only die twice and not do it for the rest of the day then again it may die 10 times. Similar to what mine did, though I didn't know the bike well enough to remember the trouble shooting light codes.. just that the engine just switched completely off without even so much of a sputter or jiggle.. I didn't know enough about the bike so I'd always pull over to the side of the highway and do the typical head scratching pondering thing then try to start it and zoom.. as if nothing would happen.. either it would die a couple of times a day or not for several days.. until the fuel pump finally died for good.. Best of luck, hope it works out for you. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby G Posted August 11, 2012 Share #7 Posted August 11, 2012 Wow...I can honestly say that I had this exact situation with my 1999 2 1/2 years ago. It turned out to be the ignition. At first, through some trouble shooting, we thought it was the wiring in the kill switch, but then found that it was a bad ignition. Replaced it, and have never had a problem since. I truly believe that it only crapped out at higher speeds due to some weird harmonics or vibration at those speeds, having nothing to do with RPM's. Same holds true when the cruise control just lets loose for no reason. Very hard to explain. Unless you have a local "Dr. House" in your area to do some additional testing, I'd suggest surgery on the ignition. About a $130 fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowspecv Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share #8 Posted August 11, 2012 I replaced the ignition switch in this bike maybe 6-8 months ago. I doubt its the ignition switch but maybe. Its just odd i believe its something vibrating and causing a issue. Something like a loose connection. My only wonder is the owner just kinda hacked all the radio stuff off. Normally i am the Dr. House around here i seem to get all the weird stuff that the other shops around here cant seem to figure out. This one has got me stumped good though its almost like its loosing spark for about 15 seconds or so and then comes back on like nothing has happened at all. Bike runs wonderfully as long as its running unless it does its little freAk out thing. I have a funny feeling its gonna be something stupid that i am overlooking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Slab_Ryder Posted August 11, 2012 Share #9 Posted August 11, 2012 I suspect the Fuel pp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OB-1 Posted August 11, 2012 Share #10 Posted August 11, 2012 My vote for the most likely cause is also the fuel pump. Remember that these bikes can run without a fuel pump, they just don't run very well without an operating fuel pump, and the fuel pumps are known for failing intermittently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowspecv Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share #11 Posted August 14, 2012 I could also see a fuel pump but it's not like it sputters and dies its like some one flipped the kill switch on the handle bar. Fuel starvation should give some sort of warning like a sputter or something. I couldn't see it just turning off then 15 seconds later turning back on. I have seen stranger things so it could be a possibility Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizard Posted August 14, 2012 Share #12 Posted August 14, 2012 When my pump failed, it felt like electrical issue, just like a kill switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted August 14, 2012 Share #13 Posted August 14, 2012 You could always try hooking up some temporary test lights to the fuel pump, and any other electrical circuit that you may suspect to see if power is shutting off to something. You can make up a cheap and dirty inductive pickup to put on an ignition wire to see if the spark is going away during a shut down. This should help narrow it down to the system causing the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGunn Posted August 14, 2012 Share #14 Posted August 14, 2012 You could always try hooking up some temporary test lights to the fuel pump, and any other electrical circuit that you may suspect to see if power is shutting off to something. You can make up a cheap and dirty inductive pickup to put on an ignition wire to see if the spark is going away during a shut down. This should help narrow it down to the system causing the problem. I would also put a fuel pump pressure gauge in between the pump and the carbs.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoomerCPO Posted August 14, 2012 Share #15 Posted August 14, 2012 ok i do not ride a venture but i do work at a dealership, small one, like i am the only employee and the other folks own it. I have a weird issue with a venture that i cant figure out. even called yamaha and they seemed puzzled. what it does you can cruise around all day at in town speed and nothing will happen, you hop up to highway/ interstate speeds (70-80) and the bike dies, check engine lighgt blinks twice and then the bike comes back on, no set time period as to when it will do this, seems completely random. owner has removed radio stuff from the bike. I have no idea where to go next My 06 Venture was doing exactly that a in 2010. The fuel pump eventually crapped out for good. A member here...Bubber...sent me a spare fuel pump he had and the problem was solved.....and I rode all the way from Loozeeanner to Don's MD in Ohio that year with Bubber's pump doing great. Boomer....who sez replace de fuel filter and pump....then ride it like ya stole it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stardbog Posted August 14, 2012 Share #16 Posted August 14, 2012 I would say buy one of Dons VR gremlin bell first. It helps on many bikes, otherwise use windex I would suspect computer or that black box underneet of seat. looks like rev limiter kicking in earlier for some reason. If he is not happy with '06 Cherry, you tell'em to go and buy Harley. :group cheers: :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted August 14, 2012 Share #17 Posted August 14, 2012 Hmmm.....have you tried bypassing the fuel pump with a short piece of hose and fittings and taking the bike out for a ride? If you do, make sure you have the tank full, and bring along the tools to reconnect things at the side of the road. It wouldnt hurt to bring along a gallon of gas in the saddlebag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steamer Posted August 14, 2012 Share #18 Posted August 14, 2012 Hmmm.....have you tried bypassing the fuel pump with a short piece of hose and fittings and taking the bike out for a ride? If you do, make sure you have the tank full, and bring along the tools to reconnect things at the side of the road. It wouldnt hurt to bring along a gallon of gas in the saddlebag. this would be a cheap test. I know I have read posts by folks here that have bypast there fuel pump and rhode there bike for many miles with out a problem. May be worth trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted August 14, 2012 Share #19 Posted August 14, 2012 this would be a cheap test. I know I have read posts by folks here that have bypast there fuel pump and rhode there bike for many miles with out a problem. May be worth trying. Yes, its a test to see if the bike runs flawlessly or cuts out again. If it still cuts out, you KNOW its NOT the fuel pump, because its out of the fuel path. If the bike runs great even when hot and for many miles, it might indicate that the fuel pump is going bad. A new OEM fuel pump is kinda spendy, but many members here have substituted a small aftermarket automotive unit that solves the issue, for about $75 or so. Good luck and keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seaking Posted August 15, 2012 Share #20 Posted August 15, 2012 Just occurred to me while riding today, is there any possibility that the kick stand might be bouncing and breaking contact thereby killing the engine? Just a thought, as several people suggested that one to me when I was having these same problems.. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmelah Posted August 15, 2012 Share #21 Posted August 15, 2012 i dont know if slowspecv has gotten back on but i think i may know who it is as he is local to me on the coast i will run by the shop and checkto see if it is i will pass on the kick stand switch and try to recruite $12 for a membership then again i dont know if he would be intrested in hanging around the nuts on here .....may not be his type of crazies:whistling::rotf::rotf: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowspecv Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share #22 Posted August 17, 2012 Yea I still here I probably won't join up I was just at my ends with this venture and looking for help. The bike may still be under warrantee so he might get a fuel pump for free. I will try the fuel pump deal though. I had one with a fuel pump issue before though and it would kinda spit and sputter then back fire a couple times and you could smack the fuel pump with a hammer and it would clear up and run for another week or so. I will give a fuel pump a shot though. I like the ventures and all but my next bike for a similar price is gonna be the Vmax only thing I have ridden that actually scared me to the point of shaking. Man what a rush that was. I appreciate all the help guys. I hate throwing parts at customers bikes and hoping for the best I like to get a honest idea of what's wrong, most "mechanics" these days just throw parts. I guess I am old school even only being 29 I like to fix it and make people happy rather than just run up a bill. Sometimes it's good to just sit down and stare at it for a while and sometimes the problem just presents itself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitfire9 Posted August 17, 2012 Share #23 Posted August 17, 2012 You could always try hooking up some temporary test lights to the fuel pump, and any other electrical circuit that you may suspect to see if power is shutting off to something. You can make up a cheap and dirty inductive pickup to put on an ignition wire to see if the spark is going away during a shut down. This should help narrow it down to the system causing the problem. What a great idea. Is the 2006 fuel injected? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XV1100SE Posted August 17, 2012 Share #24 Posted August 17, 2012 Yea I still here I probably won't join up .... Doesn't matter what you ride. Since the VMax is a cousin of the Venture.... you are more than welcome to stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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