Forum

[Jamesy]

Check the fuel tap is flowing freely.Remove the fuel line to the carb.get a suitable container and open the tap and make sure you have a good flow of fuel.If this is ok I would be stripping the carb and checking all is as itshould be.I had a fuel starvation problem that was caused by a faulty fuel tap.Also check inside the fuel tank for any contamination.

[DAKOTAstorm]

Ok won’t start at all today. Only difference from yesterday is a new battery with higher cold crankage. I have sorted decompression lever and happy with that. I have 12v+ at the battery, 11.3 at the coil with ignition on. I have tried to ground the spark plug against various metal parts whilst kicking over and got no spark. I removed spark plug and covered hole with thumb, kicked over and got no fuel on thumb. I have set the needle to a richer setting and blasted through needle jet with carb cleaner. Kick over and still no fuel on thumb. Fit spark plug and kick over a few times and light fuel on plug. I have good fuel flow in the on and reserve position.

[Norm]

No point in putting the plug in and kicking it over if it has no spark. Check kill switch?

[Aethelric]

I'd try a new spark plug and if still no spark check that the points are set right. The condenser (capacitor) can cause intermittent problem too.

[DAKOTAstorm]

Few backwards steps today but finally running tonight, haven’t had the chance to take it out for a ride so I will do that tomorrow. Cleaned spark plug, new HT lead and still nothing. Removed battery and took it back to the store to enquire, as I had fitted a larger cold crankage than previously, the guy said that straight out of the box the battery won’t start the 500 engine even though it was showing good voltage and recommended putting it on charge. Sure enough after an hours charge taking it up to 13.4v, a few kicks and splutters and it burst into life.

Two things learned today, don’t be naive with the battery voltage and what a fool I have been not rigging the decompression lever, life is so much easier now, my right leg can relax, starting to worry it would eventually become too strong for my left leg and I’d walk in circles!

Fingers crossed for the ride tomorrow, think my next step will be stripping and rebuilding carb if no better.

[John L]

Dakota - Good, you've discovered the importance of voltage ! Battery CCA rating is irrelevant when it's your leg (left or right) that's providing the cranking, anyway !

Being in the USA, I hope you are not using the "Hardley Rideable" starting method :- Bike on PROP stand, jump all over the bike with full body weight, etc. etc. ......

[papasmurf]

[stinkwheel]

If you're still having running issues, make sure there are no air leaks round the inlet manifold

[DAKOTAstorm]

Things progressed for the worse today, starting to think this bike didn’t want to be saved and was happy hanging on the wall. Kicked over on centre stand nice and easy, ran for approx two mins with choke open to warm up engine before setting the idle and it cut out. Closed the choke and kicked again, nothing. Won’t start. Measured voltage of battery, had dropped to 12.4v, remembering this wasn’t enough to kick over last time, charged again upto 13.4. Still won’t start, measured battery and it had dropped voltage again. It seems after one kick the battery voltage drops below what is needed to start the bike, but it should have also started on that first kick (?). Changed out battery and same results. I’d ideally like to measure voltage with bike running to see if alternator is giving charge, but can’t get it to start to do so.

[Norm]

Battery is fine, all it has to do is provide spark, it is not trying to crank a motor over, 12 volts at standing is what it is supposed to be