Bike WONT START!

[djg42]

thanks for your advice!!
the spark plugs are kind of old-im going to put a new set in tommorow.

I just remembered adjusted the throttle tube/cable before i tried to start it. If the throttle tube or cable isnt on right could that prevent it from starting? Thanks

When I try to start it it sounds just like it usually would-except that it never actually starts.
i realize im not good at describing what happens when i try to start it so heres a video,
http://s837.photobucket.com/albums/zz293/djg42/?action=view&current=GS450-starting.flv
its actually of the last tim eit wouldnt start-but it sounds exactly the same now(although i didnt have spark that time)

 

[Steve]

If the cable is not adjusted correctly, it's possible that the carbs are not quite open enough to run.
Try adjusting the cable or turning the idle speed knob about a turn clockwise.

.

 

[SLIW]

I am having the exact same problem with my bike.

 

[jwhelan65]

Ditto.......

 

[Steve]

Sounds like y'all need to adjust your valves.

.

 

[djg42]

Update

Update

It was about 15 degrees warmer today and when i tried it this morning it DID start. But it dies after a second. ANy ideas?
Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Also, how old are the plugs? I've had plugs "die" from getting too much gas or whatever lil gremlin sits in the cylinder and chews them up. They can often look fine with good blue spark and all, but when you install them, they don't really work well enough to burn the fuel. Try getting some new plugs. It worked for mine. Also, check to see if you might have a blown fuse.. Simple the problem, the simpler it is to overlook...

Been saying.... First thing I do on a bike(or lawnmower, or car, or blower, or weedeater, or chainsaw ect) that suddenly wont sart is install new plugs no matter they look like.
Im not replying to this thread anymore till this guy puts new plugs in his bike

 

[djg42]

ooops,forgot to mention, I DID already put new plugs in
Its started today but then it dies

 

[Guest]

ooops,forgot to mention, I DID already put new plugs in
Its started today but then it dies

Just goffin with ya dude. Perhaps I just missing it.
Did you happen to cross the plug wires?

 

[djg42]

thanks so much for your advice octain-Im not sure what crossing the plugs wires means. ?
So i probably not, or if I did it was by accident!

 

[1948man]

Maybe it's lean if it won't start in colder weather but tries to run a little bit when it's warmer. May be the throttle adjustment or the choke.

 

[Guest]

Dude, I dont know what to tell ya.

 

[piester]

whats your petcock set at? how much gas is in it? is the vacume line hooked up from the petcock properly? im nor really familier with the 450s but i believe the left coil controls 1 &4 and the right coil controls 2&3 bot have an orange and white wire hooked to them. keft has a white and right has either a dark blue and white or black and white. is the bike sitting where it could get rain on it? what kinda shape are the sparkplug caps in? you said you put new plugs in. what are they gapped at? good luck.

 

[Suzuki_Don]

im nor really familier with the 450s but i believe the left coil controls 1 &4 and the right coil controls 2&3 bot have an orange and white wire hooked to them.

I am not sure, but does the 450 TWIN CYLINDER have 4 cylinders (1&4 and 2&3).

 

[Skateguy50]

Lots of good ideas here but the key is to start with the basics and in your case what you changed as it worked before.

I would say with what you already ruled out its the throttle cable, you said you changed the bars, well what did you change them from then what are they now? You need to check the cables path and make sure it moves freely and isnt kinking anywhere.

Regardless the idle adjuster screw on the back of the carbs should be the first thing to to hit with a bit a free play on the throttle, so that is what I would check (steve did already mention it) but it doesnt sound like you did that yet. On my 650 my big hands cant actually reach it but a long flat head screw driver can turn the knob for small adjustments.

I dont have any nice pics but if its like mine... probably not exactly but go on the right side of the bike and look just behind the carbs toward the bottom and should see a big screw with a black plastic head to it right between the carbs. This is like a set screw that adjusts how far the carbs can close when throttle is all the way off. By opening it up more it adjusts how much air / gas can pass through at idle, based on you video I would start here and set adjust and test... think steve said the direction I cant recall what way will do what.

 

[Steve]

I am not sure, but does the 450 TWIN CYLINDER have 4 cylinders (1&4 and 2&3).

Well, it's nice to know that we finally got a model that the Aussies didn't. :-\\\

A four-cylinder TWIN.

.

 

[Ponderosa]

Trying?

Trying?

If it is trying to start, check your choke linkage, sounds like it is choking out, or not choking...

 

[piester]

yeah i wasnt sure if the 450 was a twin or not haha.

 

[spyug]

It sounds to me like the bike is not getting gas or is super lean.

If it is getting gas your plugs should be dripping wet when you pull them. I'll bet they aren't. It is possible the carbs are not fully clean or the enricher (choke) or low speed circuits are somewhat gunked.

I had the same issue starting the project Kat and while i thought I was getting gas I wasn't. The fix for me was covering the mouths of the carbs with plastic wrap, poking a small hole in the center and cranking until it fired up. It took a good minute or two of hard cranking but it got going. To help the starter and bike battery, I added a deep cycle marine battery in series for a bit more oomph in cranking.

The other thing that puzzles me is you make mention of changing the ignitor. Do you know for a fact that this working right? It may be firing occassionally. I had a problem with a Virago with one of those. It would fire and run fine sometimes then others it wouldn't fire at all or it would fire one cyclinder.

You shouldn't rule out valve adjustment either as out of adjustment valves will make starting real difficult.

I know it ran before and you say you didn't do much to it but cleaning the carbs alone can cause you some grief as it did for me.

Good luck with it and let us know how things go.

cheers,
Spyug

 

[djg42]

thanks for your help! The bike is running again!!
Someone suggested I drained the carbs, which I did-and Bingo.