only starts with starter fluid

[Guest Hodgy]

cheers guys, will give the carb another going over to be sure. everything does seem to point to the carb but the bloody thing looks clean to me!! http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-basic/atomic.gif

 

As I say, check the fuel level in the float bowl, the float height may need re-setting

[mealexme]

How old's the fuel?

its worth raising this point again. I had the same thought. Fuel goes off. You could try draining the tank and pulling some out of your car, or something thats already running (make sure its the same petrol type) to put in the bike.

[Tiggie]

can understand the logic but as it is a daily commuter and was ok day before I just cant see it being the fuel, worth trying though as its another thing to cross of the list

[mealexme]

can understand the logic but as it is a daily commuter and was ok day before I just cant see it being the fuel, worth trying though as its another thing to cross of the list

oh ok, if its not old then probably not the problem

[Guest Hodgy]

Fuel is fine for ages, one of my bikes sat for 18 months with a full tank of fuel, it started and ran perfectly, used it till it was empty.

I think fuel in USA contains a different additive that does go off, hence the myth that ours goes off too, although I think there are plans afoot to use it in our fuel soon as well

If the problem only started after you stripped and cleaned the carbs, then the problem must lie there

[Chrissb6]

Some info here that might help

http://www.freeasestudyguides.com/engin ... -test.html

I myself would try this route:

Get the battery fully charged, dry and warm the plugs refit to the engine try to start normally choke and all, if it fails to start take the plugs out and inspect. If you find the plugs not to be wet it’s a fuelling - carb problem, if they are, look at the ignition circuit and compression. PS try not to spin the starter motor to long give a rest now and again to avoid making a problems in this corner Best of luck Mate

[Tiggie]

have given the carb a bloody good going over again, just waiting for it to stop snowing so i can see if its working

[Guest Hodgy]

have given the carb a bloody good going over again, just waiting for it to stop snowing so i can see if its working

 

Good luck

[Chrissb6]

have given the carb a bloody good going over again, just waiting for it to stop snowing so i can see if its working

What a shitty day to messing with the bike outside Best of luck Fella hope its soon sorted

[Tango]

Have you tried Colin's idea of turning it over with the HT leads disconnected and then checking if the plugs are wet? I agree with the compression thing too.....a 125cc twin is not going to produce a lot of pressure.....or should I say large volume of air under pressure.....and to lose compression on both cylinders is also very unlikely......

[Stu]

question

did the bike just stop running? did you go out to it and it just wouldnt start or was you playing about with the carb then it wouldnt start?

also have you tried replacing the plugs is both plugs run off the same coil? if so it could be a coil problem

[Tango]

I thought about the coil Stu....but I'm guessing as it's a V-twin it'll have 2 coils?

[Stu]

I thought about the coil Stu....but I'm guessing as it's a V-twin it'll have 2 coils?

 

Not always

sometimes they run off one coil and both plugs will spark at the same time but they are timed so you have a wasted spark on the cylinder thats not firing just like on IL4 with two coils

although majority of Vtwins have 2 coils

[Tango]

I thought about the coil Stu....but I'm guessing as it's a V-twin it'll have 2 coils?

 

Not always

sometimes they run off one coil and both plugs will spark at the same time but they are timed so you have a wasted spark on the cylinder thats not firing just like on IL4 with two coils

although majority of Vtwins have 2 coils

Wasted spark is usually on parallel twins or IL4's as you can have one piston on the compression stroke while the other is on the exhaust stroke.....but I guess it depends on the crank angle on a V-twin if you have both pistons rising at the same time? Just thought that V-twins generally didn't have the 2 pistons rising at the same time.......or maybe I dreamt that......

[Guest Hodgy]

I have stripped and cleaned carbs more than once....

 

I may have miss-read the original post, but I was under the impression it wouldn't start after the carb had been stripped and cleaned?

[Tango]

I have stripped and cleaned carbs more than once....

 

I may have miss-read the original post, but I was under the impression it wouldn't start after the carb had been stripped and cleaned?

 

I'm guessing that the carb was stripped because of the problem.....but I'm guessing.....

[Guest Hodgy]

I have stripped and cleaned carbs more than once....

 

I may have miss-read the original post, but I was under the impression it wouldn't start after the carb had been stripped and cleaned?

 

I'm guessing that the carb was stripped because of the problem.....but I'm guessing.....

 

Yeah perhaps we're all barking up the wrong tree here, I think we need some clarification as to when and how the problem started before going any further

[Tankbag]

I have stripped and cleaned carbs more than once....

 

I may have miss-read the original post, but I was under the impression it wouldn't start after the carb had been stripped and cleaned?

 

Is it worth getting a local bike tech to tune and balance the carbs, Its a black art to me, I had mine done and it runs ace now, plus it would either fix or rule out the carbs, mine cost 90 quid to tune including a mot.

[Stu]

Yeah perhaps we're all barking up the wrong tree here, I think we need some clarification as to when and how the problem started before going any further

 

hence this what I posted above

 

question

did the bike just stop running? did you go out to it and it just wouldnt start or was you playing about with the carb then it wouldnt start?

also have you tried replacing the plugs is both plugs run off the same coil? if so it could be a coil problem

[Stu]

Wasted spark is usually on parallel twins or IL4's as you can have one piston on the compression stroke while the other is on the exhaust stroke.....but I guess it depends on the crank angle on a V-twin if you have both pistons rising at the same time? Just thought that V-twins generally didn't have the 2 pistons rising at the same time.......or maybe I dreamt that......

 

No your right but stranger things have happened at sea

just ruling it out to be honest if its one coil it could be the problem

[Tiggie]

no for once I wasnt messing with it to stop it working

was fine on Friday, Saturday morning wouldnt start.

hoping it stops hailing/snowing/raining long enough for me to refit carb tomorrow to see if it now works,

have ordered a compression tester which should be showing up on thursday as i'm still worried that compression is low. I know its only a little twin but the service manual recommends around 160psi and i'm sure thats not what my finger test felt

cheers everyone for help & thanks alan for pm, I will ring you if I cant get it to run after fitting carbs!

oh,nearly forgot, it has 2 coils

[Stu]

oh,nearly forgot, it has 2 coils

 

damn Tango was right

I wouldn't even bother looking at the coils then

[Guest Hodgy]

Ok then, if it was working fine, then just wouldn't start the day after I would say it's unlikely to have been the carbs, they don't usually just stop working unless you were almost out of fuel and sucked some dirt in from the bottom of the tank?

I still cant see it being compression, again it is unusual to just go like that unless something broke, and that would have made a noise. Oh and to do a proper compression test, the engine usually has to be at normal operating temp.

I hope it starts ok when you put the carbs back on

[Tiggie]

Oh and to do a proper compression test, the engine usually has to be at normal operating temp

 

better heat it with my blowlamp before trying then!

[Guest Hodgy]

Oh and to do a proper compression test, the engine usually has to be at normal operating temp

 

better heat it with my blowlamp before trying then!

 

Build a little bonfire under it, that should work

I just thought I better mention it or else you might scare yourself needlessly with a low result due to the engine being cold