fuel, spark, but no fire??

so i just bought my self a '82 seca 550. picked it up, drove it around a bit, started up great first crank or so each time i pressed the ignition button, now, for some reason or another it decided to not start at all.

the tank had some dirty fuel that i found out the hard way, so i cleaned that out, took off the carbs. cleaned them all out, floats were moving freely, each jet was cleaned, everything looks pretty good carb wise. put in a new fuel filter. new gas

now, it just cranks and cranks, but wont fire up.

i put new plugs in it, have checked for spark in all 4 cylinders.. everything looks good, there have been no major changes since from when it ran, to now besides taking off the seat, tank, and plastics. all the electrical has been left as i found it, all the carb settings are still the same, but for some reason the thing refuses to start any more

i cant seem to come up with any more ideas of what could be causing such a change.

i was kind of starting to think i may have yanked something electrical wise removing the tank and seat. but then if something electrical was wrong. i cant imagine the thing would crank and have spark like it does.

any suggestions as to what my next step should be?

 

Have you tried a little starter fluid yet? If it works, you're not getting fuel. Maybe check to make sure you didn't put your inline fuel filter in backwards? I know it sounds silly, but it happens. I'm wondering about the brushes on your starter also, try to bump start it if you have a hill nearby, just to see if it works.

 

And of course you're trying to start it after leaving the petcock on PRI(me)
for a few minutes.

 

havnt tried starter fluid, but i'm 99% sure i'm getting fuel.. if i pull the plugs after i try to start it they are damp with gas.. i havnt tried to jump start it yet.. i don't have the back wheel on at the moment, but i may just do that and see what happens

 

success!!, so put the back wheel on, and jumped it in my driveway, and it started up after a exhausting walk's back up the driveway haha. after it started i went for a quick rip around my neighbourhood, and it starts with the electric start right away now.. so i really have no clue what could have been preventing it from starting earlier.. any suggestions?

 

First thing I would check is the battery. Give it a full charge and have the auto store test it. Kinda sounds like the battery isn't keeping a charge, then when you bump it and ride it the system charges the battery. Have you tried it after letting it sit for awhile?

 

well you gave 2 out of 3. The only thing left is timing check your cam timing might of jumped

 

That's why you're one of the Wizard's, Cutlass, I'm still learning some of this stuff! Thanks for teaching one of the new guys

 

Give that man a funny little hat!! Any updates cack-? I'm leaning towards battery and possibly starter brushes that are dirty or worn. Timing scares the sh*t out of me to the point that I've never even bought a light, lol.

 

I don't see how you get the timing out unless something breaks.

 

he went ripping around the block.

sounds like timing is working.

+1 on the battery and charging system.

just becuase the bike cranks don't mean it's getting spark. you found that out already. wet plugs means it's getting gas. and NO SPARK.

pull all 4 plugs out and you have no compression in the motor so it cranks really easily and will show you spark in broad daylight. put the plugs back in and won't crank so easily.

usually the bike will start as long as the battery is more then 1/2 charged. anything less will give you cranking only. spark will be doubtful.

 

Sounds like too much gas and not enough spark.......? Anyways, I'm bowing out, lol, let the wizards and other veterans chime in, they will get you straight for sure, just try different things and keep track of everything and report it so they know what you have and haven't tried yet. Keep reading the different posts also, it'll click in when you hit the right information.

Mac

 

so, after jump starting it once and driving around the block. it now starts up first or second crank with the electric start for now, and drives smooth.. so i'm not complaining too much, atleast now i got new spark plugs, fuel filter, and clean carbs out of the whole fiasco.

 

Lol, nice, do you have a battery tender charger (schumacher = 20$ or so from wally world)? I'd go ahead and get one, it has saved me from alot of frustrating mornings compared to when I didn't keep the bike on one at night, especially when cold.

 

harborfreight has them for $7. my uncle and i both have 3 of them.

 

If it's going to be stubborn to start, ... don't get sucked-in to laying on that Start Button and jeopardizing your Starter Clutch.

Take the Battery out of a Cage and use it with Jumper Cables.
Open the Airbox and Shoot some Starting Fluid in the Intakes.
Crank-it and see what gives.

(Have an old towel to throw in the airbox if it backfires.)

If it runs a bit,
Coughs and Pops,
Tries to Start on the Fluid ...

The Problem is Fuel Delivery related.
Carbs.
Get ready to Clean them is you don't know when they were done last.

(I just did a Custom Carb Set-up and Cleaning on a set of 550 Mik's and the Pilot and Main Air Passages needed several flushings to flush "Clear")

If you KNOW you have Spark, ...
The AMPS of the Substitute Battery should get you some action.

But, ...it it goes for awhile on Ether but won't take the Fuel Supply from your Carbs ...

You need to have them Cleaned.

(In the process, ... order the Stainless Kits. They Dress the carbs out NICE!)

 

okay, so more to add to this problem.. the bike seems to start when i want to jump start it down a hill every time.

from then i can drive it around as much as i want, but have a problem with the blinkers sometimes not flashing.. just staying on

if i turn the bike off, i can start it again with the electric start BUT if i let it sit around for an hour or two between starts.. the electric start is no good any more, and it HAS to be jumped


I just got my battery checked, and they told me it was good, checked my alternator brushes. one is about 10mm, the other about 7mm.. (measuring from the tip of the brush to the little holder)

i feel like it must be something more than the brushes though, because it seems that if it was just the brushes, it should atleast start when the battery is fresh off the charger, but i get nothing



hopefully i didnt confuse anybody too much, and if you need to know anything more, let me know. but i need to get this sorted out so i can drive my bike to work and be able to start it when the day is done.

 

" (measuring from the tip of the brush to the little holder)"
This is not an accurate measure, you need to measure the brush itself, not to the holder.

 

Suspect and check the solenoid next.

It also sounds like something could be draining the battery when it shouldn't; again a wiring or connection issue (or the solenoid.)

 

okay, what should the measurement lie within? for future reference.

 

Brush length - 17mm (0.67")
Service limit - 10mm (0.39")
Per the venerable Haynes.
This is measuring the brush itself, stock units had a wear limit groove on them. Good luck!

 

this might be an obvous question... but did you clean your carbs... or did you CLEAN your carbs??? Also, are you sure they are together right? A good rule is that if you do something, and it changes how it worked... it's probably the last thing you did. How old is the battery though?