Hitchcocks Forum

hi,
Any advice on getting a bullet electra 500 going again that hasn't been started for 5 years?

Any remaining petrol won't be much good so empty that out and drain the float bowl. The battery probably won't be any good either. Check there's some oil in it then, with fresh fuel and battery, see if it starts. If not, see if you have a spark, if you do it's probably fuel related so next thing would be to clean the carb properly and see if it starts. If no spark then start checking the ignition system. The main thing is - do one thing at a time then see if it starts. You then have an idea what was preventing the engine starting. The thing to watch with this technique is that you're not flooding the engine.
When you do get the engine to start then give the machine a good service. Even though the tyres look OK they could well be dangerous after 5 years so have a very good look at them.

I wouldn't rely on the dipstick oil level after 5 mins let alone 5 years. The oil is likely to have drained into the sump giving a false reading.I would drain the oil by removing the 3 drain bolts, change the filter too, and refill with fresh oil before attempting to start.

I gave up trying to use the dip-stick on my Electra x (ish) and dip the oil before I start the engine with a home made dip stick that touches the bottom of the tank, as long as there is between four and five inches of oil in the tank I leave well alone.

although sometimes frowned upon, I find a good dose of easystart with get her going if there is a decent compression. once running, keep spraying the easystart until it runs under her own steam. if it doesn't, then its card strip time.

pd110961, have you ever read the instructions on a tin of easy start?
(I don't want you to self cremate yourself.)

Rather than Eazy Start, I take the sparkplug out to check for a spark, and whilst it is out pour a small amount of fuel down the plug hole. This usually coaxes some sort of life out of the bike which at least lets you know that the major components are working.

read the instructions? I'm an engineer! I only read instructions if it didn't do what I hoped it would do!

Its also a great prank to put a guard dog to sleep (not permanently) with some on a rag over its nose! well it was a great prank when I was 16...

pd110961, so I am I an engineer which is why I read the safety notice on easy start. I have no desire to end up in a burns unit or a coffin.

It seems Easystart contains DIETHYL ETHER, DI-ISOPROPYL ETHER, ACETONE, PYRIDINE and PETROLIUM.
Pretty flammable stuff and sounds like a good way to kill a dog (or yourself if it's not respected)