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Cold starting at 60 degrees

  • Thread starter Thread starter overboostin
  • Start date Start date
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overboostin

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Hey guys I know our bikes are cold blooded but I was wondering at what temperature people have trouble starting there bikes. My bike fires right up around 68 but I've noticed that now that the mornings are getting colder, down to high fifties low sixties, it's impossible to start. Is this normal or should I check my carbs again?
 
I would say something is amiss.

I leave work at 7am, and it's been around 38?-44? lately. My battery sometimes is a little sluggish at those temps, but as soon as the motor cranks over a couple times it fires right up.
 
I just started mine full choke-closed throttle
12 celsius
starts at the first hit no problems
been sitting almost a week
 
classic valve adjust needed symptom. my gs fires 1st time every time as cold as i care to ride +-20 f.
 
Does the bike sit outside or in a detached out building? As the temps drop it can be tougher on the batteries and maybe getting weak spark due to low voltage at the coils.

Just another place to check as posted previously, classic tight valve symptom.
 
It sits outside. I'll check the clearance tomorrow. For 650s it's between .003-.008mm right?
 
+1 on the battery being weak as a possibility. best to check that first, as it is easiest to do.
 
just checked the clearances. exhaust on 1 and two were tight. intake on 1 was tight. everything else was in spec. think this would be enough to cause the hard starts? also, could these tight valve cause a tick?
 
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Maybe, but you may also have a problem with something else contributing to your cold start issue. It could be battery or ignition, could also be related to the choke not working correctly on one or more carburetors. Have you done all of the maintenance on Cliff's list?
 
mines a hair silly mornings like that...likes it almost warm enough the choke is not needed(like the bike isnt cold)....

in 48 degree weather i pull the choke..within 4 rotation its runnin fine....low 60's an up i have give a little throttle, then it runs...
 
Choke doesn't seem to do much for me. Sometimes if it starts cold and is idling low ill pull the choke and it'll stall.
 
That would be the first thing I'd fix.

Apparently you haven't done all of the maintenance on Cliff's list.

Do it all and it will run like it did 31 years ago.
 
I actually did. I cleaned and replaced all the o rings in the carbs.

When turning the motor over to check the valves I noticed that it doesn't turn over completely smoothly. It will turn about a half crank then get tight and then loosen up again. Is this normal?
 
Did you clean the fuel passages in the float bowls? The one that supplies the choke with fuel?

Did you clean the air passages in the carburetor body that supply air to the choke?
Something isn't right with your choke, it's hard to tell what it is from here.

I will guess you probably didn't dip the carburetors at all.

The getting tight every turn of the engine, that's called compression. It's a good thing.
 
I did dip the carbs but I'll recheck the bowl passages.

Compression even with no plugs in?
 
It's not super hard to turn but it's definitely noticeable with more force needing to be applied.
 
overboostin said:
Choke doesn't seem to do much for me. Sometimes if it starts cold and is idling low ill pull the choke and it'll stall.
Click to expand...
I think the little hole at bottom of fuel bowl ( and tube going up bowl side) that feeds choke circuit is likely blocked on one or more carbs. Pulling up "choke" then just supplies air and not enough fuel. Typically on mine, during a cold start, adding more "choke" causes revs to jump up.
 
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