Made me feel stupid

[zuluwiz]

I just got the Ratzuki running today after the teeniest little adjustment. I got back from Columbus in September and it was running just fine. the next day it would not start. Well I naturally thought of the stator first, because that was the most expensive thing i could think of. So it's been sitting around gathering dust ever since, even tho I went out and tried every once in a while. Kept the battery charged and cranked it and cranked it. nuttin. So today I finally figured it out. Made the teensy little adjustment, cranked it for 10 seconds and it fired right up and ran beautifully. Anybody want to try and guess what it was?

 

[Nessism]

Kill switch.

 

[Hinermad]

Engine kill switch? I don't remember if it'll crank with the switch off or not. Choke?

At first I was going to guess the fuel petcock, but the last bike I owned that had an "off" position on the petcock was a Triumph. (And I was fooled by that one a couple of times. It's neat how far you can go just on the gas in the float bowls. Not far enough to get where you're going, but far enough that it's going to be a bloody nuisance pushing the bike home when it quits.)

 

[zuluwiz]

OK, i'll sing. I put the petcock on prime and it fired right up. Has to be the vacuum line. Got some line, will replace it. will report further.

 

[zuluwiz]

And the reason it made me feel stupid is that it took me 8 months to figure that out.

 

[Hinermad]

And the reason it made me feel stupid is that it took me 8 months to figure that out.

I fall for "it worked yesterday!" WAY too often to ever point a finger.

I'm glad it wasn't something more serious.

 

[TxGSrider]

If you really want to feel stupid, leave it in the "Prime" position after you park it a few days....

 

[Redman]

I was going to say "maybe needed to put petcock on PRIme for a while".

May not be anything failed, just sometimes do need to put on PRIme after sitting for a couple days. And definitly may need to after a few weeks.

If something has failed, then you may need to leave it in PRIme to keep it running (but still dont leave it parked there).

 

[zuluwiz]

I went out today with the petcock "on" and it ran real good. Rode over to the nearest Arby's(love that roast beef) and back, 20 miles round trip, no problems, so I guess I don't need to anything at all to it which makes me feel even dumber than before. Oh well.

 

[Guest]

I went out today with the petcock "on" and it ran real good. Rode over to the nearest Arby's(love that roast beef) and back, 20 miles round trip, no problems, so I guess I don't need to anything at all to it which makes me feel even dumber than before. Oh well.

These bikes will evaporate the fuel in the carbs after sitting , and sometimes overnight if it was really warm when parked. If my bikes sit any length of time, I generally put them on prime for a couple seconds before trying to start them .

 

[Guest]

I was going to head out Monday to the VA cemetery where my wife is, so I get the bike out of the garage, hit the start button and..."click." I thought it couldn't POSSIBLY be the battery since "it's not that old." I pulled the fairing off and disconnected/reconnected plugs till I found one that made power come back on. Like a dumbazz, I put the fairing back on, turn it on, hit the start button, and "click" again. Yep, turned out to be the battery after all. I'm not sure why I would get power again after disconnecting that one plug, though.