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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Starting Problems **Please Help**
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Message started by Kev_LS650 on 12/23/08 at 16:51:17

Title: Starting Problems **Please Help**
Post by Kev_LS650 on 12/23/08 at 16:51:17

So the story starts off with me buying my first bike. 1987 Suzuki Savage LS 650. I rode it for a good 3,000 miles leaving my new car in the garage for about a month rain or shine. One day I come out to a big puddle of gas on the floor under my bike. Petcock failed on me and drained into my engine and air box and ultimately all over the garage floor.

I there after rebuilt the carb (because it needed to be done) and replaced the petcock along with spark plug, oil and filter. All said and done, it was a fun job to do. But after putting the bike back together the engine will not start. I had a mechanic look over the carb and check that it worked perfectly. Tried to start it again and all it did was push air through the engine and out the tail pipe. I tried a bit of starter fluid to see if i had a spark and nothing happened. I have yet to just pull the plug and wire out and see if it is sparking but I really doubt that it is.

Now before all this happened the bike ran pretty well but just a bit rough because of the carb needing rebuilt.

Any advice or thoughts on the subject would be very much appreciated. I just want to get it back to running so I can continue riding it even though its 10º outside.

Title: Re: Starting Problems **Please Help**
Post by Oldfeller on 12/23/08 at 17:22:54

Are you getting a spark? Start at the beginning and that is the first step.

Title: Re: Starting Problems **Please Help**
Post by odvelasc on 12/23/08 at 17:24:40

Re-set your idle by turning clockwise. You may have to turn it in quite a bit. Perhaps enrich your fuel mixture by turning counter clockwise (via the screw on the right side of the carb). You may still have a plug on yours. I had to rejet my carb a few times and every time my bike would not start or stay on until I made these adjustments. Check your battery, however if you get a turnover and no fire its your spark plug. Maybe drowned from gas, or drowned from a rich fuel mixture. Good luck.

Title: Re: Starting Problems **Please Help**
Post by verslagen1 on 12/23/08 at 17:37:57

agree with oldfeller I do.
Pull the plug and check for spark

Title: Re: Starting Problems **Please Help**
Post by Kev_LS650 on 12/23/08 at 17:56:43

Thank you for the posts and suggestions. I will give it a try when I get home tonight.

My thoughts are that it may be a ground out or a lose connection. I didn't unplug anything when I removed the tank other then the plug to the speedometer.

I will however tape my clutch in and hold the spark plug to the metal of the bike while pressing the starter button and see if it sparks properly.

Again thank you for the help and suggestions. I will repost if I still cant figure it out.

Title: Re: Starting Problems **Please Help**
Post by verslagen1 on 12/23/08 at 18:11:49

If you've run your battery down, it may spin, but it won't spark.

The CDI is voltage sensitive.

Try push starting if you don't have a charger.

Title: Re: Starting Problems **Please Help**
Post by Kev_LS650 on 12/23/08 at 18:24:28

Ill try that as well. The battery is about a 2 months or so old but it does sit out in the cold and has been sitting for some time now as I try and figure out this problem.

Title: Re: Starting Problems **Please Help**
Post by T Mack 1 on 12/24/08 at 13:02:29

When troubleshooting a hard to start bike, I like to use my boat's trolling motor battery. It has a lot more reserve than our little MC batteries. No worries about running out of juice while tweaking the carb or whatever.

If you don't have one, borrow your friends or relatives.

Title: Re: Starting Problems **Please Help**
Post by Kev_LS650 on 12/24/08 at 17:07:41

Thank you all for the help and advice. I have never posted here before but I have always watched the forums ever since I found them. Its nice to know there are people out there willing to give their time and help someone they dont know.

On a side note. I was not able to try out the advice given due to freezing rain on my way home from work last night that added an hour to my drive and almost destroyed my car on a bridge. Seeing how I have to work Christmas eve into Christmas morning I may not be able to try to get it running till Friday. Ill repost with the results.

Thanks again.

Title: Re: Starting Problems **Please Help**
Post by T Mack 1 on 12/24/08 at 19:21:28

Freezing rain..... are you from the northeast????

I could have ice skated to get the newspaper this morning.