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Message started by iMc on 08/16/09 at 11:50:26

Title: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by iMc on 08/16/09 at 11:50:26

Hey everyone! I just bought a 98 Savage, and I just wish I could get the thing to start!

I had the previous owner turn it on and ride it down the road and back for me before I bought it. He said it needed a carb adjustment since it would only turn on with the choke pulled out and would shut itself off after idling for a little bit.

That was the only thing he said it needed to be in running condition.

I got it home, and now I can't get it to start! When I turn the ignition, flip the engine kill switch, and press the start button, it doesn't do anything. This is my first motorcycle, and I'm more than a little bit confused as to why he could start it but I can't.

I'm sort of mechanically inclined (6 or 7 on a scale of 10), and I already removed the tank, took the carb out, and cleaned the needle valve (which was the only thing that was even remotely dirty in the carb), put the carb, petc0ck, and tank back in place, and replaced the battery with a brand new fully charged one.

Any ideas?

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by Toymaker on 08/16/09 at 11:55:50

Make sure you are trying to start in NEUTRAL

or that you have the clutch pulled in

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by BurnPgh on 08/16/09 at 12:00:26

no offense, but being your first bike...have you got the kickstand up? Got the clutch lever pulled?

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by verslagen1 on 08/16/09 at 12:17:56

Agree w/toymaker I do. (dam yoda anyway)

best to start it in neutral, little green lite on?
pull the clutch lever (dam safety)
when in neutral doesn't matter if kickstand up or down. (another dam safety)

let's see, cleaned carb, replace battery... pulled tank (bing)
There's a couple of connections under the tank, got them all hooked together?
And check your fuses, right hand side, just under the seat is little box on a floppy hook.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by iMc on 08/16/09 at 12:18:20

clutch lever is pulled, kick stand is up.

I checked that the clutch was engaging when I pulled the lever and as far as I can tell without removing any covers it's engaging, and the kick stand switch is being depressed when it's in the up position.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by iMc on 08/16/09 at 12:20:45

When I put the tank back on I made sure to reconnect the wires in there. I know where the fuses are, so I'll check them. What should I be looking for in there?

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by iMc on 08/16/09 at 12:21:24

Also, forgot one other thing: the speedo cable is missing. not sure if that would cause the entire bike not to start. I wouldn't think so though.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by verslagen1 on 08/16/09 at 12:22:09

only 2 fuses, common auto type

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by verslagen1 on 08/16/09 at 12:23:09

missing cable?
no, wouldn't keep from starting.
but will split oil if not capped.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by Skid Mark on 08/16/09 at 12:45:36

Don't forget to check the kill switch.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by iMc on 08/16/09 at 12:50:46

Checked the kill switch, tried it in both positions. I'm not getting lights or anything though whenever I turn the ignition. Even in park there's no lights.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by Savage_Amusement on 08/16/09 at 12:58:49

So you have zero power is what you are saying. Right under the seat are two fuses on the right side in a white square holder. Check those, twice lol.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by Serowbot on 08/16/09 at 13:02:21

Check your battery for voltage,... check the terminal connections,.. check that negative side has ground...

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by iMc on 08/16/09 at 15:58:00

Thanks Savage_Amusement and verslagen1 for figuring out exactly what I couldn't haha

I replaced one of the fuses and the bike started right up. Now the problem is keeping it on.

Also thanks to everyone else for your input.

Now any idea why the bike only starts when the choke is pulled all the way out and dies if I twist the throttle or just let it idle?

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by bill67 on 08/16/09 at 16:53:24

I would try some Sea Foam in the gas,Its a carb cleaner you can get at Walmart or auto store.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/16/09 at 17:33:44

Im not seeing the Sea Foam as a cure for no power. Look at the battery first. If youve been struggling with it, I bet the battery is tired or dead.
Once you get it spinning over, dont turn the throttle to start it.
Make sure the idle is high enough.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by bill67 on 08/16/09 at 17:52:30

Sea Foam isn't going to give it any more power but if the slide isn't working right it will help that,And that could be the problem.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by Dj12midnit on 08/16/09 at 17:53:14

I am thinking the idle. Needs the choke to get enough fuel then turning the throttle floods it. but then again what do I know.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by iMc on 08/16/09 at 22:33:10

Thanks everybody for your advice, I know it's not the battery since I just bought a brand new one, charged it to 100% and installed it. I also know the carb isn't dirty and both of the diaphragms are in good shape. I'll try the sea foam in the gas. I already tried adjusting the idle, got it idling high and then low and both times when I gave it gas it still died.

Could it be that it's not getting enough air? I noticed when I put the carb back in it looks like there are two places where there should be some tubes coming out of the back of it and there's nothing there.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by Educatedredneck on 08/16/09 at 22:39:16

Those are vent tubes, one end on the carb, and the other end is just stuck up in the main frame rail under the fuel tank.

Check your hoses from the tank, make sure everything is good.

PM Lancer for carb advice.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by verslagen1 on 08/17/09 at 00:03:22

Glad you can getrstarted, hope these guys will soon realise that.

When you rebuilt the carb, did it go back together ok?

some common errors, not seating the diaphram of the slide correctly, not tightening the jets, leaving parts out, etc.

check the float level, get a piece of clear tubing for the nipple on the bottom of the carb (good luck I don't have one) hold it up against the side of the carb, turn the petcock to prime, gas should come up to the gasket on the bowl.

Do you have an air filter? clean?

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by Savage_Amusement on 08/17/09 at 03:27:15

I'm just going to guess but could there be a petcock vac leak here? Take off the vac line going to the petcock and if it has any gas in it then that would def cause the motor to choke out.

I thought choke made it run lean so it would be hot and warm up faster?

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by iMc on 08/17/09 at 10:27:52

The air filter is filthy, I'm thinking about doing the air filter nu foam + oil mod by Oldfeller2 since the PO changed the stock exhaust out for a slashcut sportster exhaust.

I took the carb apart and put it back together using the walk through by SavageWahine in the Technical Documents section, and I was very careful to put everything exactly back how I found it. So I don't think there is anything missing/messed up with the carb now. Though I didn't take apart the top diaphragm. I just left that whole thing together.

I'll check the petcock vaccuum line and see if there's gas in it. If there is what's the fix for that?

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by Savage_Amusement on 08/17/09 at 11:53:54

You might just need a new line if your lucky. Other wise you might need a whole new petcock. There are a ton of posts on here about raptor 660 petcocks working just fine. Though you have to remember to turn it off and on all the time.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by verslagen1 on 08/17/09 at 14:25:35

273D232D222B202A21204E0 wrote:

excellent, the dirty filter will make run rich. You can try it w/o to see if it runs leans or just blow the filter out with air til you can fix it.

excellent, SW has good instructions. but leaving the slide uncleaned can be an issue, little bit of dirt on it and it hangs up. If you twist the grip and get delayed response, it needs to be cleaned or sea foam it.

SA left out the manual conversion of the petcock. cheap fix, just plug one port of the petcock and cap the carb.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by Savage_Amusement on 08/18/09 at 07:45:02

OH yeah thanks I did forget that. I haven't seen my old tank in almost a year so that didn't cross my mind.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by Tonydtiger1971 on 08/18/09 at 19:10:57

363D38386263540 wrote:

I would try some Sea Foam in the gas,Its a carb cleaner you can get at Walmart or auto store.

See and I just thought it was part of the bike's charm. On colder days I couldn't get mine to start without the choke pulled out for the first minute or so.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by iMc on 08/18/09 at 22:01:11

Checked the petcock, no fuel in the vac line. Figured out that it runs if I leave the petcock on prime, but when I give it throttle or push the choke in after I get it started it dies. The sea foam seemed to help, I was able to give it some throttle while holding the choke out. I'm going to try running the bike like that through a full tank of gas with about half a can of sea foam added to it and see how it runs after that.

Also I've gone through 5 fuses in two days. Any idea why the bike would just continually blow the same fuse?

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by verslagen1 on 08/18/09 at 22:10:42

You gotta short most likely.
Figgure out what you were doing when it blows.
common places for shorts,
headlight, lota wire runs thru there.
under the tank, usually a wire gets mashed in the process of putting it back on.
under seat not so often
taillights occasionally.

I'd take the carb apart and clean island style.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by John_D on 08/19/09 at 02:11:21

183429353E29282F34293E686B6B6B5B0 wrote:

From what I've read on here, our choke doesn't function like the ones on a car, which closes a butterfly on in intake, and cuts off partial air flow. It's actually an enrichener which puts more gas into the airflow. Ok all you experts out there, am I right? :-?

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by iMc on 08/19/09 at 09:18:27

So John my issue is that I'm not getting enough gas into the carb? That makes sense to me since the PO upgraded to a straight through exhaust and as far as I know he didn't rejet the carb.

verslagen1 I turn the ignition, the lights come on, then I lift the bike off the stand and before I can even put the sidestand up the lights go out and I know I've blown another fuse.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by verslagen1 on 08/19/09 at 10:12:20

213B252B242D262C2726480 wrote:

verslagen1 I turn the ignition, the lights come on, then I lift the bike off the stand and before I can even put the sidestand up the lights go out and I know I've blown another fuse.

That dam thing goes all over the bike.
step 1, take off seat locate funky green connector, take apart, and put a paperclip in the socket side connector (I think). Repeat startup/short out procedure. That eliminates the kickstand switch.

But, I think it's under the tank or in the headlight.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by Digger on 08/23/09 at 20:32:36

42584648474E454F44452B0 wrote:

....but when I give it throttle or push the choke in after I get it started it dies.....

Sounds like classic symptoms of a clogged pilot jet. Happened on my KLRs.

Either that or maybe the pilot screw is grossly maladjusted.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by iMc on 08/24/09 at 16:46:19

Yeah digger, when I took the carb apart everything was pretty much spotless except for the needle valve. I cleaned that off and put it back together and it still had the same problem.

I'm having a mechanic take a look at it this week to see if he can get the electrical and carbs working right. May just need an adjustment or it may need to be rejetted after the PO put on the sportster exhaust. Not sure. I'll update again when I find out more.

Title: Re: New Savage Owner with a Problem
Post by iMc on 08/24/09 at 16:46:34

Thanks again everyone for your help!