Senior Rocket III Problem

[Rocketman1]

Original owner purchased July 2004 one of first 200 in the USA. !8 years of trouble free service 35,00 miles. last 240 mile
ride was Oct. 2021. Always garaged and put on battery tender. Started up on Jan. 2022 and noticed no cold start high idle just 650 RPM steady. Ran for 15min revved up a few times shut down and put back to sleep. Cold started again in April noticed sluggish start 2 tries fired up again no high cold idle. Revved up ok and steady idle at 650. Started in Sept. battery turned motor over 1/2 revolution and crapped. Jumped off of car lots of cranking engine coughing sputtering backfiring while rolling open and closing throttle rapidly to keep running. Close throttle idle goes to 300 RPM and stalls. So I figured 5 year old battery needs replacement and maybe stale gas. Drained tank filled with fresh fuel and replaced battery. Cranks fine but still have will not run problem. Engine surges stumbles backfires will not idle at all when throttle is closed. No check engine light. Help needed!! Suggestions welcomed Thank you.

 

[atomsplitter]

Reflash the ECU, it has adapted to bad gas and won't fuel properly. I had this happen to me with my Rocket when it sat too long and the gas went bad. I took it to the dealer to flush my fuel system and they couldn't get it running until they reflashed the ECU with a stock tune. After that it started and idled fine. Hint, don't leave gas in it if you're going to store for long periods. Most fuel stabilizers aren't capable of preventing fuel seperation for more than a few months.

 

[Rocketman1]

Reflash the ECU, it has adapted to bad gas and won't fuel properly. I had this happen to me with my Rocket when it sat too long and the gas went bad. I took it to the dealer to flush my fuel system and they couldn't get it running until they reflashed the ECU with a stock tune. After that it started and idled fine. Hint, don't leave gas in it if you're going to store for long periods. Most fuel stabilizers aren't capable of preventing fuel seperation for more than a few months.

Thank you for the info!!

 

[Journeyman]

Sounds similar in many ways to what I had going on here....

What now? (bad idle and poor running)

The bike was running great then yesterday it started stalling, has trouble idling, and runs like crapp. All coil wires are tight, vacuum hoses and caps good, primary TPS replaced 14,000 miles ago, fuel filter 14,000 miles ago. Runs better at higher RPMs, but not right. It's my main ride- I'd...

www.r3owners.net

TPS and fuel filter. How long since you replaced your fuel filter?

 

[CrzystghndKC]

Original owner purchased July 2004 one of first 200 in the USA. !8 years of trouble free service 35,00 miles. last 240 mile
ride was Oct. 2021. Always garaged and put on battery tender. Started up on Jan. 2022 and noticed no cold start high idle just 650 RPM steady. Ran for 15min revved up a few times shut down and put back to sleep. Cold started again in April noticed sluggish start 2 tries fired up again no high cold idle. Revved up ok and steady idle at 650. Started in Sept. battery turned motor over 1/2 revolution and crapped. Jumped off of car lots of cranking engine coughing sputtering backfiring while rolling open and closing throttle rapidly to keep running. Close throttle idle goes to 300 RPM and stalls. So I figured 5 year old battery needs replacement and maybe stale gas. Drained tank filled with fresh fuel and replaced battery. Cranks fine but still have will not run problem. Engine surges stumbles backfires will not idle at all when throttle is closed. No check engine light. Help needed!! Suggestions welcomed Thank you.

Check your vacuuum lines they often don't age well.

 

[Rocketman1]

Sounds similar in many ways to what I had going on here....

What now? (bad idle and poor running)

The bike was running great then yesterday it started stalling, has trouble idling, and runs like crapp. All coil wires are tight, vacuum hoses and caps good, primary TPS replaced 14,000 miles ago, fuel filter 14,000 miles ago. Runs better at higher RPMs, but not right. It's my main ride- I'd...

www.r3owners.net

TPS and fuel filter. How long since you replaced your fuel filter?

Original fuel filter, old gas was clear/clean that I siphoned no residue in bottom of tank.....

 

[Tripps]

Old gas, had issues with mine running bad, realized what was left in tank was well over a year old, topped it off with 93 octane ( old gas loses octane), ran like a raped ape. Most storage additives don't really work.

 

[Journeyman]

Original fuel filter, old gas was clear/clean that I siphoned no residue in bottom of tank.....

35,000 miles and original fuel filter?

If it's not that (very good chance) you'll probably find the answer from another idea someone suggested in the post I shared above. Many of those guys aren't on here much anymore, but they all new their $hit. My R3 has 12,000 on it and 2,000 overdue on a new fuel filter that I'll be installing this weekend. On my Roadster when I was having problems similar to yours my fuel filter had been changed just 14,000 miles previously. It was either that or the TPS in my case (or both). I think the replacement for the older bikes is every 20k miles and you are definitely overdue. Mahle makes one. I'd suggest ordering one.

 

[TURBO200R4]

Sounds similar in many ways to what I had going on here....

What now? (bad idle and poor running)

The bike was running great then yesterday it started stalling, has trouble idling, and runs like crapp. All coil wires are tight, vacuum hoses and caps good, primary TPS replaced 14,000 miles ago, fuel filter 14,000 miles ago. Runs better at higher RPMs, but not right. It's my main ride- I'd...

www.r3owners.net

TPS and fuel filter. How long since you replaced your fuel filter?

49000 miles still running perfect Lol

 

[Rocketman1]

Turns out the fuel pump was putting out only 10 psi. 43 psi required. Installed new pump, pressure regulator fuel filter, new hoses and clamps. Runs like a new!