1982 XJ650 Seca Starting Problems HELP!!!!

Hello All,
I just bought this an 82 XJ650 Seca from my brother this weekend (my first bike!) Anyways I know the bike runs and has been out before b/c my bro has drove it several times. However it did sit for a little while (a few months) due to my brother just having a new kid. Well Saturday he started it up and let it run for a bit to let the oil warm b/c I was changing it, we turn it off, set the center stand and head to the auto store. We come back and the bike is on the ground apparently somehow it fell over. It didnt do any damage(not even a scratch!) other than a broken blinker lens as it was in the yard and fell in leaves and soft ground. Anyways I change the oil and go to start it up and it wont start. You can hear it getting spark but all it does is glub and occasionaly almost kick over. The odd thing is no matter how long we cranked it it never once got flooded nor could I smell any fuel. Any ideas?!

 

Check your airfilter, it may have been innundated with oil or fuel, cutting off air supply. Another thought is to check for spark, eliminate the obvious possibilities. Sounds like a spark doesn't quite ring true in my book. Additionally, oil could have seeped into the cylinders and fouled your plugs. Pull them when you check for spark and make sure they are clean.
Just a start, good luck and welcome.

 

Sounds like something popped loose. Check the relay beneath the TCI unit. Should be beneath the body panel on the left side of the bike.

Make sure you are getting spark as well. Could be that the timing plate isn't making with the pickups.

Rob

 

Did the fuel run out of the tank while it was on it's side?

I know on my Maxim it seems that unless the tank is at least 1/3 full the fuel valve needs to be on RES.

I'd put it on PRI for a minute or two and try to start again.

 

Well I got it started last night apparently the ground cable is loose and thats why it would attempt to start but not turn over. I had to hold the cable down to get it to start. Also my battery bolts are all corroded...any tips on restoring my cables and connections and such?

 

Short answer, sort of.
Ideal situation, buy new ones.
Secondary (and by no means cheaper), get a sandblaster and cabinet. The parts will clean right up and you get to keep the sand!
Thirdly, get yourself a steel toothbrush and get to it with some elbow grease. Won't clean themselves.
Be sure to coat the cleaned ends with dielectric grease before installing, this includes new cables.

 

Leather gloves on.
Wire wheel 'em clean.

- Or -

You can make a ground cable easy enough. The boys at your local High-end Auto Sound Shop probably sweep-up and throw-out pieces of Monster Cable long enough for a ground cable every day!

Crimp-on new terminal ends and lock 'em on with solder. Put a piece of Shrink-wrap on before you crimp-on the ends and you can make it look pretty after sweating-in the silver solder.

 

Ok back to square one....bike still not starting. Tried starting in primary and reserve setting on fuel selector. Bike sounds like it is about to start but unless u give it a little gas it dies immediatly. Also while trying to start the exhaust pops and backfires alot....arghhhhhh!

 

Sounds like too rich a mixture. Are you sure the "choke" cable is not on at the hand control and pulled at the carbs. I had this when I adjusted the cable incorrectly and it was always dumping fuel to the carbs. I don't know how this would happen from the bike falling over.

Perhaps you have some stuck floats in the carbs?

 

Plugs are probably fouled. Have you checked them? It's less than $10 for 4 new plugs and it makes a big difference in how it runs.