Starting issue 🤦

[Barden95]

Hi everyone.


I need to pick the brains of the gurus over a starting issue.


I’ve had my budget bitch fox eye 6 months, bought as a non runner. A fuel drain and filter change, e5 with redex, a jump pack and a lot of winding over sprung it into life a few days later. I then started going through the service docs to check the specs of everything to eliminate the basics. Along with the filter change it’s had a new set of the correct spark plugs, NGK plug caps (old ones were out of spec for resisance), coil checks which read fine, a clean up of the wiring for the ignition barrel and the r/h switch assembly and the carbs swapped for some newly cleaned and bench synced ones.


She will start but it does involve choke, throttle and a lot of turning over. When started she revs well, pulls through the gears.


I’ve not run compression tests or checked valve clearances yet, unfortunately a lot of my free time is spent chasing round after a toddler at the minute 🤷🏻


Are there any other common issues that I should look at before I go down the compression and clearance route?


Thanks for your help,


Ian

[BBROWN1664]

If you have changed the fuel filter, air filter and plugs, that just leaves mixture and compression. Compression is not a common issue so check the carbs. Pilot screws out 2 1/4 turns and then balance the carbs (including checking the TPS before and after)

Using the choke on a cold start is quite normal on a carbureted bike

[Barden95]

Thanks for the reply, I have heard that valve clearances are very rarely out of spec and I’m not experiencing any smoke to indicate head gone or rings shot but I’m up for being surprised. Do you know if the kill switch malfunctioning will cause a complete dead or will the bike still turn over? I have confirmed I’m getting spark through each lead previously but starting to wonder about possible poor spark or timing issues?

[BBROWN1664]

The kill switch would stop everything.
If the clutch switch or side stand switch were playing up it wouldn't turn over either.

[darrsi]

https://foc-u.co.uk/index.php?topic=26685.msg330868#msg330868

[Barden95]

Am I right in thinking that your bike turned over normally but wouldn’t fire up with this duff starter relay?


Thanks for the reply!

[darrsi]

Am I right in thinking that your bike turned over normally but wouldn’t fire up with this duff starter relay?


Thanks for the reply!

It was unknowingly breaking apart, so it started misbehaving at first, mainly with trouble starting, then i was on my way to work and everything electrical cut out. But this was during cold weather too, so if the battery is low when when sets in that can cause starting issues too, but i wouldn't have guessed the starter relay to be honest, even more so as it had recently been replaced.
I had replaced it, but bought a cheap one that just fell apart, which i found weird as it doesn't even move anywhere the way it sits beside the battery?
Not something i had much knowledge of though, i must've just bought the first one i saw online.
Spent more money on another new one and got it delivered very quickly to the bike shop who got it up and running straight away for me, as my bike is my only transport.

[Barden95]

*Update*


I found a bit of time in my weekend to get to the cams. All of my exhaust valves are below clearance spec and most of my intake are cutting it fine!


Next job, shims 🤟🏻


Thanks for the replies everyone