Still a mystery

[Anonymous]

8O Awile back I had written that my GS1100, wouldn't start in cool weather. So some suggested a new battery, I did that and it worked, I thought, for two mornings it fired up, not as fast as on a warm day, but it fired.
Now it's back to not starting in mid 50 weather. If it's 60 or above it fires right up. The engine runs perfect once running.
I did a search for this problem and found nothing exact. Questions, could the coils or stator or?????? be effected by cool weather? I'm pretty sure it's electrical as it's getting fuel no problem. I can't trust it any more in the mornings, it has left me stranded twice now.
One idea I had was to go out with a blow dryer and warm up one component at a time trying to find what is effected by cold.
Any other ideas? :roll:

[rustybronco]

Can you give us a little more background... . cranks, cranks slowly, sputters on starting, gas smell ect. any info would help.

Me too, old bike, 2x years rider... DOSEN'T SLOW ME DOWN !

[Anonymous]

Yes it cranks and cranks, then it will fire briefly, very weak, then it's all over, all it will do is crank and crank. I have taken the plugs out to find them dry which made me think lack of fuel. But again as soon as the outside temp rises it fires right up. The spark looks a bit weak to me on all four. That made me think electrical. But when it fires it runs great, smooth even and strong, never a miss. It's really getting to be a real mystery, but I know it's something simple. I have even jumped off a friends bike, but same problem. The battery shows full charge and when running the charge is at 13+ volts at idle. If I had to guess, I would think it boils down to not enough spark(fire), but only when cool out??? As soon as the weather warms, she fires right up.

[redliner1973]

Only 2 things come to mind right off, choke mal-adjustment, or less than 12v at the coils '+' input.

[LW_Icarus]

Im thinking it sounds like its too lean to start when its chilly. either choke misadjustment or a vacuum leak, or clogged carbs.

It is possible that the coils need more voltage as well I suppose.

most electrical items fail hot, if they are internittent failures, so I doubt its an ignitor or anything like that failing.

my 850 fires right up as cold as 40 degrees, Ive been riding it every morning since I got it running.

[Anonymous]

Yes I think you guys may be onto something with the choke issue.
This winter I think I'll get busy and tear into the carbs and check the choke etc. It couldn't hurt. I was also going to try to shoot some Hotshot starter fluid into the breather and see if it fires right up, that might mean it needs some vapor at the plugs which it might not be getting when cold.

[braindead0]

How about checking your fuel tank vent? If it's not breathing freely, cold weather could cause a vacuum in your tank...

Of course, that would in theory mean you'd not be running for long when it's hot either... but just a thought.

[LW_Icarus]

I recommend against all use of ether in engines. its evil stuff, it washes oil off everything it touches, and if an engine doesnt start it will flash rust the cylinder walls.

a little gumout is a better fluid for artificially enriching it.

[Carter Turk]

Maybe you could try pulling on the choke rod, from the left side of the carbs, full out, hold it and hit the starter button.

If the clutch lever needs to be pulled in you can stick a bic pen cap to hold the bar wide open and hit the starter button, no throttle.

When it doesn't start you can still bump start it right?

Maybe woth checking the mechanical advancer springs. I lost two of these on my 1150 Don't know if missing one would cause starting problems though.

You could also twist off one of the spark plug caps to see if greenish oxidation is present causing resistance.

Or half a turn on out (counter clockwise) on the air/fuel mixture screws to richen it up abit.

[SOS]

8) I've always heard that Zooks are cold natured. But I guess I probably

just know a lot of Suzuki riders who need to better maintane their bkes.
8)

[Anonymous]

All good ideas will try them all. Right now the outside temp is around 75 so she fires right up.
When I bought the bike about a month ago it started right up then also, it was very warm out.
Also bump starting does nothing when it's cold. I have owned two other GS1100's and never ran across this problem.

[rphillips]

My vote is for the starting fluid. Not to use it every time it's below 60 degrees, but to find out for sure if you have a fuel or ignition problem. Also turk's idea about the choke rod. I have an 1150 with no choke cable, I pull the choke rod, on the left side of the carbs out to start it. If the rod is most of the way out, the bike may not start, but pulling it harder, all the way out, it will fire right up.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Make sure the choke's adjusted correctly.
If it is, the mixture screws could be in too far. If the bike started fine at one time and the screws haven't been touched, don't adjust them. If you inherited this problem, try adjusting them an additional 1 full turn out from where they are now. Keep a record of any adjustments and if you don't like the results you can simply return them. This is easy.
Of course, your problem could be dirty carbs and even electrical, but it sounds like the mixture isn't rich enough when outside temps are too cold for it.