Xj550 Seca flooding?

my seca starts first try every time, push the button and it starts right up
BUT! I've got to give it some throttle to keep it going for the first minute or two, regardless of choke. If i let it die before it's warmed up, it won't start again for 20 or so minutes. Also if i try to start it again before it's "ready" it just sortof resets the timer.

Anyhow, all i can imagine is flooding, but what would cause it to flood? I've been through most everything on this bike, and it's the only issue i'm really having with it.
Anyone got any ideas?

 

"What would cause flooding"

A stuck float would. If you think your bike is flooding don't run it. Open where you fill the oil and see if it smells like gas

 

Sounds more like a case of "starts fine bone cold, hard to start once warmed up at all."

Classic symptom of valves in need of adjusting. Are the valves in spec?

Float levels/issue would be next on the list.

 

Possible battery issue?

Procedure for checking the battery from Chacals electrical page:

How do I know if my battery is good?:

Is it your battery, or your charging system, or something in-between?

The best way to know for sure is to use a multimeter (voltmeter) attached directly to your battery positive and negative terminals, and observe the following:

1) with the engine and all electrical accessories off, the battery should read a minimum of 12.8 volts DC. If not, the battery is either not fully charged, or it is bad (it is incapable of holding a full charge). Charge the battery fully and check again; if the reading is less than 12.8 volts, the battery is bad and should be replaced.

NOTE: most manuals describe checking the specific gravity of each battery cell electrolyte (fluid) as the preferred method of checking the condition of the battery. This reading should be between 1.2650 - 1.280 per cell. If a fully charged battery cannot reach these levels in all cells, then that cell is bad and the battery should be replaced.


2) If the first test above passes, leave the multimeter hooked up to the battery terminals, and press the starter button. While the starter is engaged (but before the bike starts), the battery voltage should be 9.5 volts or greater. If not, then this signals either a bad battery, very dirty or weak electrical connections, or it could be a incredibly problematic starter motor (not likely; it's probably the battery!).


3) if you run into this specific problem:

* "There were a few times when I cranked it, that it ALMOST started. It would start to fire immediately as I let off the start button. But it just wouldn't catch.

Then this is a symptom of a weak battery, due to any number of causes.......

What happens is that as the starter is being engaged, it gobbles up battery voltage. As soon as the start button is released, you now have full battery voltage available TO THE IGNITION CIRCUIT (including the pick-ups, the TCI, and especially the coils), and in that instant when you release the starter button, the coils get enough voltage to produce an adequate spark while the motor is still (by inertia) turning over. If everything is in a great state of tune, the bike will normally kick over. If not, you get the "almost fires" situation explained above, so.........

Test the battery voltage WHILE THE STARTER IS ENGAGED (a voltmeter across the + and - terminals of the battery is all that's needed). It should remain above 9.5 volts while the starter motor is engaged but without the engine running. If it drops below that level while the starter is active, then that's the "problem", and the cause of that problem must be determined and remedied (usually a sign of a bad battery, or it could be a incredibly problematic starter motor).

 

Thanks all
flooding seems to be it, float combined with a slow leaking petcock. The valves are pretty incredibly dead-on and checked within the last 100 miles. it wasn't so much start's fine cold but not warmed up, it would start once warmed up. after it had run for 5 minutes or so, if you cut it off it would start again, it was just this zone of fail between first start and warmed up.

ANYHOW, realized it was overflowing slowly into the airbox and could see it drip a little from there. Apparently the airfilter'd get soaked up then first start itd be OK with the air in the cylinders etc and would start up quickly as it should, but then would draw excess gas thru that had built up in the airbox. If i could keep it running through that (wouldn't idle but you could rev it and keep it running) it'd eventually clear out and be OK.

gearbox seems gas-free, musta been leaking backward vs into the engine. for the moment i'm just clamping the gas line when it's off and it's been behaving near perfectly. waitin on new float needles and a new petcock. not looking forward to pulling the carbs again though, and getting a little worried about the intake rubber...