Not running right

[Comandoriv]

Hi, I know to some this may seem like a dumb question but I am definitely still learning and this forum has been nothing but excellent in support.

So I was riding my motorized bike for around 25-35 minutes. I am still in break in period with about 30 miles in. Suddenly the bike starting bogging down and wasn't producing power to propel me (was just popping, like right when you start it up but before the surge of power propelling you occurs. When I tried to start it again, it just bogged down even more.

Now I pulled the plug and it is black-ish and wet around, but not at the tip. This is normal for break in?

Now I also opened the gas cap and checked for gas. So this is what im wondering really - if there is no fuel in the gas tank but there is fuel in the fuel line, the bike will not run or should it run? I was thinking it needed fuel in the gas tank to create the vaccumm to pull gas? I'm not sure.

Other wise any other suggestions?

Thanks!!

 

[Comandoriv]

Update: To answer my own question, yes gas needs to be present in the tank, not just the fuel line alone.

 

[Hello Moto!]

Well I ran outta gas one day and it sucked the hole thing dry. Tank and fuel line. I didn't have a drop of fuel left so in my experience it will use all the gas available. But, if you have fuel in your tank and try to ride with the petcock in the off position, it will not run because the fuel gets locked in the fuel line with no venting action. Not sure why your bike died though..you coulda fouled the plug. Have you got it running again?

 

[Comandoriv]

Well I ran outta gas one day and it sucked the hole thing dry. Tank and fuel line. I didn't have a drop of fuel left so in my experience it will use all the gas available. But, if you have fuel in your tank and try to ride with the petcock in the off position, it will not run because the fuel gets locked in the fuel line with no venting action. Not sure why your bike died though..you coulda fouled the plug. Have you got it running again?

Hi, yes I did get it running after I put more fuel into the gas tank. It seemed as if there was no venting action in any petcock position when this occured. The engine is still being broken in and seems to foul the spark plug (ngkb6hs) quite easily.

I've adjusted to a leaner mix and have yet to do a plug chop.

 

[HeadSmess]

the tank gravity feeds into the carb, unless its a walbro style "pumper carb". they can have the tank anywhere, as they will pump it against gravity. why they are used on chainsaws etc.

sometimes, after running completely dry, the fuel line gets an air lock and simply refuses to flow fuel when refilled, until the hose is removed from carb. or "primed".

inline fuel filters just make the issue worse.

sometimes the tank cap blocks up and refuses to let air in as fuel exits...

normal NT carb should keep running, up to a minute after the fuel line has run dry as well. the bowl holds a few cc of fuel. carbs with pilot jets tend to run out faster, as the main jet is lower in the bowl than the pilot jet.

plug fouling...use less oil.
forget about the "break in" procedure.
rejet til its coming out tan/brown.
a lower number plug (in NGK's system) will foul less easily, as the ceramic gets hotter and burns the crud off.