wont start w electric start

Ok my bike wont start with electric start, the starter just sits there and runs until the battery dies. I can put it in 1st and push it and pop the clutch and it fires right up. I am going to clean the carbs soon so I hope this fixes the problem. Could the problem be anything else? Or will cleaning carbs definately solve it? thanks.

 

Pull your starter and make sure the starter gear is in fact spinning and isn't suffering with worn gears. Otherwise, your starter clutch is probably shot. Time to rebuild. This means splitting the case. Sorry. I've heard rumor of possible rebuild without splitting the case but I'm not familiar with it.

 

How many miles on your bike?

Can you feel the engine trying to turn over?

Can you wrench well enough to do a Complicated Teardown and a risky maneuver?

Call a Yamaha Shop ... as for Service ... inquire if any of the Tech's know the "Shortcut for doing a Starter Clutch?"

 

Check first to make sure your carbs are getting gas.
Get a 2 foot long piece of fuel hose.
Attached it to the fuel petcock on the bottom of the gas tank.
Run the other end into a gas-approved container.
Now turn the key and hit the starter button.
Does gas flow while the petcock is in the Reserve position, the On position and the Prime position?
If gas is flowing, next check your mixture screws.
These are tiny little screws recessed into the tops of the carbs toward the front of the bike. They are really small.
These must be turned out counter clockwise two and a half turns from closed. These are the idle mixture screws and control fuel at idle and a little higher.
If the bike still won't start, check your sparks.
Take all four spark plugs out then attach them to their respective spark plug cable caps.
Now lay the plugs securely on the valve cover or other part of the engine, but in a position where you can see them clearly. Make sure they're grounded against the engine or you could fry the whole system.

Now turn the key and hit the starter button.
You should see a nice healthy spark on all four spark plugs.

Another thing to check is the fuses. Make sure they're all in good shape and well placed in their clips.

Good luck, and keep posting the results of trying to get the bike to run right.

I've got my own troubles right now with my 81 XJ650 Maxim and I'm worried it could be CDI or reg/rect related. Both very expensive.

 

From what you wrote we have doubts that your starter is turning the engine. If it is then I would suspect that the battery is weak or has weak connections. A weak battery will not spark the coils enough for ignition. The starter will work well on a low battery but not the coils. Make sure the battery is fully up and then check your connections to the coils and battery. If it fires right up without the starter then carbs aren't your problem. I would hold off on doing anything to them. Sometimes this problem is also cured by buying new plugs. Since they are cheap I would try that also. Do the easy and cheap first.

 

Does the starter turn-over the engine?

I know the engine doesn't START ...

But, does the engine turn-over when the starter is engaged?

 

No the engine does not even try to turn over, I can just hear the starter rotating but thats as far as it goes. I have not even tried to diagnose it yet, as far as spark, or gas, The bike is at my storage and I dont really have enough time between work and the time the gate hours are. Last time I was there I tried to bump start it and now it wont even do that. might be a new problem, who knows. This weekend when I have some time off I will check the spark plugs and see if they are sparking, and also see if it is getting gas, and I will know the problem(s) more in detail. I will let you know.

 

I'm sorry to hear that.
That is bad news.

Your STARTER CLUTCH needs to be serviced.
As I mentioned earlier ...

You should call several Motorcycle Dealerships and inquire of the Service Department's Lead Technician if he has anyone capable of doing the:

"Yamaha XJ-Series Inline-four Starter Clutch R&R Shortcut"

Unless you can find someone willing to attempt the shortcut ... the unfortunate circumstance is that the Engine will need to be COMPLETELY torn-down and disassembled to replace the the small handful of parts needed to have your bike repaired so that you may use the Starter Motor to make your bike run.

 

how can I tell for sure that that is the problem? when I picked up the bike a few months ago it started just fine with the electric start. This problem started after I got the bike home. The bike has always gave a little delay between the time I press the button and the starter kicking in as I hold it down. The oil light comes on as soon as I press the starter button, and sometimes the starter would not respond at all, Just the oil light shining bright, and nothing happening. could it be a week battery!??!??

 

Definately not a battery problem now. Knowing whether or not the starter was turning the engine was the key info we needed. You can pull the starter and check for broken planetary gears. If they check out then a drain of the oil and refilling with 2 quarts of cheap oil and 1 quarts of varsol or kerosene may clear the gunk that is stopping the starter clutch from engaging. Run the bike on the center stand with the oil/kerosene mix for about 10 minutes making sure you go through the gears a few times. Then drain the mix and change the oil and filter. If this doesn't work, then you have to split the cases to replace the starter clutch rollers and springs.

 

I cannot find the Thread I read in another Forum about someone loading straight Seafoam into a "Trigger-operated, goose-necked, Oil-can" and squirting straight Seafoam onto the gears and Clutch with just the Starter Pulled-out and someone jacking-over the engine, by hand.

This was another Miracle Story about the wonders of SeaFoam.

The straight SeaFoam douching did manage to get the Springs and Rollers freed-up.
But. I seem top recall that "The SeaFoam Douche" didn't help for very long.

Facing the possibility of having to either having to tear-down the entire engine for that overhaul ... or, resorting to the large section of cardboard with Magic Marker lettering "For Sale - Needs Work" ...

I'd give it a shot (so to speak)!!!

 

Most likely didnt last because it cleared the gunk out of the starter clutch but it was soon replaced by other gunk in the engine. That's why I like the engine douche. This could also be done with Seafoam instead of kerosene.

 

I must confess that I have never done an Engine Douche with SeaFoam.

Energi2er:

The Folks that have the SeaFoam experience will have to walk you through that process.
I sincerely hope that the SeaFoam Method of Engine Cleaning works for you. I wouldn't wish a bad Starter Clutch on most people.

You have nothing to lose trying to get that Starter Clutch back in-the-game.
Good luck with it!

 

It could also be the planetary gears inside the starter that are bad. No longer than it takes it is worth a look. Havent seen a starter do that yet but there is a first time for everything.

 

Inspect them.
Make sure they are not the trouble.
HIGHLY unlikely, I'd have to say.
But, Rule OUT every single possibility.

 

The petcock has 2 hoses coming from it, attatched to both sides of the carbs, which hose do I disconnect to attach the test hose? and do I leave the other one hooked up to the carbs?

 

No, no no ...

Petcock Hoses:

The one hose coming off the SMALLER of the two connections is Vacuum Line and goes to a Manifold Vacuum Port (Usually #-3)

The other hose, LARGER in Diameter ... goes from the Petcock ... to the Fuel Inlet at the Carbs.

(Install an Inline Gas Filter inn the Larger Line between the Petcock and Carbs for protection against particulate entering the Fuel Bowls)

 

so how do I test to see if the carbs are getting gas?

 

You take the Vacuum Line off the Manifold and lightly Puff on it as if it were a ... ah ... cigarette of unusual nature. (Unusual nature ... the word flow from my fingers) ... and cause a Vacuum to happen on the hose.

You don't have to pass the hose to the next guy; because its not really an Unusual Nature.

When Vacuum is applied to the hose ... fuel should flow.
If not you have an issue with the Petcock Vacuum Valve; or you didn't take a strong enough hit.

Try again.

You can tell if gas is getting down to the Carbs by cracking a Drain Screw and seeing if gas exits the Bowl.

How is this Project coming along; anyway?
Have we resolved anything or is this still a NO Spark, NO Starter and ain't running yet situation???

 

I just now got a chance to work on it today. I ordered a set of spark plugs (they arrive tomorrow) just to start with new plugs since they are only a buck 49 a peice. Picked up my oil filter today, and 3 quarts of oil and oil is still draining as I type this. It was a b**** getting the drain plug off since the head of it was stripped I had to break out the vice grips, I will be getting a new drain plug.

So anyway, with New oil and new plugs I will then start diagnosing the non starting problem. I did hook up a car battery to the battery yesterday, and the starter responded very nicely and the engine tried to fire but no cigar. So I beleive the starter clutch is ok since It IS cranking the engine. Found out I had a pretty weak battery. I put almost a cup full of distilled water in the battery, and I am charging it overnight off of the bike.

You guys are definately a BIG help and I couldnt have done this project without this site. I will let you all know the progress.