Non Starting SV650K6 - After standing for two weeks

[aesmith]

Hi,

I've never had a problem starting the SV up to now, whether used every day or left for a few days. Yesterday I tried to start it after nearly two weeks, with no joy. The engine cranks over fast enough, and when first turning over it "tries" but doesn't catch. Subsequent tries it doesn't sound like it's trying to fire at all. I didn't check the battery before trying, after a few goes the battery was down to 12.4 or so. I left the battery on charge and tried again, with the same result - a brief try at firing the first time the starter is hit followed by nothing on subsequent attempts.

Last try, after the battery was fully charged once again. This time I held the throttle open a little when first hitting the starter and the engine started immediately and ran for 1 or 2 seconds before stopping. No sign of firing on any further attempts.

Any ideas? The starter cranks over willingly enough, and there's a little whiff of petrol smell from the exhaust after trying.

The only other thing is that the FI light is on when the ignition is on, goes off while the starter is cranked, then back on when the starter is released. I can't remember if that was normal operation. There's no error code on the display and the FI indication on the LCD doesn't show, only the red light.

Ta in advance, Tony S

[aesmith]

Well the beast lives. I finally got it to start by holding the throttle wide open, and cranking the starter for a long time. What I did notice was that it didn't seem to have the proper fast idle, but wanted to die when the throttle was closed. I didn't really have much time to systematically observe, because the engine warms up pretty quickly in any case. Stopping and restarting was OK, and that time fast idle seemed correct, running about 2000 rpm at first.

So I think I need to check out the fast idle operation, maybe something is a little sticky and didn't want to move after sitting for a couple of weeks. I wonder if this is also related to the problem I had on the very first ride where the engine died and was reluctant to restart or to idle.

Tony S

Glad you got this sorted. I don't know what the problem is but mine did precisely the same thing on Saturday after a 3 week holiday to the extent that I flattened the battery turning it over. It only came to life the next day (recharged) by giving it full throttle until it clunked and spluttered its way to combustion.

I assumed it was fuel related having sat for 3 weeks - either evaporated in the system or gone off - it certainly sounded like there simply wasn't any fuel to ignite. Multiple key priming didn't seem to make much difference (whuich I thought might have got fresh fuel to the right places) but I guess I'll know for next time - anyway, seems to be ok now!

[Nutsinatin]

I had this problem when I got water in the front downpipe, did you see lots of steam coming out, once it all evaporated my bike ran fine after, just had to hold the throttle open for a while to clear it all!

Dunno about aesmith but water anywhere is about the one thing I'd probably rule out for mine. I ride year round in all weather but this time it was ridden in OK weather prior to parking in a garage and left during the driest (and perhaps importantly hottest) 3 weeks Scotland has seen in years! When I say it needed throttle, it needed the twist grip to be held fully open to get even a hint of life whilst holding the starter button down for some time.

I didn't have any idle issues though (but do have an ongoing intermittent FI issue due which is generally solved by key manoeuvering or wibbling the ignition cable!)

[aesmith]

It's been dry with us, both over the last few days of use and for all of the time the bike was sitting. I've had normal operation so far since the incident, and fast idle seems perfectly fine each time I've started from cold. The first thing to check is going to be that fast idle linkage, see if there's any stickiness there. I think the adjustment is correct because it normally works OK.

[Bibio]

Originally Posted by sputnik

I didn't have any idle issues though (but do have an ongoing intermittent FI issue due which is generally solved by key manoeuvering or wibbling the ignition cable!)

get this looked at pronto. just think what will happen if the ignition decides to play up when your in mid corner. wobbling of ignition cable is usually a sign that the connector is fubar or that the terminal end is giving up the ghost and since you have the key shuffle i would suspect the later.

Originally Posted by Bibio

get this looked at pronto. just think what will happen if the ignition decides to play up when your in mid corner. wobbling of ignition cable is usually a sign that the connector is fubar or that the terminal end is giving up the ghost and since you have the key shuffle i would suspect the later.

Ah. I rather feared someone might say something like this.

Bearing in mind I have no electrical knowledge, what should I be looking for and what do I do about it when I narrow it down. I know the green connector is one possibility but tbh I have not even decided definitively whether the problem lies at the ignition barrel end or further back. So far, never had any problems once bikes has started but appreciate this is perhaps a rather short sighted approach!

Apologies for thread hijacking!