Date: 28-03-24  Time: 09:09 am

Author Topic: Reluctant to start after a month in the sun  (Read 1192 times)

redmandan

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Reluctant to start after a month in the sun
« on: 13 July 2018, 01:27:46 pm »
Foccers


Left the old girl at work while I went on holiday, although she was covered the spot was quite exposed and the black cover wouldn't have helped with the temperatures we've been having. I foolishly did nothing to prepare the bike to be laid up for a month other than putting the cover on.


Turned the key and the dash sprang to life, let the fuel pump fill the carbs, this took a few seconds so I knew the contents had evaporated. It was already 20 deg out so I gave no choke. Turned the key and the starter motor did it's thing but there was no fire. Did this for a good 10 seconds and also gave half choke. Nothing. Turned off the lights to give the starter full current, tried again. It did eventually fire with half choke but it was running very weakly, about 300rpm, tried giving a little gas and it cut off. Started her again and it only fired after about 5 seconds of starter motor, again at about 300rpm. Tried gently applying more choke and it cut again. After a few mins of this eventually it started to warm up and ran like the good bike I know it is. The battery was nearly flat so this was quite lucky.


My thinking:
Probably just a fuel supply problem, too much air in the carbs which took a while to push through, I use Marvel Mystery Oil and she was only still for a month so I don't think dodgy fuel could be the cause.


Possible other causes:
Weak spark
Exhaust is original, the downpipes are starting to corrode on the outside, inside could be worse causing back pressure. (50 000km on the clock)
Cylinder 3 doesn't warm up as quickly as the others, carbs were recently balanced so this is something I decided to just live with.
Maybe ignition


Anyone else care to weigh in

daviee

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Re: Reluctant to start after a month in the sun
« Reply #1 on: 13 July 2018, 02:15:25 pm »
The fuel pump only primes for about 5 seconds if the carbs were empty then that would not be enough to fill them you would need to turn the key off and on again to let it prime more that's more likely the problem as not enough fuel in the carbs due to lake of priming 

mtread

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Re: Reluctant to start after a month in the sun
« Reply #2 on: 13 July 2018, 02:24:35 pm »
I've had the same. Fuel supply definitely

BBROWN1664

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Re: Reluctant to start after a month in the sun
« Reply #3 on: 13 July 2018, 02:38:29 pm »
As a guess...…

Sitting in the sun, the carbs have dried up and left a load of crap blocking the jets
Another ex-Fazer rider that is a foccer again

redmandan

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Re: Reluctant to start after a month in the sun
« Reply #4 on: 13 July 2018, 02:44:40 pm »
@Daviee - I did not know that, handy information. Next time I'll follow your tip.

@BBROWN - You're probably right, luckily it idled and revved up well after the initial starting problems so hopefully any deposits were flushed through.

Hugh Mungus

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Re: Reluctant to start after a month in the sun
« Reply #5 on: 13 July 2018, 09:02:09 pm »
As a guess...…

Sitting in the sun, the carbs have dried up and left a load of crap blocking the jets


I'd go with this. The temperatures we've been having I'd be very surprised if the carbs hadn't dried out.

redmandan

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Re: Reluctant to start after a month in the sun
« Reply #6 on: 13 July 2018, 11:43:59 pm »
Has anyone else had this problem with the temperatures recently?

Hugh Mungus

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Re: Reluctant to start after a month in the sun
« Reply #7 on: 14 July 2018, 06:19:13 am »
Not yet... My Fazer has been sat in the garage unused for about two weeks as I have been riding my other bike to work. I'm kinda hoping it won't have the same problems as yours... but as long as it starts eventually and then settles down to decent running I won't be concerned. If it doesn't settle down and run properly I will be calling myself a dope for not running the engine and keeping the carbs clean.

darrsi

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Re: Reluctant to start after a month in the sun
« Reply #8 on: 14 July 2018, 11:40:21 am »
Take the plugs out and give them a good clean, they may have had a reaction with the Mystery Oil and the heat after being left unused.


If you get it running lob a full bottle of this in a full tank of high octane petrol and it'll give the system a good clean.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STP-Complete-Fuel-System-Injector-Cleaner-Fuel-Treatment-Additive-400ml-Petrol/221355676730?epid=19020311935&hash=item3389d3943a%3Ag%3AbC4AAOSwIMxa1Mik&_sacat=0&_nkw=stp+complete&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=m570.l1313



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celticdog

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Re: Reluctant to start after a month in the sun
« Reply #9 on: 14 July 2018, 12:40:24 pm »
Yep, probably just been sitting Idle a bit too long. Take her for an Italian tune-up  ;)  just watch out for plod  :bobby
Treat everything in life the way a dog would- if you can't eat it or foc it, forget it.

His Dudeness

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Re: Reluctant to start after a month in the sun
« Reply #10 on: 14 July 2018, 12:43:07 pm »
Does it start now? Might just need a good trashing

redmandan

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Re: Reluctant to start after a month in the sun
« Reply #11 on: 14 July 2018, 01:14:09 pm »
Yes it started in the end and after warm up it was back to normal, just very reluctant initially. I think the culprit was empty carb bowls due to evaporation (maybe also deposits on the jets) and also a feature of the fuel pump that it only runs for 5 seconds after turning the key. in future I will turn the ignition on and off until the pump stops priming.