Help! My GS Won't Run!

[ravendon]

Well, things keep getting better and better.

I have a GS650GT, which I've posted pics of.

Well, first it gets pushed over and the rear left tail light cover gets smashed and gas leaves light areas where it ran from the cap. It's hard to see, but it's there.

Then I hurt my back and I'm out of commission for 5 days. I try to make it back to work on a Wednesday, I hurt my back on a Saturday, only to get fired.

So I'm off the bike for 10 days and I'm still semi-recovering, but able to ride.

I try to start up the bike and it won't. The lights work fine, battery seems strong, gas was fresh, starter keeps trying without any fading. The first try, with heavy choke, almost gets a puff out of the motor, but nothing. Subsequent tries fail to start it.

Is there anyone in the Madison or Middleton, WI area who is handy with a wrench, who could take a look at the bike?

I don't have much money, since I'm still looking for a job. But, I'll buy you dinner, a 12 pack of beer, or a motorcycle book. Sorry, I can't offer much.

I've tried switching the petcock to different positions on the off chance it may be some kind of blockage. For some reason, my petcock has 4 positions and is cube shaped. I've tried them all.

I don't think it's the battery, since the lights work and the starter seems to work fine. The engine simply won't kick in.

[rustybronco]

verify you have gas getting to the carbs, did you check if you had spark? if you have both, then pull the plugs and clean or replace them, start with this.

[nabrams]

Yeah, if the bike got toppled while still running then one or more of the plugs has a strong chance of being fouled. Happened to my buddies bike - we were checking everything. If we'd just checked the basics up front we'd have saved tons of time.

[rustybronco]

bike on side = gas in engine

[ravendon]

I'm not mechanically inclined. How do I check for spark exactly? I've been told to pull the plugs and check to see if they are wet. If they are, it's supposed to be good and if they are dry then it's bad. That's about it.

So do I pull one plug, attach it back to the plug, press the end of the spark plug against the engine block and try to turn it over?

If it does get spark, repeat for each plug? If one plug is bad, replace and test it again for spark, if sparking, try putting it back and starting again? Something like that?

verify you have gas getting to the carbs, did you check if you had spark? if you have both, then pull the plugs and clean or replace them, start with this.

[ravendon]

Well, it got kicked over while I was at work. It must have been lying on it's side for hours. But, subsequently, I rode it for a week fine. Well, it went only 72 miles before it ran out of gas. That was bad. So I filled up and rode it another 2 days, then my back injury, and a layoff for 10 days or so. So it had been running after the knock over. It just got horrible gas mileage, which I attributed to a lot of gas leaking out. I was going to test it with a full tank and the tripmeter at 000. But, I never got a chance to finish it.

Yeah, if the bike got toppled while still running then one or more of the plugs has a strong chance of being fouled. Happened to my buddies bike - we were checking everything. If we'd just checked the basics up front we'd have saved tons of time.

[ravendon]

No, it was kicked over onto it's left side while the engine was off for a while.

Yeah, if the bike got toppled while still running then one or more of the plugs has a strong chance of being fouled. Happened to my buddies bike - we were checking everything. If we'd just checked the basics up front we'd have saved tons of time.

[nabrams]

First, simply try replacing all pugs - low cost and effort.
If that solves nothing then you've got to go through the typical verification of the basics - discussed a million times on this site.
You'll have to learn some and be willing to invest a lot of time and spend a bit of money on tools. There really is no other choice unless you want to pay a fortune for a shop to butcher your bike - see the horror stories on this site.

[ravendon]

Well, after a day or two, I tried starting it again. It seemed to want to start more than it did the other day, so I kept at it and finally got it to start.

I ran it for 10 minutes or so and it seemed fine.

Then I reinjured my back and didn't touch it for 4 days.
Couldn't start it again.

It tries to turn over, but just doesn't kick in.

So apparently, whatever is causing it, if I leave the bike alone for a few days, it has trouble starting.

Any ideas? I haven't change the spark plugs yet, but will try that next.

First, simply try replacing all pugs - low cost and effort.
If that solves nothing then you've got to go through the typical verification of the basics - discussed a million times on this site.
You'll have to learn some and be willing to invest a lot of time and spend a bit of money on tools. There really is no other choice unless you want to pay a fortune for a shop to butcher your bike - see the horror stories on this site.

[83GS1100E_Tornado]

Spark plugs, change em.

[SqDancerLynn1]

My guess the air filter is soaked with gas, causing the plugs to foul..
clean the air filter & clean the plugs