SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Newbie needs help getting savage started
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1432077103

Message started by Sunshine_smile on 05/19/15 at 16:11:43

Title: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Sunshine_smile on 05/19/15 at 16:11:43

My 2001 savage has not bee used in approx 2 years. It was working fine until it stopped being used by my cousin. I'm trying to get it back on the road but I'm not able to get it started. Let me add that I know very little about motorcyles. I changed the oil, put a new air filter, oil filter spark plugs and battery on it...but it won't start. No lights, no horn , nothing. Any recommendations?

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Laser on 05/19/15 at 16:16:40

Do you have a good battery? If it's been sitting for a couple years, it's probably lost the charge.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Gary_in_NJ on 05/19/15 at 16:17:28

Sorry to hear that it won't start...and welcome

First things first...
- have you confirmed that the new battery has 12+ volts static?
- do you have the polarity correct at the battery?
- was there any sign of electrical power prior to changing the battery?
- is it possible that you accidentally disconnected a wire when removing the tank to change the spark plug?

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Sunshine_smile on 05/19/15 at 16:42:33

I made an error in my original post, I changed the fuses not the spark plug.

The original battery I had was completly dead, I went to advanced auto parts and purchased a extreme magna power Sports battery. The paper works says it's 12.8 v. I double checked the connection and all looks fine. Should I take the Barry back to the store for them to test it?

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/19/15 at 16:48:38

How old is the gas?
Did you try Prime position on the petcock?

I'd drain the bowl on the carburetor and catch it in a clear container.
See what comes out.

How did the old plug look?

There is a connector under the tank that will do what you describe. If it's not together, nothing works.

When you were putting the new plug in, did you feel down in the cavity where it sits to get a feel for how to line up the new plug? Did you feel sand and crud down in there? Best to blow that clear before pulling the plug. Sand in the cylinder is not good, but it otta start.

Once you get it turning over if it's still uncooperative, holler back..
Been sitting a while, but was running,,, it'll run again. Be patient, this bunch will walk you through.
How many miles on it?

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/19/15 at 16:55:49

7C7C2B27252D3C3B480 wrote:

Glad you didn't pull the plug..

If you don't have a volt meter, you're gonna need one. Harbor Freight, under ten bux.
The ground on the engine can be bad, test with ohm meter.. one of the function of a volt meter..
I'm wondering why nothing, horn, nothing,
Guys, what all does flipping the kill switch kill?
What happens if the key is switched to park?

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by gizzo on 05/19/15 at 17:11:37

Kill switch kills only starter and ignition. Everything else works.
In park, everything is dead except tail light and front parking light.

If absolutely nothing comes on, is probably worth taking off the battery leads for a good cleaning. Or hook up a couple jumper wires from battery, just to bypass the leads and see what happens.

Maybe unplug the ignition switch, give that wiring loom plug a good clean up too. It's the big green plug under the seat. Test for voltage there when you get your multimeter, per JoG's suggestion. You'll be needing one.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Sunshine_smile on 05/19/15 at 17:49:20

The park light won't even come on.

There was no gas in the tank so I put a half tank of gas in it. I disconnected the ignition today...had to take it to the locksmith to get a new key made since my cousin lost it. One of the wires looks a little worn.

Thanks everyone, I'll stop by harbor freight tomorrow.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Dave on 05/19/15 at 18:20:26

You just scared me with the "has not run in two years...changed the oil and filter".

The bike now has an empty oil system....most likely no oil on the piston, cylinder, rockers or cam from sitting so long.

I really think you need to pull the spark plug and spray some fogging oil into the cylinder.....or at a minimum put a few ounces of light weight motor oil in the cylinder before turning the engine over.

Lancer just scored a piston and cylinder after starting a bike that was in storage for 3 years.

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1427762247/0

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Kris01 on 05/19/15 at 19:05:49

Just backing up Dave...

Squirt some oil in the cylinder (through the spark plug hole) and let it sit overnight. It needs to seep past the rings (as well as possible). Expect it to smoke once it cranks.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Gary_in_NJ on 05/19/15 at 19:16:25

28287F737179686F1C0 wrote:
I disconnected the ignition today...had to take it to the locksmith to get a new key made since my cousin lost it. One of the wires looks a little worn.

BINGO! There's your problem. Go back and inspect the ignition harness.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Sunshine_smile on 05/19/15 at 19:23:11

Thanks Dave and Kris..I'll do that tomorrow.

I've learned more than I ever thought I would know about this bike. :)

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Steve H on 05/19/15 at 20:26:14

There is a wiring plug under the front of the tank on the throttle side of the bike. If this plug gets loose, it will kill the bike in the manner you describe. No electrical anything. I don't know if it kills the park light too.

By all means, fix the worn looking wire to the ignition switch. It could be your problem.

Also, you said you changed the fuses. It's still possible that one blew when you turned on the switch. Check them and make sure they are OK.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/19/15 at 20:47:18

342B2D2A3730013101392B276C5E0 wrote:

hen you were putting the new plug in, did you feel down in the cavity where it sits to get a feel for how to line up the new plug? Did you feel sand and crud down in there? Best to blow that clear before pulling the plug. Sand in the cylinder is not good, but it otta start.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Art Webb on 05/19/15 at 21:05:07

You said you got a new battery and put it in
Did you charge it first? most M/C batteries are sold uncharged

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Sunshine_smile on 05/22/15 at 16:49:52

I brought the volt meter and its showing 7.72. I'm guessing that's to low?

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/22/15 at 17:01:19

Ayupp, about 4.7 or so volts low.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Sunshine_smile on 05/22/15 at 17:17:32

Ok, well I'll take that back to advance auto parts...I just bought it a week ago.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Sunshine_smile on 05/24/15 at 07:21:00

The battery was fully charged charged yesterday. These are the readings I'm receiving today.

Battery 11.45v
Both fuses are .5 ohms
Spark plug is 3.85 ohms

I removed the spark plug and put some oil in the cylinder. Any other recommendations?

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by oldNslow on 05/24/15 at 07:52:54

A fully charged battery will read 12.5 volts or more with no load on it. No load means either in the bike with the cables connected and everything turned off, or out of the bike with nothing connected to the terminals but your volt meter.

If the battery was at 12.5 or above yesterday and is now down to 11.4, and is installed in the motorcycle, either your battery is no good, or you have a wiring issue that is drawing it down - ie. something is not shutting off when you turn off the key.

It is more likely to be the battery. You need to take it someplace that can properly charge and then load test it. Even a reading of 12.5 volts or more is not a 100% guarantee that the battery is not defective. Only a load test will tell you that. And even brand new batteries are occasionally found to be not any good.

Did you charge the battery yourself ? Motorcycle batteries need to be charged with a charger that outputs no more than 2 Amps. 1 or 11/2 Amps max is even better. An automotive charger that outputs 15-20 Amps is likely to overheat and ruin a motorcycle battery.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/24/15 at 12:17:33

You can charge it and leave the ground cable off. If it drops off then it's the battery.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by Sunshine_smile on 05/26/15 at 17:22:50

I picked up the new battery today and installed it. All l the lights came on the horn works. I removed the spark plug and sprayed fogging oil into the hole yesterday.

Forgive me for not knowing the technical terms but I tried to turn it on, no luck. I made sure it was in neutral, turned the ignition to on, verified the kill switch was not on, squeezed the clutch and pressed the button to crank it. It made noise like it was starting but it didn't crank. Tried it about 10 times and still not luck. There was a little smoke that came the exhaust once. Any suggestions?

I also seem be having an interesting time bleeding the brakes. I've already replaced the brake pads. I brought brake cleaner to clean the master cylinder Since I saw there was nothing but pebbles of brake fluid.. no actual liquid in there. I unscrewed the bleeder at the bottom, when I did this dark brown brake fluid filed up in the mc...I extracted the fluid, cleaned the master cylinder. I brought a vacum/ bleeder kit from harbour freight but I can't seem to get the fluid moving through the line. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by verslagen1 on 05/26/15 at 19:44:45

1C1C4B47454D5C5B280 wrote:

Forgive me for not knowing the technical terms but I tried to turn it on, no luck. I made sure it was in neutral, turned the ignition to on, verified the kill switch was not on, squeezed the clutch and pressed the button to crank it. It made noise like it was starting but it didn't crank. Tried it about 10 times and still not luck. There was a little smoke that came the exhaust once. Any suggestions?

could be the decomp adjustment.
hop on the bike put it in 2nd, don't squeeze the clutch and bump it forward till it feels like the engine is turning, stop.
put her in neutral and start it.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by verslagen1 on 05/26/15 at 19:50:07

1E1E4945474F5E592A0 wrote:

I also seem be having an interesting time bleeding the brakes. I've already replaced the brake pads. I brought brake cleaner to clean the master cylinder Since I saw there was nothing but pebbles of brake fluid.. no actual liquid in there. I unscrewed the bleeder at the bottom, when I did this dark brown brake fluid filed up in the mc...I extracted the fluid, cleaned the master cylinder. I brought a vacum/ bleeder kit from harbour freight but I can't seem to get the fluid moving through the line. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong.

so you've filled up the master and you can't suck any thru the bottom?
get some teflon tape, take the bleeder out and wrap the threads. don't put a lot on, just 2 wraps should be enough. trim any excess off and put the bleeder back.

if you drained all the fluid out, it's usually pretty hard to get it started again.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/26/15 at 20:38:39

Some vacuum line, a quart jar, two tight holes, connect to a vacuum source with one, to the bleed nipple with the other,

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by oldNslow on 05/27/15 at 12:51:44

Quote:

It made noise like it was starting but it didn't crank. Tried it about 10 times and still not luck. There was a little smoke that came the exhaust once. Any suggestions?

Quote:

I removed the spark plug and sprayed fogging oil into the hole yesterday.

Try pulling the plug out and confirm that it's sparking. You might have oil fouled it with whatever you sprayed into the cylinder.

If the engine won't start after a couple of tries you need to stop running the starter and figure out what's wrong. Trying to start it over and over with no result is just going to run down the battery.

Title: Re: Newbie needs help getting savage started
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/27/15 at 14:11:37

Actually,it's time to read the voltage of the battery and, yeah, check out the spark. Just because it's sparking when it is out and ground ed against the engine doesn't mean that it's gonna spark when the battery is pushing against compression.
A little bit of ether in the air intake will help you figure out what is going on.
You can even try that before anything else,except checking out the battery.
It's gotta be good,,
These things will spin over and Sound like they are spinning over just fine,but there is just not Quite enough in the battery to fire the plug..
The voltmeter was my first Go To tool any time it didn't wanna play.