2010 Gas Gas Six Days 300 (Help)

[onegreyghost]

This is my first Gas Gas and it hasn't been the most favorable experience. I purchased the bike in April of this year and here is what happened so far with the bike.

First the bike was diffucult to start and seemed as though the jetting was too rich. I checked the carb set-up and this is what I found.

178 main
42 pilot
N1EF Needle second position from the top
air screw 1.5 turns out
riding area 1500-2000 feet
88-95 degrees outside

The bike ran horrible just above half throttle as if it were loading up, the side case (clutch side) had an extreme amount of heat. Within a day or so a 2.5 inch hole cut through the clutch cover. One of the hex head bolts either was not tightened appropriately during assembly or backed out. It was covered by warranty

Next the choke mounted on the bar stuck opened causing a rich running bike and I replaced that with a manual one.

I pruchased numerous jets and kits from JD jetting and L T racing nothing seemed to work

The jetting problem or irregular running bike continued, I took the bike to a Gas Gas Dealer to help me trouble shoot the poor performance. We replace the following parts and the bike still does not run any better.


New carb
New CDI
New Coil
New Voltage regulater
New stator and wiring harnes
New dual mapping switch
New Exhaust and muffler
New Reeds and v-force intake
Verified compression and leak down test

We verified the power valve was working and not sticking. Nothing seems to change the iratic running. We also had a new 2010 300 and could campare the difference between the two bikes. My bike the six days model ran so poorly the shop technician was embarrassed.


What should I do next, I am really dissapointed with the bike but the customer service from Go-Fasters and the dealer have been incredible. I have been riding all my life and nothing like this has ever happened with a bike I have owned.

 

[blitz11]

Airbox restriction? Something in the airboot restricting air flow? (It's been known to happen). Has anyone looked through the carb boot to see the path is clear?


I know GG dyno tests each engine before it goes out. However, that is before it is in the bike. If something made it into the airbox, you'd have a rich condition

Do we know that the timing is set correctly, and advancing per spec (whatever that spec might be)?

Have we pulled the engine apart?

Were the new parts off of the other 300 in the dealer, or off-the-shelf?

Given the ease with which the motor can be disassembled, if it were me, I'd pull it apart (if the quality of the parts already swapped can be verified). Or, just swap motors with the good 300, then start putting your old parts on and and see where that leads you.

Good luck.

blitz

 

[Brian]

Measure the squish band. If that is really "loose" I believe that would make the bike hard to jet and rich.

 

[ferguscawley]

Check that your head gasket is sealing properly. If the 'O' rings are pinched, they can let coolant into the cylinder and the bike will run like crap. All it takes is a few drops of coolant to have an effect.

Is your powervalve moving when you rev the engine ?

 

[onegreyghost]

Six days

There is no obstruction in the airbox

There is no coolant in the combustion chamber

The dealer is waiting for authorization to disassemble the motor for inspection

All of the parts were new nothing used

I can't understand how this could happen to a new bike. I have a 2008 250 xc KTM that has 2000 miles been raced in 39 events and it runs circles around the bike. Two Gas Gas mechanics can't find the issue along with Go Fasters.

 

[onegreyghost]

2010 Gas Gas Six Days

Even though I am frustrated at the moment I truly believe Gas Gas will resolve the issue to my satisfaction, and the reason I am saying this is because I believe they care about the customer. I will keep everyone posted as this situation continues

 

[ferguscawley]

Check or replace the rubber plug cap for the spark plug that screws onto the HT lead. That may be faulty.

 

[gg3]

Get them to replace the bike.This is a lemon & you will never have enough confidence in the bike to truely enjoy it.

 

[GMP]

Sorry to hear about your problems, this is most unusual.

So far all things mentioned have been positively ruled out? Its a simple 2-stroke so not much is left before going back and looking twice. I'll take a shot and say its a small leak the leak down test did not show. A very small amount of coolant or trans oil being drawn into the cases. Base gasket, case gasket, head oring, casting porosity. If its something rare like that then I agree I would want at least a new motor.

A quick but crude test might be to temporarily replace the coolant with a waterless type, or straight polypro glycol like Sierra (cheaper). The system pressure will be very little due to the high boiling point, so if there is a small coolant leak things should improve as less coolant will be forced into the cases. While not a definative test it might point you in the right direction.

 

[bergerhag]

Just a thought:
You seem to have replaced every component likely to cause such a problem, but what's in your fuel tank?

Are you sure the gas and premix is ok? what fuel do you use? Lots of additives of ethylene? Try use premium fuel with less additive.

 

[onegreyghost]

Gas and Fuel

I have cleaned the tank, drained the gas, replaced it with fresh fuel (no ethonal) and replaced the bottle of premix, No difference. Now they believe (gg engineers in Spain and the mechanic) its a powervalve assemble down in the case. Two bearings near the power valve push rod assembly were incorrectly assembled and two shims were missing. So the saga continues with the new bike. If this is so then during the assemble process the following was incorrect.

Bolts on the clutch spring was not properly torqued (causing the clutch to cut through the case)
Steering nut was not properly torqued (causing head shake)
Choke system failed (creating rich condition
Power valve was assembled incorrectly

All this could be avoided with an appropriate quality control system in place, I know this because I work for one of the largest automotive suppliers in the U.S. and our customers are Honda, Toyota and Mercades. We are penalized $10,000/min for defective product. Its all about customer satisfaction and priorities, we will see where they stand when all of this is over

 

[onegreyghost]

Bike or motor replacement

Its easy to ask for a new bike or motor but a little more difficult to convince gg to deliver it. I will keep everyone up to date, hopefully they will do the right thing, again I have faith in Rod, he is the guy helping me out

 

[GMP]

Earlier you said that the PV was functioning. I assumed that you verified that the actuator went to the open stop bolt when the motor was reved. If not this makes sense, a stuck PV will make the bike feel rich and choked off.

Its a simple fix, just a side cover removal. Hope thats it and you enjoy the bike.

 

[onegreyghost]

Power valve

We thought the power valve was working correctly, we checked it by hand and then started the bike with the cover off and watched actuate, no sticking or nothing, worked very smoothly. I am lost at this point.

 

[GMP]

Have you verified the drums and main flap are installed correctly? Look up the exhaust port with a light and move the actuator plate from stop to stop. It should be obvious if the drum valves are opening correctly and in time. Its pretty simple and rugged system compared to a KTM, but if assembled incorrectly or missing a part its trouble. When you do this, first remove the link rod, never move the system by hand connected as the balls will become dislodged from the governer.

Keep us posted.

 

[Berkyboy]

I would bet "all in" on something in the powervalve assembly causing the described problem.

 

[bergerhag]

Any updates? Managed to get it resolved?

 

[onegreyghost]

300 Six Days

Here is an update so far from my 300

The pv has been dissasembled and inspected with new bearings springs and washers, the jug has been removed new rings, deck height and squish band checked and the bike still runs poorly. At one point there is so much gas in the bottom end of the motor we think it may have pushed fuel passed the ignition crank seal. There is an excessive amount of gas not being burned. I have to thank Mr. Overstreet and the mechanics Wade and David Brown for helping me out with all of this tearing down and putting back together along with Mr. Stucky because he has let me ride a new 2011 electric start 300 until they can get mine fixed. He delivered the new bike Monday morning up in Bristol at 7:00am, I really appreciate his customer service

 

[nhrider]

I have to thank Mr. Overstreet and the mechanics Wade and David Brown for helping me out with all of this tearing down and putting back together along with Mr. Stucky because he has let me ride a new 2011 electric start 300 until they can get mine fixed. He delivered the new bike Monday morning up in Bristol at 7:00am, I really appreciate his customer service

Now that's service!

Yes...better if you didn't have this problem but very nice of them to help you out.

 

[Neil E.]

It will be good to finally get this one solved. After all the work, it might turn out to be something really odd like the flywheel keyslot milled in the wrong place in the crankshaft. If the ignition was always several degrees out, your power level would be way down.