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Will Not Start

Discussion in 'Motorcycle Tech Talk' started by DKIN21, Feb 23, 2008.

  1. DKIN21

    DKIN21 New Member

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    Suggestions, I Have 04 Low Rider, Carb. I Have Put Maybe 40 Miles On It Since Sept. 06, When I Bought The Rk, I Have Been Starting It Up Every Once In A While, But Now It Will Not Hit A Lick, The Battery Is Hot, Its Getting Fuel, And Have Checked, Its Getting Fire To The Plugs. Any Ideas?????

    Dkin21
  2. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    spark,air,fuel....these ingredients are needed to run.
    is the spark comming at the correct time??
    are the plugs fouled from over fueling?
    is the fuel fresh?
    is the engine turning fast enough?
    is the spark a brite blue??? or yellowish?
    are you flooding the engine??
    is it carbed or efi??

    i bet it is something very simple that is keeping it from firing.....check all the above then get back with us......:)
  3. SPORSTERBOY

    SPORSTERBOY New Member

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    IS THE GAS KNOB IN THE ON POSITION?:roflmao: MIGHT CHECK THE FUSES ALSO.
  4. HellBoy

    HellBoy New Member

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    good answer Sportsterboy, a friend had turned the gas knob and it took me 20 minutes to figure out why I wouldn't start. Probably not the gas knob though, you'd hear something, it just wouldn't turn over. if your getting nothing, somethings probably not connected somewhere. Good luck.
  5. DKIN21

    DKIN21 New Member

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    :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: NEVER TURN IT OFF
  6. cowboy

    cowboy Moderator Staff Member

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    dikin if you it the botton & it wont turn over you can pull the side cover off the starter & push in right in the middle it should start ,hope this helps , just don't lose any parts :D
  7. ironhorse

    ironhorse Active Member

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    change the fuel and plugs to start, I'm figuring though that you haven't taken anything apart, to effect the timeing, and you are getting spark you say and fuel suck squeeze (is it bangen) and blow it should go
  8. SPORSTERBOY

    SPORSTERBOY New Member

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    I LEAVE MINE ON TO, OR I'LL GET DOWN THE ROAD AND FORGET:roflmao:
  9. maxpower_hd

    maxpower_hd Active Member

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    I always shut mine off. It's bread into me. I keep my bike in my garage which is attached to the house and has a room over it and I'm a bit paranoid of my house burning down. Not so much on the new ones but the older bikes could puke gas all over the place if you left the petcock open.

    A kind of funny story: A group of us were getting ready to go on a run that we all attend every year. My buddy, who keeps his bike at my house, started his bike to let it warm up. While he was getting his hemet on and packing his crap the bike stalled. The VERY 1st thing I asked was if he turned on the gas. He said it was the 1st thing he did. Now I start futzin around with it while everyone is waiting on us. We spent what felt like forever on the stupid thing since everyone was watching us. Finally I looked at the petcock, only because it was in front of me, not because I thought of it, and I noticed it was pointing sideways. I turned it on, looked at him and said..........."Try it now you dumb phuck!" It started right up. He left it on when he put it away but he is used to shutting it off. So, he "turned it on" before he started it and it basically ran the carb dry. DOH!

    Last week we all went to the motorcycle expo. I found a sticker that says "TURN THE GAS ON DUMMY!" and stuck it to his helmet (which is in my garage too). That should be pretty funny this summer when he finds out it's on there. I'm sure it will be when the same group is there to "support him". I got myself a sticker too. It says "If arseholes could fly, this place would be a damned airport." So, if everything works out as my little pea brain planned, I can point at my sticker when he calls me an arsehole for putting the other sticker on his helmet. hehehehehe:devil:

    (SPELLING EDITED FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT)
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2008
  10. SPORSTERBOY

    SPORSTERBOY New Member

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    :roflmao: :roflmao: MAXPOWER, YA CRACK ME UP:roflmao:
  11. VYBR8ER

    VYBR8ER New Member

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    I'd make an educated guess and say that the fuel is bad from sitting so long and you might also have clogged jets in the carb. Whenever you store a bike for over 30 days, put fuel stabilizer in the fuel to preserve it.
  12. HellBoy

    HellBoy New Member

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    Funny Maxpower!

    Forgive me, I'm still new to this... what would the repercussions of running the carb dry be? I can imagine, but would like to know.

    I had a friend show me how the petcock worked and somehow it was left in the "reserve" position and I ran out of gas while parked. I got some gas and she started right up. Hopefully no damage was done, except to my pride.
  13. maxpower_hd

    maxpower_hd Active Member

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    No damage. It just runs out of gas is all. Then it take a few extra cranks to get it going again.
  14. HellBoy

    HellBoy New Member

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    Good to know, thanks Max. DKIN, how's it going?
  15. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    one problem i see here......it depends on how much fuel was in the tank when you ran out while parked. only place for the gas to go when it flows past the float seat is into the crankcase. not good for bearings and internal parts..... any body that runs a carb should make it a point to turn off the fuel valve when parked. you could come back to it and have a crankcase full of gas............:)
  16. ironhorse

    ironhorse Active Member

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    great point chuck, I had a yamerhamer that done that to me many. many. many moons ago..............a couple times.
  17. FRXMAS

    FRXMAS Banned A-Hole

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    IT MAY BE A "GROUND" PROBLEM ; TRY PUSHING TO START IT AFTER CHECKING ALL WIRING TO THE STARTER AS WELL AS THE SELENOID.
  18. Ultra Al

    Ultra Al New Member

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    By, "won't hit a lick" I figure you mean the starter won't crank? If thats true try to turn your key on and jump it at the solenoid with a screwdriver. if the starter cranks it means something in between ain't right. Check your starter relay first plus of course all your connections. Check everything between the start button or switch to the solenoid and then on to the starter. AL
  19. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Basically bike sitting for two years

    Hopefully you put sta-bil in the fuel, if not..

    drain tank and flush it out with fresh fuel
    Change fuel lines to carb
    pull float bowl on carb and remove fuel, clean and clear jets

    Pull and check plugs be sure they are clean

    Make sure battery not only charges but it holds a charge

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