NOT STARTING...PLEASE ADVISE!

Anyone,

Anyone, :?

Bueller?

Bueller?? :roll:

 

Sickle,
So when you pull the screw from the bottom of the bowl fuel flows out, right?
My first guess would have been floats set to low cutting off the fuel prematurely.

Which air inlets are you talking about?
There should be caps on three of the vacume nipples on the motor side top of the carbs.
The fourth is connected to the petcock.
Is this an 1100, with the dual petcocks?

 

No Varooom so far. I'm thinking of replacing the Pick-up coil assemble because the resistance was so far out of Spec ?

 

Look behind the "Safety Cover" that keeps the Pick-up Coil Pigtail from flopping around.
It's the little metal cover at around "10 O'Clock" on the Shifter Case.

Check to see that the Pick-up Coil Pigtail IS NOT pinched in there.
If somebody had the Shift Case off ... and pinched the wire in there ... the Bike don't GO.

Also, take the two Screws out of the Side-stand Switch and see that the Switch isn't stuck OPEN.
The Actuating Rod on that Switch is prone to getting "Gummed-Up" and NOT traveling far enough to let the Switch actually Close.

The Bushing where the Rod passes through the Top of the Sidestand "Binds" when it isn't both Clean and Lubed ... causing No Starts because the Switch sends a "DOWN" Signal all the time.

(But if the Bike was in Neutral ... it shouldnt matter)

Get inside the Headlight Bucket and UnPlug the Kill Switch.
That's another thing that takes all week to figure-out.

 

But if it were any of those things, he wouldn't get the back-fire. He should get nothing, cuz the bike shouldn't even turn over....if I'm reading things correctly above. Since he's getting a back-fire situation, the safety switches should be good to go because the switches all say it's ok to try and start.

I would suggest that since there is a backfire, double-check that the spark coil leads are going to the correct plugs, and make sure that the coils are connected into the correct plugs on the harness....and now check fuel levels, etc....

You said you turned the mix screws out three turns.... is that three full revolutions or three half turns? Three full-circle turns will give you a just slightly rich from factory settings, but three half-circle turn will keep you reeeeaaaaaally lean, which could also give you a pretty good backfire.

Keep us posted,

Dave Fox

 

I checked all those, still No spark. Any other idea's ?

 

I believe I've remedied my situation. Yeah!!!

Butterflies were completely closed right off and my float levels were completely out to lunch.

Thanks to those folks who were helping.

Mindgame,

What you can do to by pass all the relays and crap is this. Pull all of your relay's having to do with ignition, headlight relay, sidestand switch relay, and starting circuit relay. (As you're holding the female molex plug of the starting circuit relay with the relay unplugged)Probe with a test meter just to make sure but the very bottom right hand spade connection should register positive while the key is in the on position. The connection right above it goes to the starter. When the relays are all working jimdandy that positive 12V's you checked for in the bottom right hand corner is routed up towards the top right hand connection. So all you need to do is just jump that connection and all the safety switch stuff is defeated and you should get spark now if the relays are an issue. Obviously you'll need to make sure your machine is in neutral and all that stuff now because by doing this, it will start in gear. If this doesn't give you anything, you don't have a relay problem with spark and it may be your ignitor, a switch, coils or some electrical demon within your wiring harness. Also, make sure you check the condition of your brushes in your alternator and your pickup coil, these can contribute to a very weak spark also.

Hope this helps some.

 

That works-out for testing purposes, ...

Doing that will allow the STARTER to engage in any configuration.
The will lurch.
If its tuned ... it will start.
Loaded gun. No safety.

 

Awesome! I got the bike started !!! Now just have to clean out the tank

-Craig

 

I hope someone can help...

I'm having a similar problem. My '82 xj1100 that I have been working on isn't starting, well it is, but just not for long. If I have the choke all the way on, it will start for 1-2 seconds. It runs great on starting fluid, and just because I read it in this thread, I used a spray bottle of gas and it runs and revs great on that too. A little background on the bike:

It was not running when we got it, but had just been serviced before it was put in storage for 4 years (rebuilt carbs, amongst other things as well at the dealer). It started on starting fluid (left the petcocks on off), has good compression, good spark, etc.

Got it home, put in new plugs, removed and cleaned the carbs ( 2 slightly sticky floats, very little varnish buildup, though), cleaned the tank (rust, gunk, & kreem), new petcock filters, new petcock rebuild kit (both sides and the vacuum manifold), new manifold boots, new fuel sending unit gasket, new vacuum lines, etc.

I've tested all the relays for the starting and safety circuts, checked to see if the vacuum manifold is working correctly (when I suck on the vacuum hose, the fuel flows out of the lines to the carb bank), I have good flow on pri, checked all of the fuel lines for kinks, no inline filters, carbs looked spotless inside, cables hooked up correctly, float bowls have fuel in them, and anything else I could think of.

I'm not new to bikes, just to yamahas. This just has me a little stumped. I'm not sure where to go next, so any guidance would be greatly helpful. Thanks in advance, Matt.

 

Update:

I hooked the fuel lines back up to bottles with vent holes in them... now it's not running on them either.

I guess my next step will be to drain the bowls and note how much fuel is in each one... and then try to start it and see if they fill back up.

Is there a possibility that all 4 clogged up at the same time? You would think that it would at least want to stumble. Maybe the fuel "T"s are clogged, even though we had the petcocks on off when we started it at the po's house? I'm positive that I ran carb cleaner through the fuel inlet passages when I cleaned them...

Any ideas?

Matt.

 

Update to the update...

Disclaimer: I don't recomend this, because the gas and fumes going through the shop vac could ignite from a spark or static electricity! I decided to take the risk, but I moved the vac to the middle of the shop and had a fire extinguisher handy...

I took off the fuel lines and sucked through them with a modified shop vac(lots of electrical tape and a fuel filter). There must have been some crud in the "T" fittings, because she fires right up now and runs good. I still have some fine tuning to do, but that problem is tackled!

Even though I guess I didn't give enough time for a response to the original post, I hope this may be of value in the future to a fellow XJ'er.

Matt

 

can anyone tell me exactly how far should the butterflies be opened at rest?

 

One more question, I believe this forum had suggested that the pilot air jet and main air jet placement was as follows: From the jet plate cover hold down screw, the next hole was for the pilot jet (this is the hole in the middle) and the hole on the other side of the carbs is for the main air jet(two holes away from the plate screw hole) However, in my manual if you look at the diagrams the main airjet is directly tied to the tube where the needle jet goes and the pilot airjet is tied to the pilot circuitry. When you blow compressed air through the carb body, the opposite is found true, the middle whole seems to be for the main and the other the pilot? Opening another set of carbs up, I found the airjets placed as the forum suggest, yet it seems to be contrary to what the manual diagram shows.

A little Help???

 

I find it difficult to believe that no-one has the answers to these questions, I could really use the help?

Is this a new member thing, or do I somehow smell poorly through the computer, Bad timing, everyone on Holidays???? PLease HEEELLLPPP???

Hound, sorry in answer to your questions, this is an 82, 750 I'm working with(seca model). By blocking air, I just meant capping the air inlet to the airbox, nothing doin' with the three vac lines on the intakes.

I had it started or thought I was in going in the right direction, and then, NOTHING again, No friggen fuel getting into the cylinders???
Petcock = good
Float valves = good
Tank = full of new fuel
Float bowls = full of fuel
Carbs = can't get any cleaner all passages cleaned a blown out with compressed air.
Boots = good

Still wondering if I've got the airjets in incorrectly and exactly how far the butterflies should be open at idle

 

Can't speak for anyone else but I've been at the beach for ten days. :Mrgreen:
The Haynes Manual diagram has the air jets reversed.
The manual is wrong.
Go with the forum placement.
With the throttle closed use a strip of business card to set the butterflies.
This is where you would start your synch.
Your carb vacume synch, will actually set the butterflys to the proper openings.
So there is no exact spec it varies by cylinder, you are synching all cylinders to the weakest one.

 

Thanks Hound,
There was a time when it was just wanting to go but wouldn't catch and after adjustments, all I get now are enourmously loud back fires. Of course, back firing stems from being too lean? Guess I'll have to try and open up the butterflies a bit more.

Cheers.

I tell you, if I knew what kind of flatsides bolted straight in and if they were available, I'd be on them like stink to poo.

 

If you are using carb cleaner or starter fluid, it's actually better not to have it on choke, but have the throttle open instead so the starter fluid can be drawn into the carb through the air intake. I've been having a similar problem with my 83 maxim 550. I just got it out of storage after sitting for four years. I cleaned the carbs, but the pilot jets wouldn't come out. The bike would only start if I sprayed starter fluid into the air filter. After changing the plugs, it started and ran if I used starter fluid. I've been using sea foam in the gas. Everyday it gets a little better.
If your bike is only running after you use the carb cleaner, it may be running on the carb cleaner and not the gas. Did you put new plugs in? It sounds like cylinder #1 is firing, but #4 is not since that's the one with oil and gas on the plug, and the other might be hit and miss.

 

K pulled all the plugs last night,
#3 was the only one with a build up of carbon,
So cleaned all the plugs

Now get this, the plugs I took out were the properly sized actual NGK plugs for the machine, I put the bosch platinums with 'bout 60,000kms on them from my truck back in and the thing fires right up? Funny thing is these NGK plugs are the $15/ plug iridium ones

I don't get it???!!! Doesn't make any sense whatsoever

Haven't used any starter fluid whatsoever, don't beleive in it, sorry.

 

Sickle,

if only #3 has carbon and you had problems with fouled plugs have you checked your plug caps and possibly re-terminated them? i did the coil chop on mine for similar reasons i couldnt dial in my tune till i got a clean connection to the wire and consistant spark across all 4. my thought about your problem is that you have a weak or rusty connection in either the cap or the coil for #3 since the plug swap went so well.... keeping in mind that your replacement plugs might be gapped better for the weak spark. test your primary and secondary coil windings for both coils and if you see any difference you may be able to confirm this or atleast be certain of what it isnt.

I bench synched the hitachi's at .002 and the did a warm running adjustment to dial in the idle speed. also by doing that you get very close to right and can use a synch tool to make the last couple adjustments.
alot of folks use the buisness card method or the little trash bag twist tie wire is another method.

 

thanks will do

appreciate your thoughts btw.

 

sickle44 ...

I wouldn't expect anyone to tell you at the AutoParts Store ... But, Iridium Plugs not only require a Strong Coil Output; but the Iridium Plugs are BEST Suited to Engines which are FUEL Injected with the Lambda Sensor Input.

Iridium Plugs like to Ignite an Air~Fuel Mixture which has a Computer Controlled system foor insuring that the Mixture reaching the Combustion Chamber is >>> Ideal.

The Dinosaur "Normally Aspirated" Carbs we have shoot raw gas into the Combustion Chamber nowhere near the level of Atomization to not worry about the FUEL Mixture drowning-out the Arc of an Iridium Plug.

If you are going to use Iridium Plugs ... You NEED to BE "Dialed-In" and running >> "On the Lean Side" ... with NO Coil Problems or Spark Plugs wires 20 years old, ... otherwise, you risk having a Rich Mixture reaching the Combustion Chamber and Not getting fired by a $15.00 Plug needing a Heavier Wallop than our Stock Coils will provide and a near PERFECT Mixture >> ALL the time ... Not to Misfire.

 

Definitely Good to know,

Thanks much Rick, and no as you suggested, no one asked me at the parts counter what they were going into?? Then again, what 18year old kid would know that? Or anything for that matter(no offence to any potential 18 year old kids but......)

It's that good old, it's more 'spensive, therefore, must be better rule. Ahhhh.....

 

Finally have allocated the use of a colour tune, although it cost me a bottle of GlenLivet, Hopefully it'll be worth the $35.
Course it's not a Dyno and a sniffer but......

Thanks for everyone's help fellows

 

y do u use prime, as i have a couple of suzukies and they carry on filling the carbs up,if i leave it on prime, wats your compression like,

 

me saying that,i cant even start mine up,now. tried every thing, but she wont,,, bugger

 

For the proper operation of these bikes you need:

A good Battery for cranking and ignition
Fuel Delivery to each cylinder
Spark at each cylinder
Timing, ignition and camshaft and valve
Compression on each cylinder

If any of the above are not right the bike will not start or just will not run right.

The most common proplems
*Dirty fuel tanks and carbs
*Bad battery
*Bad plugs & Ignition wires
*Valve Adjustment
Of course there are lots of reasons that can cause a no start condition but if you look at the basics you'll find your problem or at least a clue to
really whats going on.

MN

 

ta yer i know all that, thanks, its killed me battery,lol,

 

Hey yamahamaxim85,

What shape are your carbs in? Have you taken them off for a good cleaning yet? I've found that 99% of my non-start issues were solved with a thorough cleaning after the thorough cleaning I thought I did. It's also very important to have a new, strong battery pulling 12.6 V at least with some fresh plugs to give you that "Touch of the starter button fire-up" you're looking for!

Please tell us more so we can help you get back on the road.

 

............................i agree

 

im using a car battery aswell, new plugs trimmed leads,and i cleaned and stripped carbs down,and they are fine, i aint getting a spark now,but ill look later. thanks dave

 

I am going thru the exact same issue..cleaned carb..realised frm other thread tht missed something took carbs again n cleand the bowl passages, has iridium plugs...lets see what i can do today.

 

I would check the gas for water. Drain EVERYTHING and try some new gas.
A weak battery can cause a no start. Jump it off with a car.

 

timing--- check coil resistance, pick-up coils for corrosion,cracks,poor
resistance or too much.
timing chain--- hows the tension?
these things need to be checked just to eliminate them as a prob.

 

I've been running myself crazy trying to figure out why my bike wouldnt get any roar at all to it when trying to start it. After checking and double and triple checking the timing the pressure the fuel the spark I couldn't get anything. My spark plugs were fairly clean and hadn't been used much but after seeing enough problems here with that I bought new plugs for under $10 put them in and sprayed a 2 small shots of starter fluid through the carbs then tried starting it and it fired within 10 seconds. This site is amazing and such a small thing like that meant the world to me!!

 

Just got my hands on 82 xj550 Maxim 8'100 miles, same problems, replaced needle and seats because gas was leaking through air cleaner and mixing with oil, must bench test before installing ( place carbs on work bench, hook up gas line and check for leaks from any of the carbs) saves alot of time . Hope this helps..

 

A lesson in never assuming anything.

Just stripped/cleaned/rebuilt the carbs on my '81 XJ650.
It has been running fine all year, but then suddenly refused to start at all.
Pretty obvious when I dropped the bowls that paint particles from a recent tank respray had clogged things up.
After re-assembly and re-fitting the carbs it still wouldn't fire - not even trying.
I then replaced all four plugs and checked resistance of the plug caps - found one to be well out so replaced it. - Still nothing.

This morning I found a piece of clear pipe and checked fuel level on carb no:1, thinking it would be spot-on (as they all had been previously).

No - hardly any fuel at all.

I had assumed that, since I've had these carbs in bits a few times before, I could re-assemble them without resort to the manual. Well.... obviously not, as it looks very much like I've put the floats back in upside down!

Oh well, we live and learn.

Nige

 

Thats because the floats look more right upside down than right side up. I personally have not done this, "AHUM" more than 2 or 3 times myself.
Remember if you cant laugh at yourself you don not get to laugh at others and if there is blood you have to turn away before laughing its only polite to do so.

 

It's all fun and games til someone gets hurt...............then it's hilarious!

 

Hello all,
Didn't want to start a new thread for this, so here are my issues:
I have a 1981 550maxim, I've had it for 4months as a daily driver and been replacing stuff intermittently here and there as I have the money. Over the warmer months in Ga it ran quite alright, but as it started to get colder I've had to use starting fluid to get going in the morning and then it would run fine. Now, as its gotten below freezing the bike won't start at all. I don't have a garage or anywhere else indoors that I can keep it. However, I'm convinced (and I could be horribly wrong) there should be a way to get things running in this weather.

The carbs are clean and well working, the petcock valve works well, the carb boots are in poor shape but not doing poorly. The plugs are a bit sooty but produce plenty of spark.

Update: A bit of starter fluid and some time with a 500f heatgun did the trick for getting it started in 25f weather. Now, onward to replacing the valve cover gasket. Any suggestions of things to do along with that?

 

Have you ever cleaned the Enrichement Circuit on the Carbs? A properly functioning enrichment circuit (also called "choke") is the KEY to cold starts. But I think even with a properly running motorcycle, below freezing is pushing it. If you kept it in a garage at like 50°F, then rolled it outside in the high 20s that would be one thing, but I know I had trouble starting mine near freezing when it's sitting out all day.

But it's unseasonably cold in GA isn't it? Maybe you should get a ride where ever you are going for next couple of days until is warms up ;-)

 

Have you tried boosting the battery AND a shot of ether ??
If you twist the throttle at all, you get no fuel.
That works for me. I also live on a hill. Bump starting is easier than dragging out the charger.

 

TimetoRide, what do you mean "If you twist the throttle at all, you get no fuel."?

Manbot13, right now I've got a broken choke cable to begin with, so I'm holding the choke lever on the carbs, then reaching over, spraying ether, and jumping the solenoid with a pair of pliers because that too has failed. I believe that the enrichment circuit is fine, however I'm going to check it out as I change the valve cover gasket.

 

Dude, you need to s l o o o w down a it. Bad enrichment cable, leaky valve cover gasket, need to use ether to start it, and you have to short across the starter solenoid with pliers to get it to turn over?

Any way you could get some help sorting some of this out?

The valve cover gasket can wait but the enrichment cable would get you a long way to solve your cold start problem.

I wish you the best!

Loren

 

Welcome to the site Spoonman,
You should start a new thread that will address all your bike's problems.

At cranking speed, the engine vacuum is lost if the throttle is twisted open.
Fuel is sucked thru the Pilot and Enrichment (choke) circuits differently than the Main jet, which relies on a venturi effect. (a simplified explanation)

And rear brake check when you get a half hour to kill.

 

SpoonMan:

Start your own Thread.

It sounds like you have a few obstacles to overcome before you get that bike to running the way you want.

Remove the broken Enrichment Circuit Cable and bring it in to a Bicycle Shop (Bicycle), ... and have a NEW Cable made-up while-you-wait.
Or, buy the Parts and make you own.

Next, ... Quit trying to start it until you have the "Main Ingredients" all in working order.
Cranking a Bike that lacks some element of running right just serves to put your Starter Clutch in jeopardy.

Start your OWN Thread.
Let the boys get you straightened-out, ... one thing at a time.

Take your time and write it up.
We'll try and get you squared away.

 

Further to my previous post, I've now fitted the floats the right way up... much better!

However, I've noticed (not for the first time) that the idle adjustment is absolutely critical to starting - or not. It's also - on my bike at least - very,very sensitive. I once whiled away a couple of days trying to re-find my original setting after playing around with it.

I've also noticed that it vibrates out of tune on the move, so have put PTFE (plumber's) tape on the threads to keep it where I want it.

For guidance, mine was set at fifteen and a half turns in (from the thread engaging). Alas, when I re-set it at that after the carb clean, the bike wouldn't start, so I ended up backing it off about a full turn before it fired.

I've now balanced the carbs with dial guages and this too involved further adjustment of the idle screw.

Let's see if it will start easily tomorrow?

Nige

 

Hey guys, I got an 82 xj550r and I can't get it to start. Recently I changed the battery and cleaned the carbs. Still can't get it to start normally. It only starts when its pushed and its in second gear but then dies when I stop accelarating. Anybody know what the issue might be??

 

to repost to sickle44 in your page 5 post..... lol, havent made it to 7 yet... i work at a part store. part of it is young ignorance.... part was you on the plug. if you tell them you want iridium plugs from a cross reference, thats what they will give you... the higher plugs run hotter... i always reccomend to people to STICK WITH OEM!! with the exception from going from a plat to a double plat.... as for me.... Ive only been told that the small jap motors only like ngks... and thats all i will put in them. i had a problem one day and borrowed some bosch plugs from a buddy.... shoulda just pushed it home. lol

 

I have A 750 Maxim, I cleaned the carbs and got the bike running. It ran for about 30 seconds at 4000 Rpm, Then it shut off and when i cranked it over again I heard a pop And saw a Puff of smoke. Im not sure where the smoke came from. Now the starter doesnt crank over as fast as it did before. It still Cranks but not near as well as before. Did I screw something up? Please Help!