No Start in Morning

I'm having a very frustrating starting problem - my XJ650 just refuses to start in the morning. I've tried no throttle, very little throttle, no throttle and very little choke, and everything else I can think of.

If I use any choke at all, I smell gas, so must be flooded. If I use just a tad throttle, most times I smell gas - again flooded. But no throttle and no start either. I even tried the rolling clutch-pop start - nothing.

I leave for work at 5:30am ET - it's pitch black so I can't see anything. And that push up the hill for the pop-start attempt is NO fun at 5:30am! But later in the day, she cranks right up, just like it was running all day. And it runs great as best as I can tell.

The plugs look good, beyond that I don't know what I should look at - but since I usually smell gas with this no-start, I'm assuming too much gas and flooding is my problem. Maybe battery not supplying enough juice for the gas? I was told I had the wrong battery, but again it starts great later in the day - I can get about 10 attempts at starting for 2-3 seconds each attempt, after that the battery is too weak (light way dim, starter way slow). But even when I run starter to point where battery it won't turn it, 2 hours later she'll crank right up. I have a weatherall cover, but no garage.

Newbie here, idiot when it comes to bikes, any help/suggestions greatly appreciated!

 

Aside from the XJ engine being notoriously tough to start dead-cold; with the difficulty increasing along with the higher displacements, they usually come around and get going after a good bit of coaxing.

There might be some carb issues to discuss after you a simple little test.
Get a spray can of Starting Fluid. Before you attempt to start it in the morning; shoot a couple of quick shots of the starting fluid in the rubber airbox intake under the seat. (Don't forget the flashlight.)

If your bike starts right-up with the starter fluid boost; well have to check the possibility that the Enrichment Circuit isn't pulling gas up the Carb Siphon Tubes. A common problem, stemming from either the tiny metering jet at the bottom of the siphon tube being clogged. (It don't take much to clog them ... they're some of the tiniest metering ports in the whole set of carbs.

Those siphons are fed by a small amount of fuel in a small well of the fuel bowl, separate from the volume of fuel in the bowl, because the small volume of fuel in the well is more easily lifted than the weight of the entire volume of fuel in the bowl.

At the of the fuel bowl is a small, -- also very tiny set of metering jets -- that allow the fuel to enter the small well. If those metering ports at the bottom of the fuel bowl are clogged ... there's no fuel entering the well for the siphon to pick-up; consequently no fuel present to be drawn-up by the siphon tube to feed the Enrichment Circuit. No enrichment fuel; no rich mixture to start the dead-cold engine.

No easy dead-cold start.

I'm putting my money on the fuel bowl's metering jet to the siphon well being stuffed -- or the siphon tubes stuffed -- or, both.

 

I would have to agree with the fuel enrichment circuit as the culprit. I have very nearly the same problem. I have an 82 XJ650 Maxim which is a new bike for me. Of course it’s an old bike “read” lots of maintenance issues including clogged carbs. As I stated in a different post I did a fair job of cleaning my carbs but wanting the gratification of driving her before winter set in I’m living with it for now. Although the more I drive it and the more I need the “choke” in the morning due to colder weather the better it seems to be. 4 out of 7 days I need a quick squirt of starting fluid and I’m good for the day. The other days I go out set it to half choke hit the start & she rumbles at 2000 than slowly grows to 4000 before I back the choke off. I did also use about a can of seafoam over 2 tanks of gas. I don’t think it hurt but it wasn’t a magic bullet. I don’t think you can really substitute disassembly cleaning but I’m going to wait now till winter. There is a couple of other things you could look at. A weak battery a weak battery on this bike especially with cold weather could lead to a weak spark in turn hard starting. Also starter brushes being worn or corroded would draw too much from the battery causing the same weak spark issue but since you’ve been bump starting it kind of rules that out.

 

is it damp in the morning, and dry later in the day ?
plug wires?

 

If the weak original equipment coils are replaced with decent ones like Accel or Dyna (or even stock Harley coils) you will never have problems starting even with a weak battery.

 

OK - someone else told me to try the starting fluid. This could as well be a temporary solution until it gets too cold to ride. So how/where do I squirt it?

 

Here's what I do 1st I have 2 keys 1 in I use in the Bike one in the lock for the seat. If you have the OEM air box/Air filter setup remove the seat take the screws out that retain the air filter and slide the cover back a bit. Then squirt one shot (1/4 second) into the opening. Set the choke 1/2 to 3/4 of the way turn on the bike hit the start & she rumbles to life. You may have to rev the gas a bit to keep it running once the starting fluid runs through. Get her to idle around 2k steady. Then replace the cover install the seat lock it down. By then you should be able to back off the choke some more or sooner if the revs start to build. Once warm my bike idles at 1100 rpms but i don't let it go quite that low till its been running at least 5 min or my 1st gear pull away is very coughy. Good Luck

 

Almost forgot! Warnings! 1st becareful starter fluid is very Flammable! I new a guy once who use to start is old T-bird in the morning using starter fluid with a lit cigarette hanging from his mouth...One cold morning it got him! 2nd DON'T USE TOO much it doesn't take much...too much and you can do some damage the least of which is a blown head gasket. 3rd If you can't get the bike to stay running after 3 times STOP you got something else going on. Lack of fuel reduced spark something. STOP till you figure out what your real problem is.

 

If you have a fully charged battery, clean plugs and good coils and your carbs aren't too lean you don't need to bother with starting fluid so just give the bike a good tune up.