Triumphrat

hallj · 01-05-2010, 09:11 PM

I lowsided my 2002 TT600 doing around 30-40. The road was windy and unfamiliar to me, I simply was not being a smart rider. I got on the outside near the divider where the road grit gathers, immediately lost traction and rode the bike down.

It took awhile for me to figure out that there were automatic cutoff valves under the gas tank, and after re-securing them I had the bike running. Though due to another problem I dismantled part of the bike and did the oil. When I put the bike back together it will no longer start. It cranks and to the best of my ability I think it has spark.

I am suspicious of one of the fuel tank valves. It doesn't seem to seat completely and I notice there is a small amount of fuel leakage.

- What is the valve called so I can locate one online?
- Is there a good replacement? I wouldn't be averse to simply bypassing it - but I don't know enough about to know if it would have any adverse effects [aside from eliminating the obvious safety factor] such as changing the fuel pressure etc.

Thanks very much for any insight you can share.

John Hall

Will · 01-06-2010, 02:04 PM

A few questions:

Which side did the bike fall on?

Did you crank the bike with the plugs out?

Were there any awful noises after you got the bike running the first time?

My initial guess is you have a kinked breather hose somewhere. Try starting the bike with the fuel filler open. If the bike went down on the right side, you could have pumped oil into the engine. If it ran extremely poorly you may have done some pretty big damage to the inside of the engine without knowing it. What happens is the breather valve from the crankcase will pump oil into the airbox, where it goes into the engine. A cylinder full of oil can snap or bend a con rod. To check for this, pull the tank and look inside the airbox. If it is an oily mess, prepare for the worst. If it only has residue, then you are probably OK. This is the worst case scenario. Then check your spark plugs. If they are fouled badly, the bike may not start. You may also have a fair amount of oil in the throttle bodies. All this can be dealt with by cleaning everything as best you can, replacing the plugs, and running a lot of injector cleaner through the bike. It's not perfect, but it helps.

I would still bet on a kinked breather hose somewhere. The tip over valve is a plastic part which looks like a fuel filter and hangs in a space under the back of the tank. It should rattle when you shake it and it should hang mostly vertically. If it is stuck or is horizontal, it will choke off the vent. For a while, many of us simply removed this valve because it caused all kinds of problems, especially with 2000 model year bikes. Neither TT600 I owned had one for long, and I managed to crash the 2001 without spreading fuel all over the place. I'm not suggesting you do this, because it is a potential safety issue, as you note, but I'm mentioning it because it is a workaround to see if the valve is a problem. Fiddling with hoses under the tank tells me venting or perhaps a damaged connector to the fuel tank is your most likely problem.

Hows that for a long winded reply? I sure hope there's something useful in there for you somewhere.

hallj · 01-06-2010, 11:07 PM

That is the perfect amount of detail.

Yes I did go down on the right side. I have had the bike running since and it seemed ok though I did not push it hard, no new noises that I could ascertain. I found a small amount of oil in the airbox but not enough that I'm worried yet.

I will look at the breather hose you described. I am concerned also that I may have gotten one of those breathers crossed when re-assembling the bike but I haven't looked at it in a month or so.

Your information is greatly appreciate,

John