more starting problems *updated*

must be the time fo year for it...

well it began with a bit of a missfire at around 7k ish in first and second, it instantly felt like something electrical., as the bike was pulling normally and then just went all poo and then ok again... then it started doing on hills in firts \ second (when bike straining slightly)

I didnt use thebike for a couple of days and went to try and start it this morning and it started ok..ish, so i left it tick over on the choke for a minute, let it tick over normally for another couple of minutes and the tried to pull away and as soon as i put any 'load' on the bike as i let the clutch out or tried to rev it, the revs died and it stalled.

so i've replaced the plugs this evening, which was an absolute nightmare. I havent got the suzuki tool, so ended up taking the rad off. got a socket stuck on the plug so ended up taking the cam cover (?) off to retreive my socket.. aghhhhgghhh. anyway its finished now. absolute nightmare

But...after all that.. wont start, half fires on turn over and i can smell petrol and the old plugs (which actually looked ok) also smelt of petrol. so i''m pretty sure petrol is getting through.

any suggestions? i was going to check for a spark tomorrow.

thanks

karl

the anticipation got too much, i've just been out and checked and it is sparking.

k

May be its flooded. You could try leaving the spark plugs out for a while.

I had a RX8 different boat all together but when they flooded you had to take the sparks out and leave for a few hours for the petrol to evap. If you were lucky it would start if not off to the garage bloody Wankel's

i dont think i ever want to take the spark plugs out again after this evening fiasco....

i'll give it another go in the morning see if it goes... if not i'm thinking of making a yellow curvey bonfire.


k

Make sure before lighting you take out the Battery and Alternator and post them to me!! :P

Always ALWAYS make sure you have the correct tool to do the job. It makes a job so much easier. I guess you know that by now though.

There have been a lot of people stating that they are having starting, running problems at the moment. It comes with the territory of riding in cold damp weather. Not always I admit, but a lot of the time it is nothing more than this.

Check that the you are getting a good spark from both plugs as you have already suggested. Have you made sure that the gap is the correct distance on the new plugs? If the gap is too big you will have a weak spark, this alone can cause smooth running problems.

Check the leads and make sure they are not damaged. Check the caps also. Turn the engine over and see if you get a spark from the cap.

There could also be condensation build up in the carbs (assuming here you have a curvy, if not disregard this bit). Or condensation build up in the petrol tank which would mean contaminated fuel.

Make sure you have not kinked any of the fuel lines. Symptoms of this would be that at idle it will run fine as there is no need for so much fuel. When you try to ride though, after a short period it will start to choke up and you will have fuel starvation. Close down the throttle and it will run fine again.

Make sure that the choke linkages are not sticking. Make sure the throttle return cable is not sticking. (Although you would probably know if this was the case as the engine revs would not die down as far as it should).

Anyone else got any ideas?

If you have water in system that is causing the bad running, sometimes nothing more than a good run on the bike is enough to clean the system through.

defo underestimated how difficult it was going to be get the front plug out.... i figured as i had 3 different plug sockets that i'd be ok and did have the correct tool.. how wrong i was. going to trawl ebay for a suzuki tool kit.

anyway, tonights plan is to drain the tank and put some fresh petrol in, have another check of the petrol pipes.. and all the linkages and cables to the carbes..

after that, i reckon its time for a home mechanic... anyone recommend a good one in west london \ middlesex or to get it trailered to a garage.

k

ok and update... its still buggered..!

i drained the tank and put some fresh petrol in and a little redex and managed to get it started after about 10mins.. it ran very rough for about the first ten minutes and then just a little rough after that. That is until i try and rev it. it then just cuts out. it starts up afterward no problem.

I think its fuel starvation, but have no idea what the cause would be. I've disconnected the fuel pipe going into the pump and there plenty going in. so the fuel tap \ vaccum \ and any filter type thing in the tank must be working ok(?) and I've checked around for kinked pipes etc, and all seems well.... any ideas

One last thing, it stalls when i put any choke on at all.?? stuck choke? and how do i check for this?

taking the day off tomorrow to have a go at it.. so any suggestion would be greatfully appreciated.

Finally going ot give it until about lunch time and then call a garage in... any suggestions for west london \ uxbridge.


thanks


karl

[embee]

I'd suspect the previous suggestions of sticking choke plungers.

Since the carby ones are getting older this topic comes up less often, but a couple of years ago it was a common discussion.

You can get to the rear one just by lifting the tank/airbox, but the front one realy needs the carbs off. Not a big deal, just be methodical. The screws are the usual Dairylea variety, so a good phillips/crosshead driver is required. The cables tend to get white and crusty where they join the plungers.

Also drain the carbs themselves. Easy to do, the drain screws are socket heads fitted in the lower sides of the floatbowls more or less facing each other between the carbs. You can just get a short allen key in there, loosen a turn or 2 and the fuel runs out of the bottom (easiest to soak it into a rag).

Check your tank filler recess drain tube isn't rusted through and letting water into the tank. If it is, no-one to date seems to have a repair method and so that's a replacement tank.

With regards to removing the choke plungers, have a few spare bolts handy, its worth replacing with an allen key bolt of the not dairylea variety as this makes future access easier. Don't forget to grease them! Mine were completely stuck, mashed bolt entirely and removed by drilling head off, the thread was fine but head was rusted to plunger retaining plate.

MT