Bike intermittently will not start....
 

Hey everyone! I know this topic has been touched on a few times but I can't pinpoint my exact issue so here it is. My 96 F3 has been running good for a while. But the other day after I was done with work, I turned on the fuel (because I always shut it off when I shut the bike off) and hit the start button and it briefly turned over for not even a second then stopped. A few hits of the starter button following that just gave me clicks and the lights dimming down as if it were trying to start. I tried to push start it but it didn't want to move, tried the starter again and it popped off. Giving me a couple of puffs of rich smelling fuel. I can see that a few of the carbs seem externally saturated with fuel. Making me think that it is leaking enough fuel into a cylinder to make it hard to start. What bugs me about the theory is that I am able to START it after hitting the starter button repeatedly. Here is what I have done during one of my no starts. 1. Neutral, kickstand down, clutch in. 2. Neutral, kickstand up, clutch in. 3. Battery is new and has 12.75v and is on a battery tender every night, and yes the kill switch is in the run position. Also, the guy who had it before ran ethanol in it and my friend pulled the carbs apart and cleaned them. But I suspect a float is flooding a cylinder enough to piss it off even though I shut the fuel off and a carb rebuild may be needed. Sorry for the lengthy post

I'm gonna say. Bad petcock, causing hydrolocking of motor with the fuel

Petcock is brand spankin new, and shuts the fuel off when I turn it off.

Pull your plugs and see if they are drenched in fuel , seems like a stuck float problem. IMO

pulled the carbs and the cyl 3 port was filled with fuel. Ordered a carb rebuild kit and a dynojet kit since I was due for one anyways.

i just had some problems with this, check your tank vent. if your tank makes any sound at all when you open it your vent is not working right. i left my bike in the sun and it built pressure in the tank, then vapor locked the cylinders. i just gave my vent tube a blow job...yeah i know... and now its fine.


edit: also thought i had bad carbs but that wasnt the case. make sure when you pop your tank open there is no whoosh sound. if there is thats the problem. also be careful, i opened mine to see if that was, and busted my knuckles up bad....good thing the lid is attached...sounded like a gun going off.