Won't start

Robb2014 · Nov 7, 2012

iceteanolemon said:
not saying its your issue but on my bike I was having a bear of a time figuring it out as my bike wasnt starting after installing a el ignition.

My issue was a bad ground. I ditched my ground cable I made for a new one and it started right up. Check your grounding.

I think the reason I had problems yesterday was my misunderstanding of the on and off position of the choke in addition to yesterday being about 15 degrees colder outside. Also... so much for the Pazon anti kickback feature.

drones76 · Nov 7, 2012

Great Job! I knew you were just about there. Great feeling isn't it?

Running lean could be an air leak or a carb float is set incorrectly.

Check the settings on the carbs to get that idle down to a manageable range. I have a single Mik and it was the idle screw turned too far up.

You are getting close to running around the neighborhood and beyond.

Did it smoke a lot when it initially started?

Robb2014 · Nov 7, 2012

drones76 said:
Great Job! I knew you were just about there. Great feeling isn't it?

Running lean could be an air leak or a carb float is set incorrectly.

Check the settings on the carbs to get that idle down to a manageable range. I have a single Mik and it was the idle screw turned too far up.

You are getting close to running around the neighborhood and beyond.

Did it smoke a lot when it initially started?

Thanks Drones... and the rest of you... It does feel great. I checked the throttle adjustment and the cable was way too tight. I adjusted it and it idles fine now. I actually drove it around the Culdesac a couple times. It's still running a bit rough, so hopefully the timing is just a little out. I'll check it with the strobe later. Good things: No gas leaks, no apparent oil leaks, starts on 2nd or 3rd kick.... and Hobot, your hot nail mod with a braided stainless line makes for a very responsive brake. I only tried it at about 25 mph but it's very responsive with a nice easy pull. One other thing I'm trying to figure out... the spade adapter for the end of the tach cable doesn't fit in the tach fitting. The fitting on the tach is round. You'd expect there to be a tab in there that the spade adapter slides into. How's that work?

This pretty much goes without saying, but needs to be said regardless: the help I've gotten from all of you over the past few months has been invaluable, and the collective knowledge present on this site is incredible. I have a feeling this bike is going to be a work in progress for a long time but thanks again to you all for the help you've given up to this point. Also special thanks to Dave and Mike for all the additional help given on the phone. I'd really enjoy meeting some of you in person sometime... maybe at some future rally or something.

Robb2014 · Nov 7, 2012

drones76 said:
Did it smoke a lot when it initially started?

Actually no, not that much. I had a little smoke coming out of the exhaust around the exhaust pipe screw nut... thought I had that tight but it was pretty loose. That stopped after snugging up the screw nut. But for the five minutes or so that it's been run so far it hasn't smoked hardly at all.... there was a little bit of white smoke coming out of both exhausts after I shut down, but it was minimal.

DogT · Nov 7, 2012

There should be a spade to square fitting in the engine tacho housing. The square cable end goes into the fitting and also the tach. Make sure the tach end doesn't stick out beyond the end of the round nut that holds it on the tach, when you pull the nut all the way up the end of the cable. There may be a collar on one end of the inner cable that keeps it from going in the sheath too much. If the cable sticks in the tach too far you'll damage the tach. Get a piece of tubing that will fit on the end of the cable and fill it with some moly lube and let it sit until it runs out the other side. Do all your cables like that.

It may be missing from stuck rings or what ever, having sit around for so long.

Bushmans also talks about how to set up the carbs with the cables, make sure in WOT the slides both pass the top of the throat at the same time. Then adjust the idle like he says. If your floats are set right, your best idle will occur with the pilot needle out 1 1/2 turn, but more or less is OK unless it's 2 turns or so.

Get it strobed, it shouldn't have kicked back, you may be way advanced.

Dave
69S

Robb2014 · Nov 7, 2012

DogT said:
There should be a spade to square fitting in the engine tacho housing. The square cable end goes into the fitting and also the tach. Make sure the tach end doesn't stick out beyond the end of the round nut that holds it on the tach, when you pull the nut all the way up the end of the cable. There may be a collar on one end of the inner cable that keeps it from going in the sheath too much. If the cable sticks in the tach too far you'll damage the tach. Get a piece of tubing that will fit on the end of the cable and fill it with some moly lube and let it sit until it runs out the other side. Do all your cables like that.

It may be missing from stuck rings or what ever, having sit around for so long.

Bushmans also talks about how to set up the carbs with the cables, make sure in WOT the slides both pass the top of the throat at the same time. Then adjust the idle like he says. If your floats are set right, your best idle will occur with the pilot needle out 1 1/2 turn, but more or less is OK unless it's 2 turns or so.

Get it strobed, it shouldn't have kicked back, you may be way advanced.

Dave
69S

I have the fitting and can see the square side that the cable end fits into. The problem is, the spade end won't fit into the back of the tach. Shouldn't there be a female slot in the tach side fitting? I'll try and get some pics.

DogT · Nov 7, 2012

No, the square inner cable end goes into the tach. The spade is driven by the gear in the housing on the engine.

DogT · Nov 7, 2012

Here I've got a pic. The spade goes into the top of this tach drive housing. The square end gets one cable end and the tach gets the other. We're looking at the bottom end of the tach drive housing here.

Dave
69S

Robb2014 · Nov 7, 2012

DogT said:
Here I've got a pic. The spade goes into the top of this tach drive housing. The square end gets one cable end and the tach gets the other. We're looking at the bottom end of the tach drive housing here.
Dave
69S

Thanks Dave... got the fitting in the proper end and the tach is working fine. I just started it up again to try out my timing light, which has been laying in the bottom of my tool box for about 20 years. Looks like the gremlins got to it. I'll never understand why things stop working when you let them lay untouched for several years. I guess I'll go pick up that cheapo Harbor Freight light tomorrow. It's still kicking back on the first kick just about every time I go to start it. Also... I put fresh oil in it before that first start. Should I change it now or run it again and let it circulate through for a few more minutes? I've probably run it no more than five minutes so far on that oil.