Yamaha TW200 Trailway Discussion Forum

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03-12-2010, 7:27 AM avi8cor Joined on 03-13-2010 Northern Mariana Islands Posts 10 Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? Hey all, Just bought my first TW200 out here in the Northern Mariana Islands so I could trek the island on all the trails. The bike is a blast except it seems to have an intermittent problem with running: it sometimes gets bound up, like it just doesn't want to go fast. Feels like someone has the brakes on (they're not, it still rolls fine without power). The engine won't tach up very high and I can only reach speeds of about 35 mph. The engine idles fine, it starts fine, but it just won't rev up or go fast. It's totally bogged down. It just sputters when I try to reach higher speeds. And when it's acting up like this it also overheats. My legs are almost burned by the time I've sputtered it all the way home! Then the next day, I'm sure something horrible is wrong with it but when I start it up it takes off like a shot; no problems and I can never duplicate it. It's back to zipping along uninhibited. It seems the problem only exists at night, when it cools down here. It also happens without fail if its raining or its really humid. I've cleaned the carb, checked all the wiring, checked the cable, boot and spark plug. I cleaned the gas tank, cleaned the fuel filter in the gas tank. A mechanic suggested that it might be the muffler...but I'm not convinced. I take it on the trails for half the day and its fine the whole time. I ride it home, runs great, park it and start it the next day when I start up it hardly runs. Wouldn't you think it would have trouble on the trails if it was the muffler? I suspect possibly it is a CDI problem? But I don't know much about these bikes...maybe someone's got an idea...anything would help! Thanks!    Report

03-12-2010, 1:53 PM Igofar Joined on 06-28-2008 Posts 645 Re: Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? Search threads for Gas Tank Vapor Lock.....    Report

03-12-2010, 1:55 PM Igofar Joined on 06-28-2008 Posts 645 Re: Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? just read your thread again.....check valve clearance first (may be too tight), then check the CDI and Stator. you didn't say what year your bike was?    Report

03-12-2010, 2:59 PM JoMomSophat Joined on 07-12-2006 Seattle WA Posts 824 Re: Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? it sounds like your bike is on the ragged edge of being too lean maybe an air leak. even a small exhaust leak will lean out the bike.    Report

03-12-2010, 4:49 PM peruano Joined on 03-17-2008 New Mexico Posts 477 Re: Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? So, I guess you are in Saipan.  What are you doing there besides riding the TW200.  Don't the roads get a bit slick anytime it rains (and thats nearly every day).  I wish I was there to eat some Italian food up on the hill, or sashimi anywhere it would cost less than $20, or some Indonesian food at Pims.  So make me jealous and tell me what you are eating tonight.  An old Mariana traveler.  Tom  P.S.  I have some boonie peppers growing in my front window which are anxiously awaiting spring and outdoor transplant.  I'd love to have some finadene made from Rota boonie peppers, but only if it came with a good reef fish and a cold Bud.  Good luck with the diagnosis of the problem.  You need to stay ahead of the traffic on Saipan. Tom  "I was just trying to have me some fun." 2002 TW200 Metal XT350 tank - 3.17 gal. Moose Racing hand guards and bars. Kickstart from 1993 TW donor    Report

03-12-2010, 8:46 PM avi8cor Joined on 03-13-2010 Northern Mariana Islands Posts 10 Re: Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? Thanks for the help, It's a 1991 bike. So how do I check if its the CDI? I can't try a new one in there, there isn't another around. I'd have to order it up. It would surely explain why its happening so random. And yes, I'm living in the Marianas on Tinian. There are plenty of trails around here, its great! I get over to Saipan a lot though because I'm working for Star Marianas Air...not sure how long ago you were out here but its the "new" TAGA air. I just got here last July so there's still lots of exploring to do. If you have any good restaurant suggestions for Saipan let me know. How long, when and why were you out here? I am surprised anybody else in the world actually knows of this place!    Report

03-12-2010, 9:41 PM TW-87 Joined on 02-01-2010 Manitoba, Canada Posts 305 Re: Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? My '87 started out with random misbehavior last summer, similar to yours. I drove it in spite of that then tried everything except the CDI because of the high cost of the CDI. In the end, my stator coil went open circuit. I changed it. The bike behaved exactly the same. So I finally changed the CDI. That fixed it. My belief is that the CDI burnt out the stator because I farted around so long trying to avoid the expense. Both the Stator and the CDI were over $300 CDN ea. My procrastination cost me an extra $300. My advise is if you think it's the CDI, order a new one and don't ride the bike until it's in. The worst thing that can happen if that doesn't fix it, is you'll be one step closer to a fix, and you'll have the best possible spare part to take with you next time you go out in the "boonies". P.S. My parts guy said that CDI's and stators often go "out together" (fail at the same time). TW-87 1987 TW200, 15/44 sprockets, DID O-ring chain, Award winning, "Quick Release" Action Packer :-))    Report

03-13-2010, 6:48 AM peruano Joined on 03-17-2008 New Mexico Posts 477 Re: Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? Avi8cor,  Whoops, I guessed wrong.  Tinian is not the normal suspect for someone to be living on.  I've spent some time there.  Tremendous opportunities to explore WWII buildings, bunkers, aircraft engines and other stuff on the ground etc.  Just don't hammer on anything without being sure its not live.  I recall grenades on the ground, and even had a friend who found two wedged in cracks in the limestone and connected by a trip wire.  Fortunately he saw the wire before he hit it.  Thats 50+ years after the war was over.  That old building on the north runway that was the flight tower and HQ for the airport there is something.  Trying to imagine living or firing a gun in one of those bunkers makes a big impression.  I was in and out of Guam and the Northern Marianas alot over a 20 year period, but have not been that way for nearly 10 years now.  The really good restaurants are fluid, they come and go with sufficient frequency that I can't give you any recs.  I seem to recall Pims ( a large Chinese style restaurant on Saipan) that had a really diverse menu - try their satay or anything that sounds Indonesian because they do have some Indonesian influence in the kitchen.  I'm hearing that there is a big buildup in the Marianas so expect you are part or will feel that buildup.  Fly safely and enjoy your time on the Island of Tinian.  There is lots of hardpacked limestone to ride the TW on, but I suspect it will wear tires relatively quickly.  As to your ghost, I'd guess you have a moisture problem accentuated by a weak or corroded eletrical connection.  Clean everything and use dielectric grease to reduce moisture returning.  Tom  "I was just trying to have me some fun." 2002 TW200 Metal XT350 tank - 3.17 gal. Moose Racing hand guards and bars. Kickstart from 1993 TW donor    Report

03-13-2010, 1:28 PM QWERTY Joined on 11-22-2006 Posts 2,360 Re: Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? I'd check every electrical connection for corrosion. Common on bikes near salt water. Clean them up with a bore brush and Seafoam Deep Creep. Adjust for a little tighter cintact with a gentle squeeze with pliars. After everything is clean, dry, and reassembled, a thin coat of dielectric grease will prevent further corrosion.    Report

03-14-2010, 12:06 AM avi8cor Joined on 03-13-2010 Northern Mariana Islands Posts 10 Re: Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? When I had the seat off I glanced over a few electrical connections. Everything seemed to be doing what it should so I didn't do anything to it and let the bike sit over night...which always fixes the problem. Now that I think of it they were pretty scary looking...some had a fair amount of corrosion. While I wait for my new CDI I'll head up to the hangar and pirate some of the mechanic's brushes and dielectric grease and go to work! I'll let you know how it turns out! BTW- Last night we went to KBBQ (korean bbq) on Saipan and had what equates to in english "Lamb Stick" It was AWESOME!!    Report

03-16-2010, 2:50 PM QWERTY Joined on 11-22-2006 Posts 2,360 Re: Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? KBBQ is awesome. No Korean food around here. BOOOOO! If you saw corrosion you probably saved the cost of a CDI. Note that dielectric grease does NOT conduct electricity. Be sure to clean and reassemble the connectors before coating with grease.    Report

03-20-2010, 8:18 PM avi8cor Joined on 03-13-2010 Northern Mariana Islands Posts 10 Re: Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? Update: So I had the bike checked out the other day, checked the timing and timing chain, stator and magneto, cleaned the carb (again). All were a-ok. It's still behaving like it has the brakes on: overheating and going slow, except its no longer an intermittent problem, it does it all the time. I also checked the exhaust...no nests or blockages. It starts up fine with one kick and purrs like a kitten...its the strangest thing. I'm getting worried that its something worse than the CDI...but we'll see when that gets here. My new CDI is still on order...not a bad deal at $120! I am surprised that something in Saipan was cheaper than in the states...(I also checked my hometown Yamaha in New Hampshire and they wanted $320 for a new CDI). A battery on the other hand, the same place (Saipan Yamaha) wanted to charge me $130 for a battery!    Report

03-21-2010, 5:12 AM peruano Joined on 03-17-2008 New Mexico Posts 477 Re: Engine has a ghost problem, any ideas? There is an advantage of being downstream from the orient where all parts are made.  I also suspect the CNMI gov have given Japanese companies pretty low or no tariffs on vehicles, parts and accessories.  Maybe you should start a parts shop and ship to the mainland.  Tom  "I was just trying to have me some fun." 2002 TW200 Metal XT350 tank - 3.17 gal. Moose Racing hand guards and bars. Kickstart from 1993 TW donor    Report

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