Won’t start after a wash

[ignatiuz99]

My bike was riding wonderfully, and I wanted to treat it to a nice wash. I didn’t go too crazy and just used a low presser garden hose for the most part and only got what needed to be cleaned in the engine area. Nothing else. The bike has battery and cranks, has spark, field system is fine, and new oil even. It keeps cranking but just doesn’t turn over. What did I do wrong. 1981GS650g like I said was riding prefect this weekend

 

[steve murdoch]

Not the first time it has happened but the "kill" switch at the handlebar in the run position?

 

[Nessism]

Wet electrical system? It's been known to happen.

 

[ignatiuz99]

Kill switch is in the correct position.

covered the electric system and didnt run water near there. As I mentioned it’s cranking, headlight turns on, getting spark

 

[Rob S.]

One reason I never took a hose to my bikes.

Hardly dealers will wash bikes, but they have high volume blowers to dry them.

 

[tom203]

I’d guess the connections from to/from ignitor got wet…causing a mistimed spark. The two wire connector from signal generator seems a good candidate. Park in sun to dry out

 

[ignatiuz99]

I’m gonna try again in a few hours, this will be about 48 hours after the wash…. Really nervous as I fell in love with this bike quick, there is a picture on my profile but here is an updated snapshot.

 

[Nessism]

Are you using cheap china pods? If so, they may be waterlogged now. Those pods don't use oiled media, like a real K&N, which repels water somewhat.

 

[ignatiuz99]

Yes they are cheap china pods. I just tried taking them off and starting, no dice. They’re on my list for next to buy, but I needed something fast and cheap initially.

as Mentioned just tried starting it again, it gave me a little feedback as far as sound and it sounds like it almost started up. Anything here? It’s been about 48 hours now, really starting to get worried

 

[Nessism]

APE pods are nice. You might want to check to see if they have the proper size for your bike...

 

[ignatiuz99]

Will look into that, I need them to be pretty short lengthwise to fit but I will figure that out. Trust me getting that cheap China crap outta there is on the list.

Should I use starter fluid? For reference it is cranking, and the first time I try periodically it gives me one or two ‘catches’ I don’t know how to refer to this correctly but it sounds like it wants to start. Everything should be dried out by now.

 

[ignatiuz99]

Where would the ignitor be? Or anything Tom203 referenced?

 

[rphillips]

I's thinking the CV carbs won't run without some type air filter (or restriction) installed. They can't make enough vacuum to suck the fuel up through the jets & into the carb throats. I'm not against starter fluid near as much as some others, I'd put the pods on & give it a shot of fluid on the outside pods to just see what happens. Have a extinguisher handy, very rarely a pop back through the carb can cause a small, very scary when you're not expecting it, excess fluid fire.

 

[ignatiuz99]

Okay I will give it a shot a little later in the day and update! Thank you for the input!

 

[unfocused]

Did you get water into the vents of the carbs? This will fill the float bowl up real quick. And if you have pods, they're most likely left open.

CV carbs will idle and no load accelerate without an air filter...

 

[ignatiuz99]

Maybe? Still a noob in the moto world. Where/what would the carb vents look like? I was pretty cautious when washing but I didn’t get the engine area pretty heavily, wrapped the pods with towels and made sure nothing got in there

 

[ignatiuz99]

Just started it up with starter fluid, got a couple of pops as to be expected. As soon as I put it into first it dies. Whats the common senses with that?

 

[rphillips]

Not being there it's hard to imagine how & what was done. When it started did you use choke? Did you just let it idle and gradually decrease the choke as the rpm's rose as it was warming up? Did it start and keep idling without choke? did you gently rev the eng. to 3 or 4 K while it was up? was it warm and idling fine and when put in 1st it instantly died or was it idling fine in 1st and died when you started to pull away?

 

[ignatiuz99]

Pretty much yes to everything above. Started in neutral, let it idle for a little and warm up with choke out, gradually put choke back in, revd it a little and it sounded fine. Doesn’t idle in first. Had it in N, clutch in, went down to first and died. No jolt, just died

 

[Rob S.]

APE pods are nice. You might want to check to see if they have the proper size for your bike...

APE pods are on my bike (11EZ). Look great and were half the cost of K&Ns.