weird starting problem

hey, so i took a look through the sticky and it didnt seem to fix my problem so hoping someone else can give me some pointers.

so i have a 1982 xj550 seca that doesnt seem to want to start.. when i put it away for winter it still started when i drove the bike into the garage, but now when i press the igintion, it cranks but doesnt start.

took the carbs apart, they were dirty, cleaned them up well and everything there is fine, opened up my starter and it was all gummed up, so i cleaned up the contacts on that as well.. the brushes still have some life left in them as well.

so, i put it all back together, still nothing.. so i used some starter fluid, still nothing. then, i used some starter fluid and hooked it up to a booster pack, and it would start, idle well, and ran well, but when i shut it off, and try to re start it, again, wont fire up.

i can bump start it down my driveway fine and it starts up instantly, but for some reason, the electris start will not fire up without booster pack AND starter fluid, one or the other alone will not do the trick.

i'm kinda leaning towards the battery just being weak.. it is only like 7 months old though but it seems weird that even with the booster pack, it still needs ether to start up, so that is whats throwing me off.


hopefully ya can make sence of that and shoot me some ideas, i've got all kinds of time to tinker with it in the garage but i'm just stumped on what to try next, without shelling out for a new battery.

 

Did you try charging the battery. If you just had the battery sitting in the bike all winter not on a tender it's most likely low. Did you check the water levels in the battery?

 

yea when i started workin away at it i set it on the trickle charger to bring it back up to a full charge.. havnt checked the water levels.. thats something i'll add to the to do list

 

Add it to your "to do once a week list" if you start riding the bike regularly.

These bikes tend to hammer batteries, and you need to stay on top of the water levels. Buy a jug of distilled water (don't use tap water) and keep it at the "max" line on the case.