Hawk dlx engine problems
 

Hey guys one of my friends helped me change the oil on my hawk DLX 250 2020 and he thought it was a great idea to put Castrol ATF in it. I believe it messed up the compression and my engine although I'm not entirely sure I need help figuring that out, but a mechanic told me I would need an engine rebuild kit. I'm trying to figure out the best website to buy that off of. I've changed the oil and bought a new spark plug. I bought the bike used with 80 miles on it I tried to take a trip to Chattanooga after the oil change and the bike shut off on me. it used to start and idle but would shut off after a certain RPMs now it won't start at all I'm trying to figure out what I need to do and the best and cheapest website to get it off of right now I'm financially unstable and that bike was my means of making money I need help today

Before you start throwing money at the bike. Do a valve adjustment and check valve lash is within specification. If they have never been checked, it is more than likely there is no clearance at all and the valves aren't completely closed. Thus, loosing compression. Very common on these bikes.

And of course change the oil.

ive did an oil change and got a new spark plug its fuel injected and electric start im not sure how to check the values this is my first bike

Here's a good Tutorial. This will be the same as on your Hawk. https://cscmotorcycles.com/tt250-valve-adjustment/

smh Im all messed up i dont have the value adjustment tool

No special tools are needed. Feeler gauge, 10mm open end wrench and a pair of needle nosed pliers to hold the valve adjuster screw from turning while tightening the nut.

and that would actually make it act up and lead to it not stating at all......like its trying but just wont

okay before i begin will that really make it act up with rpms and also lead to it not starting at all

Can get feeler gauages from autozone or other similiar type stores for really cheap. Just make sure you get the correct size (0.005). Though its roughly the same size as a normal piece of paper. Wouldnt recommend a piece of paper for it but in a pinch can get give you a close guestimate. You mentioned it would idle but die off after a certain rpm. That sounds more like a fuel issue to me personally. Maybe a clogged injector or something with the fuel system. Can check to see if there is no kinks in any of the lines. But as you mentioned you took it to a mechanic and they said it would need a rebuild (assuming top end). Dont know many sources for dlx stock parts personally. If you want to go the big bore route could use MotoCult. Seen videos floating around online about them being used and people being happy about the results.

the mechanic is just the guy that built it that i bought it from and he works on his bikes for a hobby hes stopping by tomorrow im defiantly starting with the values but when i try to started it now something in the cylinder sounds clogged but the only that was change was the transmission fluid and the trip and i put premium gas in it

I feel ya. How was the spark plug before you changed it? If it was fouled or had a lot of black soot(carbon type shit) built up on it could be an indication it had oil in the compression chamber. Premium shouldnt really make a difference unless the bike has been heavily modified. 87 works fine for stock imo. But yeah definetly check the valves. For me, mine were too tight for a bit (forgot about it). But it still ran. Not sure what could be causing a clogged sound, havent experienced that myself on a bike. Besides maybe its not getting enough air..... Actually there is one thing i could possibly think of. The air box. Idk if the dlx has it but I assume it would. Theres a hose coming off the rear part of the engine next to the starter that goes into the air box. It could be flooding the air box with oil. Can try pulling off the portion to the air box and if oil flows out that can definetly be an issue

it was pretty black and dirty i also did notice when i cleaned the throttle body that the air intake had not oil but gas in it not to mention i only cleaned it because i thought it was the carb i feel like im getting closer and closer to the answer

Gotcha gotcha. Im not super super familiar with efi models. But id welll assume its probably something faulty with the fueling system. Having gas in the air box/air intake is not ideal whatsoever. If I were you when your mechanic comes over tomorrow Id definetly mention that to em. Honestly dont know what would cause gas to go there (carb kinda guy lol). I do know that having the spark plug be black and dirty could also be running too rich(too much fuel). Which would make sense since theres gas in the air intake. But how it got there I cant say for certain. Which would also explain not being able to get to higher rpms for sure. If theres too much gas and not enough air it aint gonna run right. Way too much gas (Flooded) and it just dont do shit lol. Could be the reason it started now is that old gas inside the compression chamber had evaporated off to the point where it wasnt flooded

There is a drain nipple on the bottom of the Hawk DLX air box. It is molded into the black plastic and has a black plastic removable cap. If there is excessive oil or water, or gas in the air box, it will drain out if you pull the cap.

okay okay do you think that this could be the problem? like maybe its being choked out and would that led to it not starting

I suppose it's possible, but I can't say for sure. (I'm handy, but far from a mechanic) I've only had my Hawk since August and that isn't a problem I've had. There is a crankcase breather that vents into the air box. This would be the source of oil in the air box. I don't know what atf fluid would do in a place where motor oil belongs, but hopefully your piston rings aren't toast.

Im more worried about my values being damaged or more being wrong i got it at 80 miles its at about 2500 now

I wouldn't worry too much. Adjust the valves and do a compression and leak down test. Someone has been done on purpose before.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE2F-vefQdA

Im not good at not worrying

There is no choke on an EFI bike. There is an automatic enrichment made by the fuel injection system based on temperature.

Once you get the valves adjusted, if it starts I would let it warm up and dump that oil again. It will be contaminated with leftover automatic transmission fluid. Then put a fresh ~ one quart of good oil in it.

If it is still not running right after valve adjustment and fresh good oil, you may have some damage from running the engine with ATF. Rings probably, but also rod bearings, which are flat. The roller bearings on the crank may have survived. OK, so ATF can run hot. It is a pump oil. Yes, maybe short run is OK on ATF.

Maybe you even "cleaned" up the engine!

But get those valves right and yes, another oil change. YOu definitely want good oil in there!

The optimal temperature range for transmission fluid is 175 to 220 degrees. Motor oil temperatures between 230 and 260 degrees. The ATF will lubricate just fine but will break down quick above 220 Degrees which is about the Temperature this engines run. ATF is a lubricant, otherwise every transmission out there would of blew up by now. lol Just follow the advise and do the valve adjustment before doing anything else.

so my best course of action because the engine is so simple is compression test then valves adjustment if that doesn't go well then engine rebuild? and if that doesn't work either?

alright ill do that and will be back tomorrow some time

Valve adjustment first, cold engine. Compression test relies on the valves closing and opening on time. If it starts, good news. But warm it up and dump that oil/ATF mix. Then get new fresh oil in there.

the battery is almost dead from start attempt but im about to post a video of me trying to start it

okay okay got it thanks

dead battery start attempt
 

It looks like the clamp is missing on your exhaust....by where the kickstart folds up to.

When you kicked it, to me that looked and sounded like it has compression. Can send a video of what the motor looks like with zero compression (blown motor on my end). Didnt know you had a kicker lol. Are you able to easily move the kicker down by hand, or is there too much resistance on it?

yes i can move it by hand

yes when i got it it was never on there

a simple compression test is remove the spark plug, put thumb or finger over the hole in the head and turn/kick the bike over. if it has any compression you will not be able to keep the hole covered on the compression stroke....

oh wow thanks for the advice

just to be clear
 

i went all the way to Chattanooga from Knoxville no issue on my way back my bike just shut off out of nowhere after about 60 seconds to 2 mins it would start right back up and idle just fine when i put it in gear it still would idle fine it wasn't until i hit the throttle did it die back out i had to tow it home once i got it home it would do the same thing but better as long as i kept the rpms low it would go to 5 gear and ride after a while that didn't work it started shutting off anytime i gave it gas and still would start back up after 60 sec and idle just fine one day i tried to low throttle it to the store it didn't make it on my way back home and changed the oil it continued to shut off with throttle the neighbor came and asked what was wrong i told him he told me to unplug the o2 sensor i did it wouldn't start i plugged it back in it still wouldn't start and hasn't started since and the only thing i could think of that i did was let my friend put automatic transmission fluid in it and upgraded the gas i was using thats why im confused since then i have only changed the spark plug because i wasn't getting a spark the engine would crank but not turn over i could feel air come out the plug hole and smell gas and ive checked fuses and cords the only thing i haven't done was a valve adjustment and i only used it for transportation never off road so i dont understand whats wrong

Check your kill switch to make sure didn't accidentally turn it on.

Lol that's the first thing I did

I guess you mean you checked the kill switch. And that wasn't the issue??

The symptoms you describe, that it started but died when you twisted the throttle over and over, sounds like a throttle position sensor problem (EFI), but could be something else.

I don't know if you have a throttle position sensor on the EFI Hawk, but if it started fine, then died when you twisted the throttle, valves might be tight but that clearly wasn't the issue (but you still should set them). I have a TPS on my TDI diesel and my 1.4L turbo Jetta (gasser).

My interpretation- now that you clarified that it DID start, but died when you twisted the throttle repetitively, is that this is yet another mysterious EFI fail.

I am out of my wheelhouse here. Speak to the EFI wizards.

After 10 hours straight of research today what do you think about the fuel pump being messed up and it did sputter before I cut off so some type of throttle positioning sensor or something sounds pretty close and I have never adjusted the valves

I like you you be everywhere so what do you think about some type of throttle sensor or even a fuel pump failure I'm still going to adjust the valves nonetheless

EFI is not something you can't really diagnose without testing components. First you need a fully charged battery for the fuel pump, fuel injectors and ECU to work. Otherwise you are wasting your time. Check and make sure that you are getting full power to the fuel pump. If not, you have some sort of voltage issue, be it bad battery, bad ground or break in wire.