SV650 AL7 problem
 

My 2016 L7 has now done about 13000 miles and has developed a foible. If it is started with a hot engine after a brief shutdown, such as a petrol station visit, it either won't start (in the three seconds of the "easy start system"), or it will croak into life (on one cylinder?), the revs will slowly climb until it reaches idle speed and then all is well. If it doesn't start on the first attempt it will start on the the second or third attempt. It does not do this every fill up though - it's now done it 5 times in the last 2 months. If I didn't know better I'd say it was flooded. I don't normally touch the throttle on start up.

The "easy start system" means you just stab the starter switch and it cranks until it fires or until 3 seconds have elapsed, so I normally hit the starter and put on my gloves. Bike is normally on its side stand but today it did it when I was sat on the bike after a fill up, but I caught it with the throttle and managed to keep it running.

All other times, it starts perfectly and runs well. Fuel consumption has dropped slightly from the upper 70's to mid 70's mpg. which I put down to cold temps. It normally gets a couple of redex shots per full tank (but only because it was in our garage, I'm not a dedicated user).

It's due a service in 1500 miles or so and it came with a 3 year warranty so I'll mention it then but was curious if any of the earlier fuel injected SV owners had encountered anything similar.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

Hopefully someone with a more modern SV than mine will chime in but I would check the Air-box/filter first.Then check the Spark Plugs?

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

The plugs on the L7 are different from most. There are 4 of them and they have a nickel alloy electrode not the more common (these days) iridium. Not sure why they are used because they have to be changed every 7500 miles and cost £12 each which doesn't seem much like progress when cars can now run 100,000 miles on a set of plugs. I'm guessing its emissions related.

Last time I checked they did not show up on NGK's website and so must be bought from a Suzuki dealer. They were changed at the last service (7500 miles).

I was thinking that one of the fuel injectors might not be shutting off cleanly leaving too much fuel in one cylinder which doesn't have time to evaporate in a short petrol station fill up.

Yesterday, after the fill up I rode to my usual haunt (25 miles), had a cup of tea and it started without a problem (engine was off for 10 - 15 minutes or so) whereas at the petrol station it was more like 3-5 minutes. It was 5°C yesterday but it has done it in warmer temps too.

I'll mention it when I book it in for its next service, it's a rare occurrence at the moment so not urgent.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

Doubt its going to be anything major.
It'll still be covered under the two (or three?) year warranty so shouldn't cost you anything to get fixed.

Do you hold the clutch in when starting?
If you do that the clutch assist could be adding extra fuel or whatever it does to up the rpm?

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

No, the L7 doesn't require you to hold the clutch in for starting, so I don't bother.

Yes, it came with a 3 year (unlimited mileage!) warranty so I'm not worried (yet). I'll try and log some more info and mention it on the next service. I was hoping to push the service to March but at the rate I've been riding it's more likely to be January.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

Was reading about the Nickel alloy electrodes a while ago, apparently in the more challenging conditions of motorbike lean burn engines there were cases of the Iridium electrode (which is normally laser welded onto the main electrode) burning of and causing engine damage.

will try to find the info again, also in manual it says inspect every 7,500 miles and replace every 15,000 - there was also some discussion about that.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

i have a twin spark K7 and use iridium. no problems so far. no friggin way i would spend £12 a pop on spark plugs that only last 7500 miles.

only difference is coating on bores with the new and glady.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

It does if its in gear...

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

Does it sound like its firing, or is it a clean turn over with no coughing in to life?
Does it stink of fuel after it finally fires up?
How does it run after this episode? Smooth, a bit lumpy?

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

bit off topic but i always park my bike in gear. why? simple.. it cant move if given a little nudge or its windy. especially park in gear if you have a top box as closing the lid can push the bike forward.

only time my bike is out of gear is when its on stands.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

My AL7 does not have a problem being ridden as soon as it fires up, the fact that yours never has suggests there was something amiss from new.

Maybe problem with engine temperature sensor.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

I think potentially its a fuel supply issue. Try opening the filler cap next time it does this. Give it 30 seconds or so, close it then try to start the bike. Also check the over flow & breather pipe too to make sure they're not blocked or kinked.
I know of other bikes that have odd foibles like this and they create a vacuum within the tank & fuel lines making it hard to start the bike after stopping (after a brief ride or whilst the engine is hot).

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

I had an old CX500 that got a blocked filler cap breather pin hole.It had some funky symptoms until I cleared the hole.I noticed it when filling up.I could hear a slight sucking noise when the cap was released.

My 10 Penn'th.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

Thanks for the suggestions but don't forgot that the times this happened have been at a petrol station and the bike was running fine until I switched it off and the filler would be opened then. The blocked filler hole used to be more of a problem with carbs but on a pressurised FI system it shouldn't be so much of an issue.

My plan (Plan A) is to ride my usual route, stop halfway, switch off the bike for 2-3 minutes and then see if it will restart without an issue (if/when it stops raining). I want to see if I can repeat it at will.

I've emailed my dealer with the symptoms to give him a heads-up, I'm about 2000 miles from my next service which will probably be early next year.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

I did that with Mrs LOM still sat on the back when we stopped for a photo of Glen Etive. One very unhappy wife and a £500 bill to paint the beemer.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

Sounds like the fuel canister under the seat my be blocked it's charcoal and helps with fuel build up pressure in the tank, so could be the fuel does not get to one of the plugs due to vapour locking.

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

Charcoal canister is to stop hydrocarbon fumes getting out of fuel system and polluting the planet, would not think it would easily get blocked, but maybe the pipe can get trapped and squashed depending on what is stowed under the seat, (there is not a lot of room). Thought that that would be more of a problem at higher throttle openings when more fuel being sucked out of tank though.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

I know cars that have had similar problem starting when engine was warm, turned out to be engine temperature sensor was fault, they were fine from cold, but i think ECU was making mixture too rich for a warm engine.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

Did you get the ECU recall done?

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

ECU recall was because problem with mass airflow sensor would not be shown on OBD port. For me it as not a big enough problem to let some fat fingered guy mess around with ECU and maybe cause another problem, my AL7 has run faultlessly since I got it in May 2016.

Re: SV650 AL7 problem
 

I know the feeling.When I've rebuilt engines and then for next couple of weeks every little noise is,"Paranoia"<grin> 8-[ :smt105