Hi guys, this is my first motorcycle. I picked it up for $500. It won't start, the owner told me that when he was on the freeway, he turned the gas to reserve and it got all clogged up. I think the problem lies somewhere i the carb. I really need help on this? if somebody know, please help me. The starter is working good, engine roll over but won't start. I haven't check for spark yet, but DO I NEED TO CHECK FOR SPARK FOR ALL FOUR PLUG OR JUST ONE? By that I mean, take all out at the same time and check?

I just bought: a new fuel filter, oil filter and 1 gallon of mineral oil total $56. That is so expensive compare to the money I spent on maintaining my 93's Camry. Can somebody drop me a line as to where can I get maintain stuff for less? Thank YOU.

 

I would start with the petcock to make sure you are getting fuel to the carbs themselves.

 

95% of problems with these bikes not starting/running poorly is fuel related. Once you get this fixed, it will be just like maintaining your camry....change oil and ride...

The reserve inlet on the petcock, while lower in the tank also has a filter screen, and the fuel goes through the filter just as the regular supply, so just turning the **** to reserve doesn't immediately clog the fuel system...but, we can walk through the fuel system cleaning here quick. I'd recommend you get a service manual...ebay for $20

Unscrew the petcock, clean it and the tank. Replace the fuel filter, fuel pump should be fine but will discuss that below....rinse the lines out as well. Remove the float bowl cover from each carb, rinse each of them out. Unscrew the main jets and pilot jets and spray some carb cleaner through them....you should be able to see light though them - mains this won;t be an issue, but with pilot jets it might be. Squirt a little carb cleaner up each hole you can see in the bottom of the carb while you have the float bowls off. You might want to take the upper half of the air box off too, and clean the filter while you have the tank off.

While you have this all apart, I'd confirm the fuel pump is OK...it will have fuel in it, so run the lines into a jug or hold in it a bucket or something when testing it....hook it up to the battery (its not sensitive to polarity) and you should hear/feel the plunger inside it going back and forth....it should do this until you unkook it...if it only clunks once or twice and stops, its probably bad. After everything is hooked up, and you try to start the bike, look for 12 volts at the fuel pump connector (the fuel pump relay only closes when the starter button is depressed or while the engine is spinning). If you don't have that the fuel pump relay might be bad.

To check spark, you only have to check cylinders (1 or 4) and (2 or 3)....you'll notice that 1 and 4 share a coil, as do 2 and 3. If you don't have spark come back and we'll talk about that.

Good luck,
JB

 

Thank you guys. OK, I took the fuel tank out and it was flowing fine from the petcock. I changed the fuel filter. I overhauled the carbs and everything, like u said Jbreit, sprayed with carb cleaner in each jet but I have no compressed air on hand to spray it like the manual said. Ok, I think here is the problem.
After I have put back everything together, and it won't start. I pull the outlet hose from the fuel pump, let it hang over the bucket and turn the key, NO FUEL COMES OUT of the outlet hose of the fuel pump. IS THAT THE PROBLEM???. I pulled the electric wire of the fuel pump and did a continuity test by using a voltmeter (in ohm function) and touched one end with each probe. It gave me low resistance about 3 ohms. What do u think. I think the fuel pump is broken, no noise or whining sound when key is turned on and no fuel flow from outlet hose in to bucket when key is turned on. Or bad relay??? I will perform a spark test later today. But I doubted the problem is in the fuel pump. I called the dealer, fuel pump is about $150. But I don't want to spend that much. Do you or anybody no where can I get an electrician to rebuild it for me? for less? hehe. Is there such service? Thanks guy. I appreciate your time jbreit and traix.

 

What you need to check is for voltage at the fuel pump connector- see if you have 12 volts coming to it.

 

ok, fuel pump pumps like crazy when connect directly at the battery; it is working good. But when I connect the fuel pump back to the terminal connector and turn the key on, the fuel pump went dead. Yes, I check the fuel pump connector where it connects the fuel pump to the electrical source. I check it with a light circuit tester, clip to ground (frame) and probe each one of the connectors and none of them is lighting up the bulb. Second method like using voltmeter, battery gives me 12.4 volts, but zero at the fuel pump electrical connector. Where should I go from here thanks? The repair manual is not with me right now. Thanks for any input guys. THank you

 

Ok, problem update: fuel pump works without the tank connected to the fuel line. I was cranking the engine, and while sticking the finger on the outlet of the pump, it spitted my finger out instantly. But once the fuel tank is connected to the fuel line, no fuel came out of the outlet. Tank is clogged? I think, that is why the pump could not draw fuel and the tank, the two air hoses was ok. Thank you no help.

 

This sounds a little conflicting.....you got the fuel pump to pump when hooked directly to the battery? But then it won't pump when hooked up the tank..? But the tank petcock flows?

I have some extra fuel pumps if it comes to that...maybe even a relay.

Hmmmm....the above combination is weird.....Here's what I would try. Leave the fill cap open on the tank and try it...maybe the breather in the cap is f'd up....? Or a check valve in the pump is bad....

If the pump works when you hook it to a battery, but not in the harness you might have a bad relay? Keep in mind, the pump has a 2-3psi working pressure, and there is no return line....if the carbs are full, it will not pump even if power is supplied to it.

let us know....
JB

 

Ok update2 : tank flows ok. Pump pump ok, sparks are (cylinder 1 and 2) ok. Everything is ok. I mean, I'm getting gas to the carb, I'm getting spark as well, no tank blockage. And I can't start is thing up. When I read the manual from stephygee, one of the statement regarding no-start: Tube 1 (California Type) is block. That tube is the small breather tube that is connected to the gas tank next another larger breather tube. I'm going to check it later. Any input might help, please thank you.

 

It STARTED. Guys, the problem is the smaller breather tube (tube #1) for California type. I took the gas tank out of the bike, put the small funnel onto the gas inlet hose and cranking the engine. Guess what I came alive but only to die when the funnel ran out of gas. Therefore, the gas tank has a problem. I unscrew the drain plug of two carb bowl, I got gas flowing out so no problem what carbs I did a good job of cleanning it too, I guess.
I put mouth and blow the bigger breather tube, it was easy to blow through, but the small one was so hard. I sprayed alot of carb cleaner and throttle cleaner into the small one and about 10 mins and blow it with compress air at the gas station for 10 mins. Guess what, I put everything back together and crank the engine. The sound of the starting engine was so pleasant to hear when it came alive especially when I have spent 7 days that is 5 hours a day to fix this bad boy. And only to find out the everything did I have fixed was not the heart of the problem but at least it counts toward maintain stuff.
I taught my self how to ride just last night and in fact I just rode it to school today from home about 15 miles. A few times the engine went dead on me at the stop lights because I have no experience on manual transmission. I the street skill is ok for a beginner because I have ridden motorized bicycle for a few months, everything is the same except the bicycle didn't have tranny on it. Ok, thank you guys
PS: Guys, I don't have insurance yet and no license either. I got permit. Can I ride on the street though? What will happen if I get pull over by cops? I mean if I don't learn how to ride in the first no place (uninsured) how can I get enough skill for a license and consequently buying insurance. Because I can't buy insurance with a permit right? It has to start somewhere. And I don't want to pay $250 and two days for MSF courses.