Another starting problem!

[Ricco1]

I own a Honda Megapro here in Indonesia. It's a 160cc, singly cylinder jobbie.

I bought the bike 4 weeks ago, it's run very sweetly. During these 4 weeks I've changed the oil, air filter, and I've had the engine tuned. I've also treated the fuel with Redex, on the last 2 occasions that I've fuelled up.

All was fine until a couple of days. As soon as I touched the start button it fired up immediately, and ran sweet as a nut.

But then 2 days ago it took 3 or 4 attempts to get it going, maybe 15 seconds on the starter button in total. And since, it's run perfectly, no hint of misfiring or anything.

This morning I rode a mile or so to the shop. After I came out of the shop my bike wouldn't start. It turned over fine, but there was no hint of life in the engine, no spluttering, no near misses, nothing. I then tried to kickstart it, nothing. I tried for 5 minutes then started wheeling it to the local repair shop. As I was walking I touched the start button again, it fired immediately, and ran perfectly.

I've plenty of fuel in the tank.

Any ideas what the problem might be?

Thanks

[Guest]

i'd check that you battery connections are tight.

[Ricco1]

Thanks for that reply, very interesting.

I'd pretty well ruled out an electrical issue, as the starter motor turned the engine over perfectly, when it wouldn't start. I'd guessed it might be a fuel issue but there again, I know very little!!

So is that a possibility; the starter motor working perfectly, but an interruption of power from a loose battery connection, maybe causing an irregular spark?

Or am I missing the point altogether?

Thanks again.

[eastanglianbiker]

if the starter motor is turning engine over fine then its a fuel or ignition problem take the spark plug out and rest it on the engine with cap fitted turn engine over and see if the plug sparks

[Ricco1]

Yes I tried that trick and as I expected, there was a spark. It's running perfectly most of the time, the problem has only happened twice, for short periods.

I'm wondering whether it might be a fuel problem? Slight blockage somewhere, carb perhaps? I thought of dirty petrol, but I'd expect a more regular problem if that was the case, as I'm still on the same tank of fuel as when they problem occured.

Any other ideas?

[eastanglianbiker]

has the bike got an inline fuel filter if not try putting one in