[heebeha]

engine turns over now but it won't fire up, what's the next step?

[chucktx]

check for spark, air, and fuel. you must have these to light off an internal combustion engine!!
remove a plug and make sure your getting spark, remove the aircleaner and be sure your getting fuel....check fuel and be sure it is gas and not something else, with the aircleaner off make sure the passage to the heads is clear.
after that you need to make sure that all three are being delevered in the proper order,,,,timing.....
if ya still have problems, you may need to dig a bit deeper.....let us know!!

[cowboy]

be sure to double check all the wire hook ups & the coil I had one go bad on my shovlel left me wondering for a bit while on a road trip

[Red Rider]

Pull the plugs and check if they are wet or fouled (black & sooty). Also, if it has sat awhile it could simply be bad gas - it don't take too long to go bad. Don't know how many times (but its been a LOT) that has been the problem - you usually can get by just putting in an octane booster or fill 'er up with fresh premium and get going.

[VYBR8ER]

If you sniff the tank and it smells like turpintine instead of gas, the gas has turned and it won't burn. In this case drain the tank and start over with fresh premium. First thing I'd do is check for spark at the plugs. Take one plug out, hook it back up to the wire, rest the threads against a cylinder fin for ground and press the start button. You should see the arc crossing the plug electrode.

[heebeha]

don't know how long its been sitting but I suspect 5 months. Doesn't smell like pure gas. I am going to drain the tank and try fresh gas with some octain booster

[ReeseSS]

So you got your pinion shaft nut issue taken care of yesterday?

[heebeha]

It was the pinion gear that was broken. It turned both ways.

I am still having issues with starting. Now it takes a few pushes of the button to get it click over. I think it might be a bad connection somewhere since it did not have this problem before. It just spinned, now it clicks a few times before it engages.


As for the pinion shaft nut. I took it to my local shop. they put some fire on it to heat it up, threw it in a vice and turned the nut off for me.

[heebeha]

Well I emptied all the old gas and put in some premium and added some octane booster, sprayed some starter fluid in the carb and vrooom vroom, it fired up. It popped a few times until she settled in. I think I put to much octane booster in the fuel. In fact I know I did. It misfired a couple times.

It stalled at a stop sign too after I took it for my first ride. I think I need to burn off all the carbons.

I want to take her to work today but I need to figure out why the starter does not fire up on the first push of the button. I also need to do the brakes since the front brakes are not working.

I am going to change all the wires to the starter. I will post a question on my other posting in regards to the starter to see if anyone has some insight into why its not turning right away.

[paco]

On my shovel, I had to relace the little starter button numerous times. If you can wiggle the button and it start or have to push the button in a certain way or postion , I would replace the start button on the handlebar, if replacing the wires you were talking about don't fix the problem.

Just my .02 cent worth.

paco

[hotroadking]

I would get a decent digital multi meter about $30 at Lowes or Home depot works perfectly, you can then measure the draw, see if the switch is getting power all the time and how much, check the amount coming from the switch to any relay, and then on to the starter, see if you're getting the full charge.

Either you have a bad starter or one going bad or you have a bad relay, switch fray'd wire, Inspect them before replacing.

Also you can put the bike in N and bypass the starter button with a wire to the starter, see if the starter kicks right up without a problem.

[heebeha]

The relay has a crack in the casing. I cleaned the connections and it helped. After a careful inspect I found it cracked. Getting a new one after work. I believe it will solve the problem.

The ground cable was also bad. It actually snapped off at the connection. I don't understand how it started like that. Replaced cable. Futher detection took me to the relay.

Now I just have to figure out how to tnue the cards. Its got an s&s 390 I think carb. Looks new. I think think the octane booster may be hurting me there. I put in to much. Thoughts on that?

[Red Rider]

Maybe put in some 87 octane?

[skull2007]

i doubt octane booster would cause the bike to run too badly. if it isn't running right octane probley isn't the cause. unless you put in multiple bottles or something crazy

[heebeha]

i got an old wrench coming over to adjust the valve guides, timing and look at my carb. He says hell make it run like new. I told him I'd give him $100. What a bargain