advice needed....loss of power..cam tensioner?

okiecowboy · 09-09-2013, 01:56 PM

2003 nomad..38,000 miles...
Has been running good and strong, until last week...out of the blue had a loss of power, very hard to take off, have to really play with the clutch to get going..top gears you can really tell there isn't much power, takes a lot of throttle to pick up speed..
First thought bad gas, so added some treatment, and added high octane gas, had a very slight improvement...
Changed plugs....front plugs were nice and white..rear black but not oily..
No change..

Decided I was hearing some can chain tensioner noise, so decided to check them..looks like U will be adding extenders very soon..

Bike starts and sounds fine setting there.....just loss of power and a bit of a rubbing?? Noise.

Will Maxxed out tensioner cause a loss of power?
Any idea what else to check?

Thanks for any advice

**MAS Tequila** · 09-09-2013, 02:16 PM

No

Your problem is not because of slack cam chains.

MT

okiecowboy · 09-09-2013, 02:29 PM

Does it sound fuel related to you ?

**cnc** · 09-09-2013, 02:40 PM

Need more info, do you have a modified intake, after market pipies, fuel processor?
White plugs indicate a lean condition, while black is generally a rich condition.
Stock these bikes run lean, if the front cylinder plugs are white and the back cylinder plugs are black, maybe your not firing on both cylinders?

okiecowboy · 09-09-2013, 02:46 PM

Bike is all stock..
When I pulled the plugs, I did check and the back plugs are firing...

**cnc** · 09-09-2013, 03:09 PM

Fuel injected or carbed?

okiecowboy · 09-09-2013, 03:16 PM

Fuel injected

**cnc** · 09-09-2013, 03:48 PM

Wonder if you have a weak coil. It is a wasted spark ignition system, so all four plugs fire at once. You probably can switch coils and see if the plug color switches too.

okiecowboy · 09-09-2013, 05:51 PM

I compared the spark in the plug front and rear..looks the same to the naked eye

**a340driver** · 09-09-2013, 06:07 PM

So ,not to be condescending, but that was my first clue my clutch was slipping! ..followed by new plates, metals, and a barnett spring. Better than new now!

**minst7877** · 09-09-2013, 06:23 PM

My guess would be the clutch spring also. If the engine sounds the same but you don't have power it would be where I would start.

DC

okiecowboy · 09-09-2013, 06:51 PM

I understand where you are coming from...but was leaning more towards fuel...when it started was hi ways speeds going down the road...felt like it was starving for fuel, didn't want to stay running feeling

**cnc** · 09-09-2013, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by okiecowboy

I compared the spark in the plug front and rear..looks the same to the naked eye

Well while it could easily be a number of other things including a slipping clutch, comparing the strength of spark with a plug removed could be deceiving. They can be quite different under compression. The difference in plug colors from front to rear points to a difference in spark strength, a difference in the fuel mixture, or some difference in the condition of the cylinders IMO.

**l5cruiser** · 09-09-2013, 07:33 PM

Sounds just like the symptoms that I experienced with an 07 V2K. Checked everything we could think of and it turned out to be the fuel pump. Ran fine until you gassed it and it would only do about 55mph. The dealer that ended up properly diagnosing it said " we have never seen any Kawasaki fuel pump let go". There were no DTC'S on the computer. They somehow tested the fuel pressure. Fine at idle, dropped of as you gasses it. Good luck.

**Cajunrider** · 09-09-2013, 08:03 PM

Clogged screen in fuel pump maybe???

09-09-2013, 01:56 PM	#1
okiecowboy Jr. Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 26	advice needed....loss of power..cam tensioner? 2003 nomad..38,000 miles... Has been running good and strong, until last week...out of the blue had a loss of power, very hard to take off, have to really play with the clutch to get going..top gears you can really tell there isn't much power, takes a lot of throttle to pick up speed.. First thought bad gas, so added some treatment, and added high octane gas, had a very slight improvement... Changed plugs....front plugs were nice and white..rear black but not oily.. No change.. Decided I was hearing some can chain tensioner noise, so decided to check them..looks like U will be adding extenders very soon.. Bike starts and sounds fine setting there.....just loss of power and a bit of a rubbing?? Noise. Will Maxxed out tensioner cause a loss of power? Any idea what else to check? Thanks for any advice Login or Register to Remove Ads
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09-09-2013, 02:16 PM	#2
MAS Tequila Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Psychiatric Ward FL Posts: 3,429	No Your problem is not because of slack cam chains. MT __________________ MT 2016 FLHP Psychiatric Ward FL VBA 936
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09-09-2013, 02:40 PM	#4
cnc Join Date: May 2009 Location: Montreal QC Posts: 12,034	Need more info, do you have a modified intake, after market pipies, fuel processor? White plugs indicate a lean condition, while black is generally a rich condition. Stock these bikes run lean, if the front cylinder plugs are white and the back cylinder plugs are black, maybe your not firing on both cylinders? __________________ Norm Ward 2008 blue / silver nomad kawanow / VBA #01136
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09-09-2013, 02:46 PM	#5
okiecowboy Jr. Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 26	Bike is all stock.. When I pulled the plugs, I did check and the back plugs are firing... Login or Register to Remove Ads
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09-09-2013, 03:09 PM	#6
cnc Join Date: May 2009 Location: Montreal QC Posts: 12,034	Fuel injected or carbed? __________________ Norm Ward 2008 blue / silver nomad kawanow / VBA #01136
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09-09-2013, 02:29 PM	#3
okiecowboy Jr. Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 26	Does it sound fuel related to you ?
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09-09-2013, 03:16 PM	#7
okiecowboy Jr. Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 26	Fuel injected
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09-09-2013, 03:48 PM	#8
cnc Join Date: May 2009 Location: Montreal QC Posts: 12,034	Wonder if you have a weak coil. It is a wasted spark ignition system, so all four plugs fire at once. You probably can switch coils and see if the plug color switches too. __________________ Norm Ward 2008 blue / silver nomad kawanow / VBA #01136
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09-09-2013, 05:51 PM	#9
okiecowboy Jr. Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 26	I compared the spark in the plug front and rear..looks the same to the naked eye
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09-09-2013, 06:07 PM	#10
a340driver Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Langley B.C. Posts: 516	So ,not to be condescending, but that was my first clue my clutch was slipping! ..followed by new plates, metals, and a barnett spring. Better than new now! __________________ JET-LAG
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09-09-2013, 06:23 PM	#11
minst7877 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,286	My guess would be the clutch spring also. If the engine sounds the same but you don't have power it would be where I would start. DC __________________ Me and my 99 G1 Nomad on US 2 by the Lake Michigan Shoreline. Judge's Oil Gear failed and engine overhauled @ 35563 miles VBA/KawaNOW #01625 Christian Motorcyclists Assoc. Wheels Of Destiny Chapter #735 PA Wilds NE/Eastern Canada regional rally July 2012 Eureka Springs National 2015 Rolling Thunder Washington DC 2016 NE US / E Canada Rally - Mont Tremblant, QC 2016 VRA Eastern National at Maggie Valley 2017 99 Nomad G1 gone but never forgotten traded 4/8/17 for a 2017 Indian Roadmaster
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09-09-2013, 06:51 PM	#12
okiecowboy Jr. Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 26	I understand where you are coming from...but was leaning more towards fuel...when it started was hi ways speeds going down the road...felt like it was starving for fuel, didn't want to stay running feeling
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09-09-2013, 07:33 PM	#14
l5cruiser Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 6	Sounds just like the symptoms that I experienced with an 07 V2K. Checked everything we could think of and it turned out to be the fuel pump. Ran fine until you gassed it and it would only do about 55mph. The dealer that ended up properly diagnosing it said " we have never seen any Kawasaki fuel pump let go". There were no DTC'S on the computer. They somehow tested the fuel pressure. Fine at idle, dropped of as you gasses it. Good luck.
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09-09-2013, 08:03 PM	#15
Cajunrider Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: (SE Louisiana) Posts: 8,340	Clogged screen in fuel pump maybe??? __________________ 2016 Electra Glide Ultra Limited CVO Palladium Silver / Phantom Blue 110 cu in SE 2012 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (Traded 6/22/16) Tequila Sunrise / HD Orange Vance & Hines true dual headers Rinehart 4" slip ons Screamin Eagle Super Tuner Screamin Eagle Stage 1 intake Dyno tuned H.O.G.# 4514015 2007 Nomad 1600 (Traded 6/23/12) VBA #482
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