Bike turns over; won't start.

So I just replaced my fuel petcock, I had it running once before I realized that was bad (when gas went everywhere!).

Now I've changed the oil and it won't start! I tried putting the petcock to PRI thinking maybe the vacuum tube wasn't drawing enough vacuum, but that didn't work (and gas was definitely flowing, since the exhaust stinks like it).

As a point of note, the blinkers stay stuck on if I try to put them on, and right now I am getting the engine to turn over by bypassing the solenoid with a screwdriver.


(I tried to look at old threads but I didn't get nearly enough sleep last night.......)

What's my next step?

 

My first step would be to check spark, and spark plugs.

 

If the Blinkers aren't blinking ... you haven't got enough reserve current to get the bike started. Theh Starter is taking everything off the top of the Battery.

Charge the Battery for a few hours.
You need AMPS ... NOT Volts!

12 Volts will make a light bulb come on.
Enough Amps will get the Starter to turn.
Additional amperage is needed to power the Ignition Circuitry.

I'd start with a good Battery Charge and then trouble shoot the Ignition Circuit after you know you have enough Amps to run everything!

 

This happened to me once. The first thing that went through my head was "Jeez, now I'm gonna have to replace the flasher relays too!". I thought it was a blinker problem. It was a nearly-dead battery. Charge her up, man.

 

You might need some Blinker Fluid and this is the only place I know of that stocks it!

http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_pa ... 7dade2c376

 

hahaha blinker fluid....

 

oh and try not to jump at the silnoid you will fry it up. Clean out your starter button switch. You might have to re sawder the wire to the button

 

OK, so the starter button definitely works intermittently, but I have to jam on it... so the other stuff...

Charged the battery fully; it ALMOST started up. Full choke, gave it gas and it sounded like it really wanted to but... ???

And I already cleaned the sparkplugs while the battery was charging.

Any ideas?

 

you shouldn't have to jam on it.

 

yea yea yea but i'll get that sorted once i actually have a use for the starter button

 

Any luck with this TheBostik?

 

Man, have I been around THAT block! Didn't help that there were a couple of other real problems with my blinker system, but a nearly-dead battery AND a flaky battery charger didn't help any! Foo!

To The Original Poster: If battery power is your problem, another thing that I do when I really want the bike running for some reason is just jump start it from a car battery. It's all 12V and the car batt can provide as many amps as the bike can possibly need. A decent set of moto-sized jumper cables is about $20 and well worth the money.

Not a long-term solution, but can get you going in a pinch AND proves whether you just have battery problems or something more interesting.

 

Everything you describe sounds like a dead battery. I have had this happen to me twice, so I'm very familiar with the behavior. Do like I said before and jump it by connecting negative to negative and THEN positive to positive from a car batt to the bike's batt terminals. Then start it.

If the batt is your only problem, you'll be amazed at how quickly it starts. May run a little rough at first, due to all the failed starting attempts, but close the choke most of the way so it idles at just above 1k RPM and let it run for a bit and it should even out. Took mine a little over a minute to clear the fouling out of one cylinder.

If hooking up the car batt doesn't make it start, it should at least crank with an easy touch of the button and should crank like crazy. If it does THAT, but still doesn't start, you have probably fouled the plugs. Pull 'em, clean 'em, and try again.

 

I second the car battery trick. It's a good way to know if your problem is simply battery related or something else.
good luck,
baz

 

Ok, I am having the same issue. Weird, the bike started fine and ran 2 weeks ago after 4 months of sitting.

I have had a battery minder hooked up all winter. I have also tried using a charger and just now tried jumping it with the car.

I have checked each plug and I am getting spark. My neighbor (harley guy) suggested I try to put a little gas in the #4 cyl. and see if she tries to start. (don't do this) I did try it though and had a nice HUGE backfire! It did try to kick over a couple of time after that. but with no success

Oh yes, my blinkers work fine.

Here's the question, where do I go from here? Do I replace the battery, rebuild the carbs? I have no idea. As I said it was running, albeit a little rough 2 weeks ago?

 

Dennis:

The thing to do to determine if its a Fuel Related or Spark Related condition is try to start the Bike using some Starting Fluid or the Gas from Propane Torch.

Find the Main Intake Port to the Airbox and shoot some Starting Fluid or let your Propane Torch (NOT Lighthed) stream gas into the Airbox.

If the Engine runs with the external source of Fuel ... you have a FUEL Related issue and you can track that down.

I'm curently working on a set of Carbs that had micro-particulate in the Fuel Bowls and clogged the Pilot Fuel Jets and the Fuel Bowl Starter Jets and Fuel Bowl Starter Jet Well Metering Ports.

If you let the Bike sit over the Winter without pulling the Fuel Bowl Drains; there is a good chance you may have experienced the same kind of contamination.

The stuff I'm seeing is like a Coffee Stain. Micro-particulate that gets through the INLINE Filter. It Cleans-up rather easily with Spray Carb Cleaner.

 

dennis, did you figure out what was causing your problem - I'm going through the same thing with mine - wants to start, then huge backfire.

 

jmk - he said his backfired because he poured gas in the cylinder (?!?)

You are using high octane gas? Another thing to not is whether you're running lean (which can create backfiring).

Check your carb pilot mixture screws and make sure they're set correctly.


To the guy who asked what I did:
new battery, fully charged.

Pretty retarded, I'll admit. (which is why I ran away from this thread and tried to let it die until someone else bumped it!!!)

 

Can the carb pilot screws be adjusted while the carbs are on the bike, or are these the 2 brass screws that are under the piston diaphram in the top of the carb? Anyone have a pic of these pilot screws on hhitachi carbs?

 

those are the air jets IIRC ... pilot screws are near the 'choke' needles, normally are covered by metal plugs, but those have probably been removed by now.. anybody got a pic to show this better than i can explain? I'm at work right now and don't have access to all the pictures I've saved.

 

Update...
No JMK I am not running yet. I have tried using both the Starting fluid and propane torch with no success. I am going to have the carbs cleaned and rebuilt and see if that helps. My bike is not a YIS (at least it doesn't have any markings on it) and I was going to do them myself but I want it running NOW so I am off to the shop this weekend.

 

I just completed a minor engine overhaul to replace te starter clutch and I cleaned the carbs while I had it apart. I have not seen this bike run as I bought it several months ago with a bad starter clutch. The gas tank is currently out being painted so I'm using an empty water bottle with a tire valve stem jammed through the cap. I just put a new battery in but I am having the same problems. Blinkers don't blink, sounds like it wants to start but just won't quite catch. I think my spark looks a little weak. Does anyone know if that is usually caused by the ignitor box or the coils? Thanks

 

That's symptomatic of Alternator Brushes being too short.

Measure the alternator Brushes and make sure they are over 10mm Long.
Charge the Battery and keep it charged until you determine the Nrushes aren't at fault.

Look for a weak link in the Ignition Circuit ... The Fuse Panels on ALL XJ-Bikes are about ready to Fail if they haven't been upgraded.

 

Update - one of the nicest days yet this year and I am RIDIN'.. Turned out it just needed new plugs... Which I was going to do anyway!!! Thanks for all of your help guys!!!!!

 

The new battery that supposedly did not need charging needed to be charged. With a litlle spray of ether she fired right up and ran like a champ. I adjusted the idle down to around 1000rpms. Not sure if that is too high or too low but sounded like a good number. Thanks for the heads up on the fuse panel Rick, I replaced that when I first bought the bike since it was held together with paper clips. My new problem is a lack of a headlight. I know the bulb is good but not sure why I have no hi or lo beam. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks