Author Topic: Won't start today (Read 5816 times)

k4y_d1 · « **on:** May 15, 2007, 12:24:34 AM »

My b4 won't start this morning.. crank it up several times, and i stopped when the battery showed weakness sign.

Yesterday it started fine...running fine...
Very confusing for me. Can anybody showed me why this' happened? I did open the choke this morning.. also tried to push start it.. but it's not working either.

Thanks...

Bartjan · « **Reply #1 on:** May 15, 2007, 05:08:27 AM »

do you have fuel?

k4y_d1 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 15, 2007, 05:33:11 AM »

Yes, i think i did have some fuel left in the tank

I can still see it through the top.
Or was it possible that the fuel was still visible in the tank, but it won't go down to the carb?

GooseMan · « **Reply #3 on:** May 15, 2007, 11:53:22 AM »

I ran out of gas for the first time last weekend (on the highway!

). I opened the tank to take a look inside, and I saw some gas in there, but I guess it was at the reserve level. So I guess gas is still visible when its "empty"

Try to switch to reserve and see what happens!

pmackie · « **Reply #4 on:** May 15, 2007, 12:54:43 PM »

On a "No Start" always put gas in first, charge the battery next.

No point even looking at anything else until you do these.

Check sidestand & clutch switches, ensure kill switch is ON.

Herr Tod · « **Reply #5 on:** May 15, 2007, 01:27:52 PM »

Look at the rev counter. If it moves while cranking, you've got a spark, if it doesn't move you've found the problem.

k4y_d1 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 15, 2007, 10:34:01 PM »

I push start it again yesterday evening after got back from work... And it's running!! After that, turn it off - push starter button, and it started rightaway.
Well...this morning it's happening again... it won't start until I push started it several times... and then running fine again..

Is this something to do with the Sparkplugs? well..last week my b4 was running rich cause of clogged jets..that time i could smelled gas fumes out of exhaust...
Well??? any ideas??.... thanks a lot...

stormi · « **Reply #7 on:** May 16, 2007, 04:18:19 AM »

Quote from: "pmackie"

ensure kill switch is ON.

Yup,.. nailed myself with that one tonight. A sure sign I'm over tired. Sometimes too, the Kill switch will just be a tiny bit off, and be enough to kill everything. The confusing part of course, is that everything lights up, just no vroom..

In fairness, I don't use the Kill switch, ever, so when it gets bumped, it doesn't occur to me to check it, til after the panic wears off.

stormi · « **Reply #8 on:** May 16, 2007, 04:26:08 AM »

Well, if you can't start it, but the starter is working, you need to check for two main things... spark and fuel. Have you looked at the plugs? Are they wet (right after you try to start it, this would also tell you that you have fuel but no spark... ) or carbonned up? That would indicate a rich condition... While you're in there, you can also test the spark, it should be a nice fat blue-white spark...

Here's the other thing,... make sure that your choke cable isn't corroded and stuck on, even a little, that will flood a bike on startup, and you'll have a bear of a time getting it started. (Though a push start -can- get past that eventually) And I've heard of more than on B4 with that problem.

Also to consider: is the battery is being drained over night by something?

k4y_d1 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 16, 2007, 04:39:46 AM »

Hi Stormi...
before this happened, I've checked the spark, and it's good - blueish spark..

As for the choke cable, i have replaced it with the new one..so the choke is very smooth now...
Do you mean that it's better to start the engine without choke?

After I could push started it, the battery charges again.. and the next morning it cranked the engine really good, until it weakened cause it won't start...:(

Well, maybe then i have to check the sparkplugs if there's lot of carbon as a result of last clogged jets...and rich condition..

stormi · « **Reply #10 on:** May 16, 2007, 02:28:54 PM »

This sounds like my first spring with Dita, she was a real pain for this.

Here's what we did, took the carbs off, and cleaned them. There was -sand- in the bottom of the bowls!!

So,.. it may have been a clogged starting jet that was doing it, but before that, I would crank and crank and crank, then when the battery was dead, I'd put her back on the charger and go to work. I'd come home and repeat the process.

At the same time we made sure that the spark was good, and the plugs not fouled (from all of the attempted starting). Those plug wires can be a real pain too.

When I start the bike, I usually try to get her running without the choke, then turn it on as she starts to run, of course, your milage may vary depending on your locale.

CWO4GUNNER · « **Reply #11 on:** May 16, 2007, 02:49:28 PM »

One thing I used to do when I lived in VA and also when I owned my GS650 was to run the fuel out of the carbs for winterization (installed a fuel shut off valve). It was the only method I could keep the pilot jets from varnishing up during a long storage period. I still do it to my boat because of infrequent use and have never had a problem. After a long storage period my stuff always starts up like it was new. The alternative was countless hours of pulling carburetors and using starter fluid. A dry carb in storage is a ready carb and a wet stored carb is a recipe for making varnish.

stormi · « **Reply #12 on:** May 16, 2007, 02:52:57 PM »

Seafoam also works wonders. Dita was practically painless this year, to the point where the first start was almost anti-climactic.

k4y_d1 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 16, 2007, 10:50:02 PM »

Thanks for the info...
will try to check all those things you mentioned...

Though this morning, i started it without choke and without throttling... and it started...then i gave it some throttle after to get it idled.

confusing...

stormi · « **Reply #14 on:** May 17, 2007, 12:18:08 AM »

Quote from: "k4y_d1"

Thanks for the info...
will try to check all those things you mentioned...

Though this morning, i started it without choke and without throttling... and it started...then i gave it some throttle after to get it idled.
confusing...

YAY!!

In light of that, I would maybe check to see if your choke is operating smoothly, or if it's seized ( common with the B4) and more than likely stuck on a little, causing it flood incredibly easily when being started.

The method you used today is the same as I use, and sometimes I have to give her a little shot of gas to get her to idle too,.. it seems "normal"