SuzukiSavage.com - Starting blues

NorCalRider

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Starting blues
03/24/14 at 19:22:28

Hello all,

The bike was working. I adjusted the valves yesterday. After I put everything back together the bike won't won't start.

Here is where I am:

Any ideas what could I have done to mess it up? and, more importantly, how can I fix it?

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1999, Black, Raptor petcock, K&N air filter, otherwise stock. 5,800 miles.

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28886 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Starting blues Reply #1 - 03/24/14 at 19:51:55 how did you set tdc?
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NorCalRider YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 47 SF, California Gender:	Re: Starting blues Reply #2 - 03/24/14 at 21:01:14 I followed your brilliant writeup in Tech Ref section at http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1325991352
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Starting blues Reply #3 - 03/24/14 at 22:04:18 Well,, believing the instructions were followed to the letter is still no proof nothing moved. If ya didnt go eyeball the timing mark inside the left cover & make sure the crankshaft didnt drift,, well,, you do the math,, You can pop the valve inspection caps, bring it to TDC ( compression)& make sure the valves are all closed,,
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Starting blues Reply #4 - 03/24/14 at 22:05:58 OHH,, & before ya even mess with that, its SOOO easy to shoot something into the air cleaner.. If that changes anything, then youre on the hunt..
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S-P

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Re: Starting blues
Reply #5 - 03/24/14 at 23:23:47

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 03/24/14 at 22:05:58:

OHH,, & before ya even mess with that, its SOOO easy to shoot something into the air cleaner.. If that changes anything, then youre on the hunt..

Yep. Two things: if you put a Raptor petcock on, take the inline filter off if you have one. And yeah, shoot some starting fluid into the air cleaner. I took a knife and just slit a hole big enough to get a small straw into it. I've had to use starter fluid a couple times during the winter.

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oldNslow Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2683 Rochester, NY Gender:	Re: Starting blues Reply #6 - 03/25/14 at 08:02:26 Put the old spark plug back in and see if it starts before you do anything else.
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shorty Serious Thumper Offline be careful out there gentlemen Posts: 547 southern NM Gender:	Re: Starting blues Reply #7 - 03/25/14 at 11:20:37 oldNslow wrote on 03/25/14 at 08:02:26: Put the old spark plug back in and see if it starts before you do anything else. good idea... at least remove the "new" plug and check for spark, wouldn't be the first time I've seen a defective new plug
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NorCalRider

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Re: Starting blues
Reply #8 - 03/25/14 at 14:01:47

Thanks for the ideas, guys. I will shoot some ether into the carb intake and see if starts up, otherwise will inspect the valves to see if they are closed at TDC.

The old spark plug was firing and so is the new one. So I don't think it is spark plug.

Will try it this evening and see what happens. The weather is not that good today anyway (it is drizzling and a cold 65).

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1999, Black, Raptor petcock, K&N air filter, otherwise stock. 5,800 miles.

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Dave

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Re: Starting blues
Reply #9 - 03/26/14 at 03:39:05

NorCalRider wrote on 03/25/14 at 14:01:47:

Will try it this evening and see what happens. The weather is not that good today anyway (it is drizzling and a cold 65).

Cold 65? You aren't gonna convince me that is cold......it is 24 here this morning!

To check that you don't have your valves too tight.....put the engine in gear and see if you can push the bike forward. The bike should roll forward until it comes up against compression.....and you will have difficulty pushing it any farther. If the engine quickly releases the compression and you can move the bike forward pretty easy.....you probably have adjusted the valves too tight and the compression is leaking past the valve that is being held off the seat.

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Someday I will be old......But not today!

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NorCalRider

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Re: Starting blues
Reply #10 - 03/26/14 at 09:02:36

65 is relatively cold by California standard

This past weekend it was in the high 70s; and this was near San Francisco. I am sure it was warmer by Versy.

I tried the starting fluid with no luck. So it was time to check the valves. It turned out to be a noobie mistake: the valves were too tight (Dave - you were right on the mark there). So I re-adjusted all the valves to 0.004" and it started right away. I must have been under influence the first time around.

I would chalk this up as a success since I learned a few good troubleshooting tips along the way from the good folks here.

My hats off to y'all.

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1999, Black, Raptor petcock, K&N air filter, otherwise stock. 5,800 miles.

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verslagen1

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Re: Starting blues
Reply #11 - 03/26/14 at 09:36:43

NorCalRider wrote on 03/26/14 at 09:02:36:

65 is relatively cold by California standard

This past weekend it was in the high 70s; and this was near San Francisco. I am sure it was warmer by Versy.

Yeah, sure... if you're getting up around noon Huh