Motorcycle Stalls when Clutch Released - how to fix
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- čas přidán 29. 12. 2017
- This is a detailed description of a classic motorcycle problem, characterized by an engine stall when the transmission is in gear and the clutch handle released. The ignition wiring diagram is shown for a Kawasaki VN800 motorcycle, but many bikes with sidestands will have similar variations. The easy diagnosis and repair are carefully described.
DIY motorcycle repair is inherently dangerous, so do not attempt home repair without consideration of risks to your person and your bike. The information contained here is offered for free in good faith, but with no guarantees as to safety or accuracy. Never rely on one source for critical information, be sure to read widely. Any misadventure you encounter if you decide to repair your own bike is your responsibility.
Music clip at the end is Deeper Love (g3n3ratorX Remix) by Ben Clock, licensed under Creative Commons (CCBY). www.BenClock.com - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Thank you! I have a 2005 Vulcan VN 800 A all original stock bike. Just started having this problem. Followed your video process and boom there lied the problem. I have a Jack so I used it to hold the bike up and cleaned the part, it was stuck as well, so after all that and reinstall the bike works as it should. Thanks again! Safe rides to all from Texas!
Great video. I appreciated the short, quick, to the point video. Also the showing of the diagram helping to deduce the probable cause. Thank you for this helpful video.
Think you just saved me a trip to the dealership for a costly repair. Thanks for the insight!
Oh man, thank you so much! I was checking oil, checking clutch plates..scratching my head...and the darn stand just wasn't all the way up..my friend, i appreciate your knowledge and that you shared it with the public..thank you
same thing just happened to me , glad I found this video lol
Thank-you! Adding in the ground wiring diagram really made a difference for me to help understand what's going on
That was a great visual on the electrical paths. It made the diagnosis pretty straight forward (as you mentioned). :)
Nicely done Dave especially with the wiring diagram to see the grounding paths for the ignition circuit. Glad to see that it was an easy fix for you.
Thanks, Terry, Happy New Year!
Always a great vid. This procedure applies to many similar switches...door jamb, parking brake, brake light, etc. Thanks for sharing!
Yeah, absolutely. The best technicians make these kind of diagnostic tasks look very simple, which they often are. However I don't envy how those guys have to constantly work against the clock. Probably a seasoned tech would have just sprayed down the switch with lubricant, although it might have taken a while to get it moving in that awkward position. It takes longer to do the diagnostics accurately although I find the real reward is the insight from learning how that ignition ground system works. Insight like that makes future problem solving so much easier.
Great video man, I'm ashamed to admit I spent the last two days scratching my head at this problem. Ended up completely rebuilding my carbs before I found your video and solved the problem. Thanks a lot!
I ordered a whole new carb because of it.. 😪
I did think of the kickstand safety switch, however I always appreciate your detailed explanation about how things work as well as options to repair the problem. Thanks
You're welcome, I feel the same way.
Thank you so much for your video. I got it sorted out in ten minutes. Absolutely fantastic.
Thank you, you helped me fix my problem. No skills or experience here, but lots of motivation. Thanks again.
Fantastic video. Well shot and narrated. Very helpful. Thanks.
Great video. I just had this issue with my Kawasaki Vulcan 800 when the engine dies when I let out the clutch. I was baffled about why this was happening. Can't wait to try out this fix. I didn't even know that there was a side stand safety switch but it does make sense to have one.
Super great video, I wouldn’t even find out the issue without your video, thank you a lot for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Thank you Sir, had the same problem today. I couldnt figure out the what happned. After wacthing this, i realised that my enfield dashed on the side where side-stand is. Problem solved after watching this. Thank You again . from India.
This was the exact problem with my bike. Cleaned my switch off with some alcohol, threw some oil on it, problem gone. Thanks Spelunkerd!
I like your style Dave, I like your style.
Stalling last 2 weeks. Thought it was the gas tank, carb... everything but this! Got it working!
I can’t thank you enough for this video, I’m a beginner biker so I had this stalling problem, I thought it was just the lack of practice but then when a friend tried to help and explain me how to do it he notice that the bike died if no gas was pumped while releasing the clutch and told me that was a problem, (he’s not a mechanic though) we ‘been checking the internet for two or three days searching for tutorials and after we saw this and try it on the bike everything works like a charm, I can finally ride in a way I fell safe and confident, no more drag race starts nor stalling
Drag race starts 😂😂😂😂😂 Same here brother, same here. New rider and having this exact same issue. If I don't give it at least a 1/8 inch turn on the throttle it stalls as clutch is being release. Can't wait to try this in the morning.
Another great video! Keep 'em coming !!
Great Video, very thorough explanation!
Thanks so much for this easy fix, thought it was something like this but you nailed it 100 percent. Thanks again!!!
Very nice explanation. Helped me in fixing exactly the same problem with my Kawasaki.
thanks for your helpful video because after watching your video I removed my kickstand switch with has a sticky plunger and lubed it then reinstalled it, now it works great
This video presentation was terrific. Well done!
Thanks.
Woooow! Something so simple & I thought these people sold me a lemon cause outta nowhere this bs... You really did save the day bro. Im going to apologize to those people. 🤪 Most of all thank you for caring enough to share this info. You are my go-to-guy! I was finna go snatch the back tire off and see if the brakes had locked up. I was baffled. Thank u again!
Today I received a question posed through Google plus about the adapter I used to tie into the circuit in this video. I'll record my response here in case anybody else is wondering.
Hi, Joshua. I don't often use Google plus, I hope this reply gets to you. The leads you were talking about were part of the Lisle 69200 kit, a bare bones adapter kit for a common terminal. You can find it on Amazon if you want that one. Lisle sell others that are more complete, Lisle 69600 is a little better. The one I'd really like to have, one used by Scannerdanner and Eric O is made by AES Wave, titled uTest Advanced Terminal Test Kit, AES Wave part number 16-200. However I don't have the cash to buy that one, it is far more complete with a few hundred male and female connectors of various sizes. All of them try to meet the goal of attaching to a disconnected connector, and you want a pretty good match if you are probing the female end of those connectors because if you spread the female connector it may not give good contact after that. You noticed that I attached to the male end of the connector piece, which is at lower risk for damaging the connector. The other way to do this is to backprobe with a needle or pin into the rear of the connector, and the two advantages of that are you are less likely to damage it and also you can leave the connector hooked up. PICO make a universal breakout lead kit that has a female end, a male end, and a third end to attach a scope so you can bridge the whole connector while it is in use and measure current, voltage, waveforms, etc. However all of those are pretty expensive and there is usually a work around using a simple back probe T-pin for what you want. Thanks for visiting!
Thanks for the informative video.
I managed to sort the stand switch problem on my Triumph, thanks to you!
Yes, I was inspecting the kickstand switch as suggested, and I cut the wire leading to the switch determined to bypass it and move on. As I did this about half a cup of thick muddy liquid oosed out, nice. No wonder it didn't work. Ok, rewired a connector bypassed the switch and got back on the road. Thanks for the love, jack.
Your great OG I like that how you present yourself and how clear you are talking about the situation and I really did help me I you're clear everything is good you tell about the situation clearly it's awesome man I give you a hundred percent sure could you help me out my situation thank you
Thanks mate saved lots of money I was about throw my bike in service with my battery almost drained but your video a push and few miles save it
Thank you. about 3 seconds into the video I realized that my issue was kick stand down. I was sure I had miffed something in the last oil change and tune up.
Thank you so much for your input! This was what was wrong with my bike! Thank you!!!!!! I’m back riding
Thanks for your help on this, I really did think it was the switch and is my number 1 choice to look at. But your video has helped. Thinks...
Thanks for the video, I'm facing similar issue with my interceptor 650
That was a perfect diagnostic off that bike I also had the same problem on my 2006 Kawasaki Eliminator 125 CC and yes that was the problem
Amazing video man, very informative and you haven't bottled us up with useless facts/knowledge. I love how you've made the video generalized instead of bike specific. Using logic to explain your answers as you're showing what you're doing. One of the best DIY instructional videos I've seen on youtube to date. A+, 10 gold stars etc etc
What a kind remark, you made my day. Thank you.
Saved my day with this headache yourself so it's the least I can do! All the best with your channel in future!
Thanks alot
i will go for a drive and ill be coming to a stop after driving for a bit then when i shift into 1st or neutral coming to the stop my engine dies. i am getting a new carb soon it is having issues. ill check back in with ya after it comes in and gets installed. thanks for you time and videos !
Just wanted to say thank you for making such a detailed and informative presentation. You clearly put time into making this. It shows. Thank you. Going to save a lot of money
What a kind and perceptive remark, thank you.
Thank you so much. I was ready to pull my hair out when I took your advice and bingo it worked. Thank again
Great explanation. Thanks
Excellent video. Thanks
Great video. Well done. Not that you've asked for suggestions, but a soft box or two would be all I would add to make this video even better. My 1976 DT175 does not have a side stand switch. I'll pull the clutch basket and probably get new friction plates. I think the cable is a bit stretched too. I had to stick a bolt at the bottom stay to get more play at the perch so I'll replace it with one from e-bay.
My thoughts exactly, the lighting was poor for some clips, and a soft box would have offered better detail. I always find audio errors, too, in almost every video I do. It's been a work in progress, partially redeemed by content. Thanks for watching!
When you put a timing belt on an engine, some manufacturers provide a little key to hold the belt tensioner closed until the device is mounted. Once the belt tensioner is bolted into place with the belt in line, it's easy to pull the key (or drill bit, allen wrench) and the tensioner springs into action. Those tensioners can be quite tricky to bolt into place after the spring is deployed. Similarly, at the end I was trying to put the spring loaded switch into place while the bike was up on the stand. So I wrapped the switch with tape to temporarily close the switch, which allowed me to more easily bolt it into place. Then I cut the tape away to allow the spring to release, after which I torqued the screws down. In retrospect It might have been easier to do that with the bike on my lift, so I could fully extend the switch while mounting it. In the end the repair worked out fine.
Spelunkered thank you so much for this. I was about to spend 500$ at a shop to redo the carbs thinking something was wrong with them but I tried thinks and it was exactly as you said. Many blessings to you brother.
That was great. Now I have to fix my bike.
Yoo! Thank you this helped soo much! Bike is on the road again thanks!
Wow this was my issue! You saved me!
Can't wait to try this when I get off work
Such a good information
Thanks brother that was exactly what was wrong with my bike
Good explanation 👍
Good video👏🏽
Wasted Hrs reading the manual. Watched your vid problem solved.thank you
Having a similar problem but mine might be more of a gas issue. Bike hates getting into first gear if it does at all, and I need the choke up half way to all the way for it to idle. Did an entire carburetor rebuild and cleaning and still can’t get it to idle properly. Still assuming it must be a jet issue but your video gave me some knowledge nonetheless!
Thanks!!! Fixed in 8 minutes
My man thanks a bunch !!
Great advise thanks
Spelunkers, thanks brother I appreciate your videos you have released the pressure off my brain, thanks again for your help, James Young
Thank you, James.
Dave
Hey Dave, Do you have a video on how to adjust the air/gas on carburator on a Honda Shadow VLX 600 2004. James Young
Nice one Dave, I was wondering what to do with a similar problem on a BMW 1200GS, and I simply sprayed the foot stand switch with WD-40 and now it is all good.
Good point! a little silicone spray works great, too. These things get constant dirt so I guess we shouldn't be surprised its a common problem. I took it apart to try and reduce the time to next failure.
Okay, I'll see if this works... Thank you for the advice.
Good video
You gained a subscriber thank you!!! Let’s hope it works for me
Man, thanks very mutch. I solved the same problem from here (brazil).
Good vid
Great job,....I think that is my problem.
Those little testing connectors are great! Much better than alligator clips :)
Yeah, those are from a little kit made by Lisle, though they would be easy to make with a couple of female connectors, shrink wrap, solder and a bit of wire. They have covered male banana connectors that fit my multimeter leads perfectly. Thanks for watching, Nick.
Cool man u shulde be a teacher iam one of those kids that fell through the cracks of the sistum but man I had teacher but ur The only person that when ur teachein i vote under srand u. Thanks man hopefully u have more. Serus ur. Eze to understand
Great vid man! I'm new to bikes and just bought a used cbr 1000f. I know where my "friction zone" is so when I'm at a light and I know it's about to change, I'll find the friction zone and sure enough...if I go past it without throttle, it stalls. When I took the MSF, the bikes they gave us were nothing like that. Once you found the friction zone and got some speed, you could completely release the clutch and be fine. My bike puts and stutters and eventually stalls 😪
I thought it was maybe the chain since it was loose so I bought another one. Still having the problem. Thanks to your vid, imma try in first thing in the a.m. Wish me luck man. Let's hope this solves it.
So I checked and my kickstand is different. I didn't see the push plate nor the plunger. I did however see the wire connecting to the module. Any help would be appreciated. I sprayed wd-40 all over the thing tho (not the wire) so we'll see what happens.
One of the things that really helps is to have a dealers repair manual. For cars, there are aftermarket providers who sell access to dealer manuals for about $50/5 years. Unfortunately neither Alldata nor Mitchell seem to be interested in bikes. I bought my manual from the dealer at the time I got the bike, but a cheaper way to get one is to do a search, you may be able to find a pdf file or DVD that isn't too expensive. All that said, if your bike is similar to mine then the switch is a simple access to ground, in which case tying the two wires together cuts the kickstand switch out of the equation entirely. Your story is suspicious for something other than the kickstand switch, in which case you may notice no change in the problem when you do that. Don't forget to put it back the way you found it before moving on to look for other causes. Carb problems and vacuum leaks are really common in old bikes, that's where I'd be looking.
Thank you
Thank you sir
Top job 👍
Thanks!
I will try this today
I believe I have that problem on my 99 Yamaha Venture. It's weird because I rode it that other day and had no issues. Just a few days ago I had it shipped from Wis to MIA. I sprayed it this morning will see if it frees up I will also remove it to clean. I will let ya know if this works thanks.
I will defiantly try this because mines doing the same thing, it started after I nearly dropped my bike, I thought the clutch was seized up
Thanks Dave, interesting to see the Ignition ground paths. I’m not usually into bikes, if my customers ask, I tell them they are missing two wheels 😀Happy New Year!
Ha ha, you got me laughing already this morning, Rob.
It's something I'm gonna try tomorrow, I thought it had something to do wilh the kill switch. Fix tomorrow and maybe take a short brisk ride
Good afternoon sir. Just stopping by i thought I'd let you know that i got my 95 KLX 650 to run just fine. A new carn rebuild kit has it purring like new and i figured out what the stall problem was on mine. The previous owner could never get it to run.. -said the problem was something electrical but didn't know what to look for. I am guessing the owner before him hacked the kickstand switch out. The leads for the wlswitch are there and i never thought to disconnect them (yes the kickstand switch leads were neatly connected with banana plugs) to see if that would do any difference. So today i did after the carb rebuild i went ahead and disconnected the switch leads and threw her in gear -crossed my fingers and let go of cluth *VOILA!! No more stalling problem and she pulls like a mule
Your the man. Thanks for the video!
Spelunkerd great vid. My bike is stalling when releasing clutch in first. I am able to take off in 2nd gear though. I will check this, but would you assume cause is something else?
For sure, it's not the sidestand switch. I don't know why it would stall only in first gear. Perhaps a transmission issue, a mechanical problem?
Friend has a motorcycle that seems to match this description and I'm hoping this works for him :)
When you faced this issue, were you able to ride off by giving extra throttle? Im having the same issue but I can still ride off with extra gas. Also, when my kickstand is actually down, the bike shuts off as soon as it shifts into gear. Doesn't your kickstand switch work tge same way?
Fuel won't help a kickstand switch problem, since the mechanism is lack of ignition. The bike with a bad kickstand switch shuts off because there is no spark, regardless of fuel delivery.
You're the second person to describe your bike shutting off immediately when being put into gear with kickstand already down, even with clutch pulled in. I wonder if your bikes (newer?) are wired differently, or perhaps the clutch switch isn't working the way it should. My old Vulcan will definitely continue to idle after being put into gear while the kickstand is down, as long as the clutch is being pulled in. I would start by getting a wiring diagram for your bike. I'd be looking at other issues regarding your response to throttle. Most likely it is a carb or fuel delivery issue.
thanks
1978 GS 750, Suzuki, and when I let the clutch out in first gear the bike loses power and wants to die so I have to feather the clutch and throttle so that I can get it to catch first long enough for me to get going ...then switch to second and so on with no issues. Any idea what I need to do?
Thanks for the video brother I have a 650 and it's been dying on my when I have the clutched pulled in at a red light or a stop sign is that a clutch problem or a carb problem?
Carb issue, vacuum leak, bad gasoline, water in fuel. It wouldn't be the stand safety switch since the clutch handle is pulled in. As you say a clutch problem might present with a stall, but in that case the bike would try to creep forward even with clutch handle pulled in. So you should be able to identify a clutch problem because of other symptoms.
I dont think my 1977 Honda has a kickstand switch... but I'll look tomorrow. pretty dang sure i had the stand up.
A previous owner of my vulcan got around the bad side stand switch by..
...dun dun dun!
Bending the crap out of the metal tab on the stand rather than replace the switch. I'll be fixing that as the rebuild gets to that point, once the frame is back from powdercoat.
If only all fix's were that easy.
Thanks! Rec'd and new subscriber.
My '81 400 almost stalls when shifting into 1st gear. RPM's go from 1200 to 800?
Yip this sound like my problem, started today , on IT , this SucKer Need's disconnected was totally unaware of iT
Good video. I had this issue several years ago on my 2001 Vulcan Classic FI. I now have a new issue that you may have seen. My 1500 fi was having after firing "backfire". I replaced the plugs and it solved the problem. It cruises well until I pull the clutch in and throttle down to down shift and the motor quits. I have Cobra pipes and one of those fuel command modules which I have adjusted into multiple configurations. I have to pull the idle knob out about half way to keep the bike running when sitting. The bike sit for about 2 years without any extensive running. Ran it at times while sitting in the garage but very little riding. I've cleaned the throttle body openings and flaps well. Any ideas?
Water in stale fuel accounts for the vast majority of problems like that, so I'd start there. If that doesn't work, I'd remove and clean the carb.
Great job! What if the motorcycle does not have a kickstand? I am having the same problem with my can am. Every time I press the clutch it cuts out on me. Any suggestion?
Oh, you mean those 4X4 quads? My garden tractor has a sensor in the seat that will kill ignition if the weight of the rider is gone, as might happen if the rider falls off. Same principle. It also has is a kill circuit if the power takeoff or mower is engaged when trying to start. I'd be searching out a wiring diagram for your vehicle, and look for that. The other way to approach this would be to look for loss of spark when you release the clutch. Use a spark tester to demonstrate spark, slowly release clutch and see if the spark disappears. Then look closely at the ignition circuit and see where ground comes from, looking for alternate grounds. When the pathway through the clutch switch disappears, it needs to find another route. For diagnostic purposes you can bypass those switches and see if the problem resolves. However I wouldn't do that permanently, those safety mechanisms are there for a reason. Good luck!
I’m having this issue while out riding, seems to be only after the bike of well warmed up, seems like it gets overheated in some way, when I downshift it just suddenly dies, I’ve check the power to the kick stand but I haven’t taken off the plunger to test it so I’m going to try it. As a beginner it’s fairly unnerving that to just dies when I’m downshifting coming to roundabouts. Fingers crossed it works. I’ll reply back. I’m riding Suzuki GZ125
That sounds like a fuel delivery problem, I'd clean the carburetor. When the throttle snaps shut, fuel delivery happens through tiny alternate passages that are easily blocked off with debris. Gumming up of the air passages also causes air turbulence that can interferes with the Bernoulli effect, necessary to draw fuel up those tiny passages.
@@spelunkerd Cheers man, Carb was cleaned from the garage in the last week. I’ve run Redex through the engine so a few journeys to let it run through first. Thanks for all the knowledge as I’m a beginner so this is great to learn. Love the video man
Currently having an issue with my ZX-7R, the bike idles and starts fine, I put it in gear and put the kick stand up, when trying to pull off it cuts out exactly the same as your video. I bypassed the clutch switch and the bike runs and pulls off fine. Replaced the clutch switch and same issue. Now I’ve bought a new kick stand switch to see if that’s the issue but I’m running out of ideas. Are there any other switches that could be causing this issue? The neutral switch for example?
Great quality video by the way 👍🏼
As tempting as it is to throw parts at the problem, a couple of minutes with a multimeter and a dealers repair manual will help verify the diagnosis before you play the swaptronics game. You can get inexpensive (~$40) PDF copies of Kawasaki bikes on their website, and in fact parts manuals are available for free download. I'd be focused on the kickstand switch, but if the switch is good then I'd look carefully at the wires and connectors for corrosion or rodent damage of wires. Trace those wires all the way back to the igniter, it wouldn't be uncommon for a lead to be broken or accidentally removed. If the problem happens when in gear, it is not the neutral switch, which should cut out when shifted into gear. The reason bypassing the clutch switch worked was because it bypasses the whole ground circuit all the time. A good clutch switch cuts out when the clutch handle is released. Looking at the wiring diagram, you can see the only pathway to ground in my bike while driving is through the kickstand switch, so I think you're on the right path to look there. Good luck!
spelunkerd thanks, yeah I bought a new clutch and stand switch and it didn’t work in the beginning. I must have dirty electrical connectors or something because I was wiggling a few things around and now it works fine 🤔 problem is when you are riding the bike is bouncing around so the problem will likely come round again. Thanks for the response anyway! Top man 🤙🏻
Hello Spelunkerd -
Fellow BC rider here, think you gave me a right direction to look at my bike's problem... Thanks for the video.
I ride BMW k1300S and it started giving me troubles when it is a really hot day, or if I catch heavy rain. As soon as the clutch is pulled the engine dies, especially in riding when I downshift from third to second, or second to first... It is not all the time but starting to do more often now... Pulling the clutch while the bike is rolling and starting the bike works, or if I am stopped starting the bike works too, but I have to be alerted all the time. Debating is it a clutch switch or the kick-stand switch...
Do you mind sharing your opinion?
Thanks a lot!
I'd be looking at other issues, especially vacuum leaks and idle control factors. Newer bikes have more complicated control and even some ability to read diagnostic codes (and maybe even get live data on a scan tool). I don't know anything about the BMWs. It would be fairly easy to test both the kick stand switch and the clutch switch by backprobing the wiring, then measure voltage drop across the switch with engine running. However given the symptoms I'd be looking elsewhere. All motorcycles are prone to vacuum leaks, which mostly cause idle issues, improved when throttle is applied. To look for a vacuum leak, I would inspect the intake manifold between the throttle buterfly and the cylinders, and spray water onto suspicious areas while the engine is running. If the engine stutters you've found a vacuum leak. A dirty carb can present with the same symptoms, so that too is worth considering.
@@spelunkerd That's awesome man, thanks a lot, that could be the next step to check. Went to my bike and checked both the clutch and the the kickstand switches and found the entire kickstand assembly, held by two bolts, was loose and freely moving shaking 5mm back/forth... And that is attached right to the stand switch !!! Of course, the stand is not moving when the bike's weight is on stand, but when the bike held up and stand retracted it was pretty obvious... I tighten it and will ride her tomorrow to see if that was the fix (if it is not raining again... 😀)
THANKS A LOT!!!
Just came across this video , my 2001 800a with start fine idle perfectly, nut as soon as I give it throttle, in neutral or in gear it dies , could the kickstand switch do that?
If it is fine with clutch in, but as soon as you release the clutch it dies, check that kickstand switch. If the engine dies with clutch in as you turn the throttle, it may be dirty jets in your carb, dirty fuel or water in fuel.
I'm having a similar issue only my bike cuts out when pressure is on the clutch
So I just bought a 2006 Yamaha Royal Star Tour Deluxe. So in neutral with the clutch press in will start but will die if I release the clutch OR if I put it on gear . Even with the kick stand in or out . I was thinking was the kick stand switch or the clutch switch now I don’t know. If I try to start it on 1st gear with the clutch press in won’t start only on neutral with the clutch in if I release the clutch will die . Any advices ? Thank you so much
I'd approach it the same way I did here. If you jump the kickstand switch with a short jumper wire the problem should go away. If it does, then fix it correctly. You'll want to get a dealers repair manual for your exact bike. Start with a search for a pdf version, try ebay, and if that doesn't work go to the Yamaha site. Hopefully it works out for your, good luck!
@@spelunkerd thank you so much that’s what I’m going to do