curious .. startup after sitting

[Boriqua]

Just Curious. Because of other obligations and such my bike sat for about 3 weeks. It has been getting down to the mid 30's at night but I put the battery on a tender and know the battery was fully charged when I went out this morning .. but .. it wouldn't turn over. I looked before I started the bike and have a clear fuel line and there was the same amount of fuel in the line as when I parked it so I dont think the bowls went dry. I had about 4.5 gallons of gas.

Put the choke all the way up. Turned the fuel on and it was cranking away put wouldnt roll over without a shot of starter fluid in the airbox.

This happened to me early in the season under the same circumstances. It sat for about 3 weeks and then only a shot of starter fluid would get it to turn over. Other than that .. it fires up first time every time. I know I can go out there later today and tomorrow and it will fire right up so ... what is preventing it from starting after the long sit?

Once I shot it once with starter fluid it started right up, reached idle quick and rode wonderfully? Oh it was about 45F this morning

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Did you set the petcock to Prime for a minute or so, then back to On before trying to start it?

 

[Boriqua]

I should have mentioned .. I run a Pingle so its an on/off affair but there was fuel in the line still. Could the bowls have still dried out through the vent tubes... Like I said .. just really curious.

 

[Rob S.]

I had the same situation with my '82 11e (mine was 2 weeks). Never did solve it, but I read about two (possible) fixes in Cycle World mag.

The first was to raise the level in the float bowls (set too low by factory for emissions purposes).

The second was to run it dry (petcock off) before parking it.

One other thing I noticed: when it wasn't in that 2 week gap, it started amazingly fast when it just came off the battery charger. I'd touch the button and it was already running.

 

[Boriqua]

I had the same situation with my '82 11e (mine was 2 weeks).

One other thing I noticed: when it wasn't in that 2 week gap, it started amazingly fast when it just came off the battery charger. I'd touch the button and it was already running.

That is why I was so curious .. It LEAPS to life .. so long as it hasnt sat for 3 weeks. It ran great and I used it to make a doctors visit and came back to the lot and it started right up.

I figured it was like the other women in my life ... you dont pay mind to them and they get cranky!
I can live with that. Guess I just have to ride more.

 

[wymple]

Unless you have enough gas bleeding into a cylinder to lock it up hydraulically, It should turn over easily even if it won't start. It doesn't want to turn over with a good battery?

 

[Boriqua]

It cranks just fine ... Just won't start. Newish battery fully charged. Sounded like it might but needed that shot

 

[jsandidge]

Your bowls have evaporated enough to make starting difficult. Turning your pingle to on... shouldn't that work just like the stock petcock on prime? You probably just need to let the bowls fill before you try cranking it.

 

[gustovh]

Check your valve clearance.

V

 

[Rob S.]

That is why I was so curious .. It LEAPS to life .. so long as it hasnt sat for 3 weeks. It ran great and I used it to make a doctors visit and came back to the lot and it started right up.

I figured it was like the other women in my life ... you dont pay mind to them and they get cranky!
I can live with that. Guess I just have to ride more.

If mine had been sitting for a couple of days, and the battery was fully charged, it started instantaneously on full choke.

At least once, it didn't start so easily warm. I wasn't at the doctor, but the Harley dealer. I was playing with the throttle, the choke, then I opened the throttle full. When it caught, VROOM! Every head turned, as if to say, "Hey! That's not our sound!"

"Damn right," I thought. "Any of you gay pirates want to race? No? I didn't think so."

(I love shaming the 'big twin' riders. Been doing it ever since the '70's when I rode a Z1. Hell, I even do it on my Sportster.)

Back to the topic, when Suzi was a few weeks cold, even fiddling with the petcock didn't seem to help. Have you tried shutting the petcock and letting it run out of gas as you park it for a projected few weeks?