dead cylinder / Power loss issue (fuel related)

This is for general posts and questions concerning only the Kawasaki Vulcan Voyager 1700 V-Twin.

Moderators: the2knights, Highway Rider

Post Reply
FORGIVEN143
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2019 2:05 pm
4
Current bike(s): 2014 Kawasaki Vulcan Voyager 1700 ABS
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 0

dead cylinder / Power loss issue (fuel related)

Post by FORGIVEN143 »

I have a 2014 Vulcan Voyager with 13,000 miles. I recently did the Ivan's flash, Cobra slip on exhaust and K&N air filter. Sunday, I was heading out on a 2.5 hour trip. I stopped and topped of the gas before I hit the highway. Got about 10 minutes down the road and noticed to bike was feeling like and sounding like it has a mis-fire and it was definitely down on power. I made it to my destination but the MPG's had dropped from average 42, down to 31 MPG. I did pull over at one point and the exhaust on the front cylinder was warm but not holly crap hot like the exhaust on the rear cylinder, so I know that the issue was coming from the front cylinder. I let the bike sit overnight. Started it up the next morning and the exhaust coming out from the front cylinder never got hot like the exhaust coming from the rear cylinder after letting it idle for about 10 minutes. I took the tank and seat off so I could check the plugs, wires and coils. They all checked good so now I am thinking fuel issue. Maybe bad gas, but bad enough to make a cylinder go completely dead? I put the bike back together and fired it up and at this point it started running like it should, firing on both cylinders. I put some injector cleaner in the tank filled up with gas again and went on a 50 mile ride. It ran great the entire time. I let it set for about 6 hours until I headed back for the 2.5 hour ride home. I got about 20 miles down the road again and it started running rough again. I let the bike run all the way down to almost empty trying to get as much gas out of the tank as I could before I filled it back up. It was still running rough after this fill up as well. Drove the final 30 miles home with it running rough. Got to the house, shut it off just long enough to get off and open my garage door, got back on and fired it up to pull it in the garage and it started running good again.

So, is it bad gas and what it the best way to get the bad gas out or is there a possibility that I just have a fuel injector going bad? I have not fired it up since Monday night. I plan on riding to church tonight to see how it running now. :please:
User avatar
doug of so fla
Grand Tourer
Grand Tourer
Posts: 431
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:17 pm
16
Current bike(s): 07 gold wing
Location: summerfield, fl
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 1 time

Re: dead cylinder / Power loss issue (fuel related)

Post by doug of so fla »

Try simple things first. Bad gas, add Seafoam to a full tank and see what it does , Check spark plug & plug wire & cap, Test battery (Clean and shiny terminals both sides). Check for any corrosion on any other ignition wiring or connections.

Let us know what ya find and go from there. Good luck.
doug of no fla
FORGIVEN143
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2019 2:05 pm
4
Current bike(s): 2014 Kawasaki Vulcan Voyager 1700 ABS
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 0

Re: dead cylinder / Power loss issue (fuel related)

Post by FORGIVEN143 »

I know that the plugs & wires are good, I checked them Monday. I don't know about the battery terminals, I did not pay much attention to them the last time I had the battery out about a month ago when I had the ECU re-flashed. I will check them today. I will wait a few days before I use the sea-foam, I want to make sure I have all of the other injector clear out of the system before I try something else.

On another note, The hydraulic lifters on my bike are annoying. I can let the bike set for a week or longer and have no problem when I fire it up the next time and there are times like this morning, it has sat for only three days and when I fired it up it started tapping like crazy and it took for ever this time for it to quit. And the tapping is coming from the front cylinder.
cushman eagle
King of the Road
King of the Road
Posts: 1941
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2011 10:08 pm
13
Current bike(s): '99 Kawasaki Voyager 1200
1958 Cushman Eagle restoration has been finished,and have put 3030 miles on her!
Location: Orrville,Ohio
Has liked: 813 times
Been liked: 273 times

Re: dead cylinder / Power loss issue (fuel related)

Post by cushman eagle »

FORGIVEN143 wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:45 pm I have a 2014 Vulcan Voyager with 13,000 miles. I recently did the Ivan's flash, Cobra slip on exhaust and K&N air filter. Sunday, I was heading out on a 2.5 hour trip. I stopped and topped of the gas before I hit the highway. Got about 10 minutes down the road and noticed to bike was feeling like and sounding like it has a mis-fire and it was definitely down on power. I made it to my destination but the MPG's had dropped from average 42, down to 31 MPG. I did pull over at one point and the exhaust on the front cylinder was warm but not holly crap hot like the exhaust on the rear cylinder, so I know that the issue was coming from the front cylinder. I let the bike sit overnight. Started it up the next morning and the exhaust coming out from the front cylinder never got hot like the exhaust coming from the rear cylinder after letting it idle for about 10 minutes. I took the tank and seat off so I could check the plugs, wires and coils. They all checked good so now I am thinking fuel issue. Maybe bad gas, but bad enough to make a cylinder go completely dead? I put the bike back together and fired it up and at this point it started running like it should, firing on both cylinders. I put some injector cleaner in the tank filled up with gas again and went on a 50 mile ride. It ran great the entire time. I let it set for about 6 hours until I headed back for the 2.5 hour ride home. I got about 20 miles down the road again and it started running rough again. I let the bike run all the way down to almost empty trying to get as much gas out of the tank as I could before I filled it back up. It was still running rough after this fill up as well. Drove the final 30 miles home with it running rough. Got to the house, shut it off just long enough to get off and open my garage door, got back on and fired it up to pull it in the garage and it started running good again.

So, is it bad gas and what it the best way to get the bad gas out or is there a possibility that I just have a fuel injector going bad? I have not fired it up since Monday night. I plan on riding to church tonight to see how it running now. :please:
Did you find out the cause if your dead cylinder? :hmm:
'99 Voyager VXII,'58 Cushman Eagle
FORGIVEN143
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2019 2:05 pm
4
Current bike(s): 2014 Kawasaki Vulcan Voyager 1700 ABS
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 0

Re: dead cylinder / Power loss issue (fuel related)

Post by FORGIVEN143 »

UPDATE!!!

To be honest I don't have any real answers to what was going on. I checked the battery connections the other day, and the negative terminal was a little loose but both terminals were pretty clean. I did go ahead and clean them with a wire brush and made sure the cables were good and tight. I have put almost 100 miles on it since it last gave me problems and I have not has a single issue. I'm hoping that it was just a case of bad gas. If it happens again I will post an update.
Post Reply

Return to “General - Voyager 1700 V-Twin”