Cranking but not starting.

[Zaryte]

Hey guys, I have a question about my 1980 GS1000. The bike was put away for the winter in November, and I didn't do a WHOLE lot to winterize it. I changed the oil and cleaned it off and took off the back tire. I'm pretty sure it was a terrible idea to leave gas in the tank before i put it in the garage but i am pretty forgetful and it wasn't on my mind at the time and so I THINK that ill have to drain the tank in order to get the bad gas out, but i thought I'd ask you guys first because I'm pretty nooby about bikes despite the small amount of experience that I have.

The bike Turns over but will not catch. The electrical all works and it seems to be fine in every respect except that of the starting. Let me know what you guys think, please and thank you

-Mike

 

[chuck hahn]

May have to pull the carbs and repoke all the holes in the jets. And flush the passages with a lot of carbs spray and compressed air. I doubt they will need a full teardown and dipping. Then run some Berryman B 12 Chemtool complete fuel system cleaner in a few tanks of gas to further scrub the passages. Drain the tank and use the gas in the lawn mower.

 

[earlfor]

Take the tank off and drain out the old gas, then rinse it with a half gal of fresh gas and drain that. Drain the float bowls too. Put some fresh gas in the tank, turn the petcock to prime for a minute to refill the float bowls and switch the petcock back to run. Give it a touch of choke and try starting it.

 

[Zaryte]

Take the tank off and drain out the old gas, then rinse it with a half gal of fresh gas and drain that. Drain the float bowls too. Put some fresh gas in the tank, turn the petcock to prime for a minute to refill the float bowls and switch the petcock back to run. Give it a touch of choke and try starting it.

May have to pull the carbs and repoke all the holes in the jets. And flush the passages with a lot of carbs spray and compressed air. I doubt they will need a full teardown and dipping. Then run some Berryman B 12 Chemtool complete fuel system cleaner in a few tanks of gas to further scrub the passages. Drain the tank and use the gas in the lawn mower.

thanks guys, I really appreciate the help. Really awesome to have people out there that are able to help me with stuff like this. Thank you thank you thank you.

 

[tomo]

A trick I was told by some old dude at a rally, sounds daft but worth a go before chewing on with the tank and carbs. Try blowing into the carb breather tubes, just a couple of short puffs into each. Give the bike a bit of choke and hit the starter. Don`t know why this works, but it usually does on bikes that have been stood a while!. I`ve been able to start a few bikes that cranked over but wouldn't fire up this way. Worth a try at any rate ?.

 

[Guest]

Now that is a rather novel idea, Tomo. I had the same problem after not starting my bike for more than 20 years. I had done everything but it just would not catch. went to my neighbours and got an insulin syringe. Pulled two of the plugs and put a tiny bit of gas down the plug holes. Bingo! it worked, and has been working ever since. My theory is that there was an air- lock in there somewhere, so a few puffs of air might have cleared it.

 

[Redman]

Did you try it with petcock on PRIme after sitting for a few months?

Sitting a few months might have gummed up the carbs, but maybe not either, but will require putting petcock on PRIme.

.

 

[Guest]

fresh gas is a miracle, sometimes.

 

[trippivot]

ok did you check for spark visually? a spare plug helps this test only take a couple seconds.

quick start - just a small squirt will save your starter motor.

main jets are the last to plug up = open the throttle and give it a crank


storing you should fill the tank to the top as little air space as possible = no rust because no air to collect humidity. even a little 2 stroke oil to condition the metal inside your tank. - drain the float bowls next time

i know it sounds too simple to be true - spark - compression - fuel yabba dab-a-dab-a thats all folks

 

[Steve]

Try blowing into the carb breather tubes, just a couple of short puffs into each. Give the bike a bit of choke and hit the starter. Don`t know why this works, but it usually does on bikes that have been stood a while!.

It will work, but only if the passages inside the carbs are relatively clean. :-k

What it does is pressurize the float chamber. When you pressurize the float chamber, fuel has to go somewhere, and that would be through the jets and passages, into the throat. Then, when you hit the starter, that extra fuel helps richen the mixture, hopefully allowing the engine to fire.

.

 

[Redman]

Checking for spark by pulling plug as suggested above is a good idea.

Maybe is turning over, and all seems like is turning over okay, but maybe battery is marginal and the cranking is dragging down battery voltage to where ignition is not working. (hense why I still lament about not having kickstarter anymore).

.

 

[1948man]

Did you try it with petcock on PRIme after sitting for a few months?

Sitting a few months might have gummed up the carbs, but maybe not either, but will require putting petcock on PRIme.

.

Agree as easy thing to try.