XJ550 won't start with starter but will push start

So as the title suggest my new 82 XJ 550 maxima won't start when using the starter button but will start by way of a bump start. Here are the details so far, the starter spins and cranks but the engine won't turn over. The battery checked out, even when i jumped it off with another 12v battery it still wouldn't turnover. it seems that the sparkplugs aren't getting good enough spark to start it.

I have replaced the starter bushing and seals all seems well. It only takes maybe 3 push starts before she fires however once started i get a sticking throttle (it will hang at 3000 rpm before droping) with the choke off.

what else could i do to get it running? if more details are required please feel free to request them.

thank you,

 

If your battery is going bad the voltage may be dropping below the threshold for the ignition to fire, even though it is turning over. If you have a voltmeter, test battery while cranking. If voltage drops less than 10 while cranking the battery is probably culprit. Successful jump start from known good car battery would be another sign.

As for high idle...could be a variety of things from neglected maintenance. Search is site. You may be due for total carb rebuild.

 

Welcome aboard, plenty of resources on here to get your bike back into good shape.

As I'm sure you're aware, could be a number of things. From what I've learned, these bikes have a lot of "charging" issues. May not be what's going on here and maybe someone with more experience than I can speak more to that point and what people mean when they mention this. Could be legit or could just be that they are now 35 or so year old bikes and electrical components that weren't excellent at production can't be expected to last forever.

Attached a video below, a bit long and you may know some of the information already. I skipped through it months ago and helped diagnose a few things and understand the bike better. Good luck sorting it out, keep us posted.

 

Nice video, although I thought it was a multi-meter, not a mulTIMeter . . . Potato potAto.
He skipped the part about watching the battery voltage when cranking, as Cgutz mentioned that is critical.
Ask me how I know!

 

^Hah, he must've been taught by a real British gentleman.

Checking the battery while cranking is definitely very important. My interpretation of the original post was that it wouldn't start with a jump, so this also may not be the issue you're having. Either way, not a bad thing to know how to do for any machine.

 

Your starter clutch could be shot ... if you push the starter button if it spins but sounds like rocks rolling around theres your sign. Agree though check battery is it serviced with distilled water to correct level?

 

starter spins and cranks. what is cranking?
are you saying the crank shaft is not rotating? because if it is not turning it does not matter how much spark you are getting.
you can remove the left side crank cover to watch the rotor spin.

if the crank shaft is spinning then you will want to check voltage supply
and as others have stated check battery voltage drop. the 550 will spin strong under 10 volts but you will nor get any spark..

can you confirm 12 volts at the tci red/white wire with key on?

in my thoughts starters spin and motors crank,

 

First, thanks for the responses in this time of crisis.
here is what i have done so far to test the bike:
check coil packs, the reading is 4.5 ohms approx on both
load test- battery when bike turned over read 8.5v appox (bad), however i did a jump test from a known working car battery and nothing. by that i mean starter spins but no combustion

things i don't know: how do i check the starter clutch?
after i check the crank case for rotation what voltage supply am i supposed to check?
Is it safe to assume that the crank case is rotating if i have air/discharge from the tail pipe?
What is a TCI, i assumed its the computer. if this is correct i have 10.9 v
would the voltage regulator have any affect on power supply to the spark?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!

 

10.9 volts is low but should start the bike.
sounds like your starter is working and cranking the motor.
the tci is a square box under the seat on it you will find a black/white wire disconnect it at bullet connector make sure your bike is in neutral and try to start it.
next step is to reconnect that wire then remove the relay that is rear ward from tci and to the left side of the bike see if the bike starts.

the test when cranking to check voltage drop is hook meter to battery and see how low voltage drops AT battery when starting. under 10 volts no start.
when you bump start it check voltage of battery at 2krpm should be 14.8 volts.
clean your battery termanils

if it bump starts the problem is more likely your side stand safety switch or the relay it connects to (relay and black/white wire)

 

Ummm.... I'm lost on this----up here "cranking" and "turning over" are the same thing.

So.....do you mean:
1. The starter spins but the engine does not rotate
2. the starter rotates the engine but the the engine does not fire

A different thought: had this happen at a past clinic.....the started had been worked on and the plate was put in 180 deer from where it should have been, so the starter rotated backward.

 

pull a spark plug put thumb or finger over the hole to seal it if you feel compression crank is turning.

 

I pulled the plug and i do get a compression crank.
Sorry for the confusion the starter spins the motor, however it will nit turn over.

I think it might be the coil packs if i understand it right the resistance should only be 2.25 +-10% i read 4.7 approx. Could this be why there is a weak spark? If the starter is droping the volts at battery to 10 volts and a high resistance in the coil packs, wouldnt that mean weak spark?

 

its a weak spark to start with.
unscrew spark plug caps from wires and measure the resistance of the caps.
measure the spark plug wires in pairs to coil pack
then measure the pick up coil resistance this is done at tci plug. left plug as you sit on bike orange wire to black wire then gray wire to black wire.
then black wire to ground.
while you have the caps off trim spark plug wires back 3/8 inch.
The Ultimate Relay, Switch, Sensor, and Diodes Guide

XJ550 models:
Pick-up coils:
650 ohms +/- 20% = 520 ohms to 780 ohms acceptable range
Ignition Coils:

Primary side (input from main wiring harness):
2.5 ohms +/- 10% = 2.25 ohms - 2.75 ohms acceptable range

Secondary side (spark plug wires, without their end caps):
11K ohms +/- 20% = 8,800 ohms - 13,200 ohms acceptable range

Spark plug caps:
10K +/- 20% = 8,000 to 12,000 ohms per cap acceptable range

Spark plugs:
0 ohms per plug


when starting bike with starter button put choke on full do not touch the throttle.

also try a little starter fluid.

would also confirm the motor rotation with starter by removing crank cover on left side and watch the rotor spin

you may have to clean your plugs off if you have flooded it several times

 

Alright sorry for the wait but life doesn't stop for a broken bike unfortunately.

Cap resistance
cap 1- 302k ohm
cap 2- 10.8 k ohm
cap 3- 9.7k ohm
cap 4- 4.29k ohm

Primary side
4.1 ohm (1,4)
4.0 ohm (2,3)

secondary side
38.4 k ohm (1,4)
36.9 k ohm (2,3)

so i did do the pickup coil test as well and that came in around 650 ohm so yay!!

will its obviouse now that i need a grocery list of parts does anyone know where i could get new/used coil pack. by that i mean from some company or person at a reasonable price and i can have confidence that they are within spec. i'm going to replace caps 1 and 4 with NGK i know they are all short but for the out side its not that tight a fit.

Thanks for the help so far, I'll let yall know what happens!!

 

The scondary side of the coils is very high.
New coils.
Chacal has coils in stock, or you can get Honda CB 750 coils.

The original plug caps have replaceable ceramic resistors. Chacal carries those too.

 

chacal also sells nkg caps that fit properly with the screw on plug tops(nut) prices may have changed

HCP13193SET2 Aftermarket NGK SPARK PLUG CAPS, set of 2.
$ 9.75


HCP13192SET2 Aftermarket NGK SPARK PLUG CAPS, set of 2.
$ 9.75

HCP13518SET4 Aftermarket spark plug threaded top stud ADAPTER NUTS, set of 4:
$ 3.75

 

Alright sorry for the really long wait but here is the update.

Carbs Rebuild (not Synced)
secondary coil replaced
Caps replaced
New Battery
Compression test completed (120+PSI on all)
Oil Change

I can start it after some several spurts of starter fluid. The spark plugs after running the first time turned out white(lean mixture). Does anyone know how to adjust the mixture without the YICS tool and a manometer? Also it could have something to do with the ignition timing which is beyond me, could someone edify me on how it test and/or repair it.

 

You adjust the mixture of each carburetor by turning the mixture screw on top of each carburetor. In to lean it, out to richen it.

Timing is set. It's not adjustable.......unless, of course, you put the chain on the wrong tooth---

Edify? I believe you meant 'educate'......

Darn teachers correcting grammar again......

 

I'm not sure if the useage is correct (I suspect that it is), but edify is synonymous with educate.


When you cleaned the carbs did you make sure that the enrichmnt wlls in the float bowls were clean? When starting, have you set the enrichers (choke) to full open?

A good baseline for the idle mixture is 2 1/2 turns out from a soft-seat. Be sure that you are using the small brass screws at the top engine-side of the carbs (idle mixture) and not the larger steel screws between the throttle linkages (synch).

 

What did you set your fuel levels at?

 

i set my fuel levels to Roughly spec. They are all eye balled to be roughly 2-3 mm under the top of the bowl.

 

Mikuni BS28 (all XJ550 except 1984 XJ550L):
-Fuel level measured via the clear-tube gauge: 2mm +/- 1mm (.08 +/- .039 inches) -Float height: 21.5 +/- 1.0mm

 

eyeballed do it right
read this

Setting the fuel levels

 

So in other words... they're way off