cold and hard to start

[officerbill]

Hi,
Last week she started fine and ran happily, tonight it was a fight. I got it to run and had to wait on it idleing for up to five minutes before I could twist the throtle and get it to move.
This spring I had oil leaks from the cam cover, checked the valves and found them to be within tollerances. Cleaned carbs, yes all apart and boiled, bench synced and then synced with a meter. Lots of spark and the battery is charged.
So? Why is it playing hard to start? Is it just tired and wants a winter nap?
Tkx, bill

[almarconi]

Have you checked your compression?

Try blowing gently into the carb breather hose (just a puff) and see if the bike starts easier.

Choke working properly?

[officerbill]

Have you checked your compression? No. But as soon as it starts it will idle it just takes time to get warm enough run.

Try blowing gently into the carb breather hose (just a puff) and see if the bike starts easier.

Choke working properly? Yes. Last winter I had to hold the choke open to keep the bike running long enough to warm up. I'm guessing cold gas (less than 30F is hard to vaporise). It isn't that cold here yet, in the 40's tonight. I just read the posting from your friend supergafx on getting his bike to run, it sound like we may have some of the same troubles.(

Thanks for your help,
bill

[officerbill]

It's like the intermittent self canceling turn signals. I went out to check the bike a little while ago. It started on the first turn and ran until I shut it off. It's cold and damp and it started... go figure?
bill

[tkent02]

If the bike is on the verge of being too lean in the summer, colder weather will make it more lean, as the colder air is denser. Even day to day fluctuations in barometric pressure can effect it. Just barely too lean to run without the choke until the engine is completely warm.
Try turning out the pilot fuel screws 1/4 turn each, it may help. If not you can always put them back.

My 750/1000 is like this, the screw position was OK last summer, now I need a just a little more fuel, or need to wait a lot longer to be able to ride it.

[Nessism]

A couple other thing to check is voltage at the coils, search out the coil relay mod if you have less than 10 volts, and make sure your plugs are clean and the plug caps haven't developed resistance. As Tom states, when it gets cold outside margional systems sometimes show their ugly side.

BTW bill, it's nice to read about someone that did their valves and carbs before posting a thread like this. Your baseline is covered which helps us make suggestions.

[almarconi]

I think the problem still lies within the carburetors. I am going to try and get another rack of carbs and see if this makes a difference on my bike. The ignition on my bike has the coil relay mod, as well as, aftermarket coils and wires. The cold start problem still exists, you still have to blow the bike to get it to start. I'm thinking the choke system is still partially clogged, the pilots are too lean or the fuel level is incorrect. Once the bike is warmed up it runs great, its just the first start of the day.

[tkent02]

I think the problem still lies within the carburetors. I am going to try and get another rack of carbs and see if this makes a difference on my bike. The ignition on my bike has the coil relay mod, as well as, aftermarket coils and wires. The cold start problem still exists, you still have to blow the bike to get it to start. I'm thinking the choke system is still partially clogged, the pilots are too lean or the fuel level is incorrect. Once the bike is warmed up it runs great, its just the first start of the day.

I would check the fuel passage that feeds the choke, it is in the float bowl itself. If it is clogged, the choke adds more air, but not more fuel. If it is partially clogged strange things happen, and not exactly the same in all cylinders. In either case it will run fine when it's warmed up. Pop the bowls off and clean the passage, you don't even need to remove the carbs.

[Steve]

BTW bill, it's nice to read about someone that did their valves and carbs before posting a thread like this. Your baseline is covered which helps us make suggestions.

Yes, except for an earlier statement:

This spring I ... checked the valves and found them to be within tollerances.

How far have you traveled since spring? Might it be time for another valve adjustment?
If they were "within tollerances", but at the minimum end of them, they could be tight enough now to start causing some problems.
I know most of y'all don't ride quite as much as I do, but if I had to adjust the vavles on my Wing as often as Suzuki recommends for the GS, I would be doing them every month.
Yep, I have put on about 16,000 miles since Memorial Day.

This is the kicker:

Once the bike is warmed up it runs great, its just the first start of the day.

Classic symptom of tight valves.

.

[officerbill]

It's like the intermittent self canceling turn signals. I went out to check the bike a little while ago. It started on the first turn and ran until I shut it off. It's cold and damp and it started... go figure?
bill

The bike was hard to start after being the garage all day, but after about six hours of sitting the cold damp Pa night air it ran fine, is that a classic symptom of tight valves?
bill

[almarconi]

Did you try blowing into the breather tube yet?

[officerbill]

Did you try blowing into the breather tube yet?

Al,
I'm a little lost on that one
Are you suggesting shooting a little compressed air into the carbs or the other way? And, a little air? quantify please?
bill

[tkent02]

Not the breather tube, the float bowl vent. Just a little puff in each side, orally. Pushes a little fuel through the needle jet or the pilot jet. Helps a bike fire up that has a problem with the choke circuit being clogged. Not your problem in this case.

[almarconi]

carb breather tube...carb bowl vent tube...you say tomato I say tomato..You knew which tube I meant..the ones attached to the vent T's.

[almarconi]

I only have to blow one side..does that mean its only half clogged