Hard to start after 1 week sitting

[cabreco]

I KNOW that other gen 1 owners must have this issue.

My 84 has a new 4 brush starter & a new fully charged battery. If I let her sit for a week (on center stand) then try to fire her up I usually get a nice fast cranking but she won't fire up right away. I will play with the choke & keep hitting the starter, but eventually the battery runs out of juice.

I slap the trickle charger on her for 20 minutes & try again an after the third shot she fires up.

 

Obviously the gas in my float bowls drys out. I do let the started click until it stops before I ever hit the starter button initially)

 

So the question here is: aside from just starting her everyday, is there a "TRICK" (twist throttle set choke IDK kiss tailpipe & rub guardian bell) that any of you have tried that works for you?

 

BTW I used to get a bad gas smell as you guy may recall, after a ride when I parked...that cleared up on it's own. (Don't know it it's related)

[Snaggletooth]

Can't remember last time mine sat for a week. Maybe last winter. And that was before i installed the new disphargms. Only thing I've ever done go improve on cold fire up was cycle the switcth 3 or 4 times to refill the fuel bowls. No cranking the throttle. Quick flip on the choke to full right back to half choke. Hit the button and she's running. Maybe IM just lucky.

 

From my Droid wherever I may happen to be at any given moment.

[cabreco]

Can't remember last time mine sat for a week. Maybe last winter. And that was before i installed the new disphargms. Only thing I've ever done go improve on cold fire up was cycle the switcth 3 or 4 times to refill the fuel bowls. No cranking the throttle. Quick flip on the choke to full right back to half choke. Hit the button and she's running. Maybe IM just lucky.

 

From my Droid wherever I may happen to be at any given moment.

 

I'll give it a shot net time up. BTW she has new diaphrams too.

The reason she sits is I have a CB750 that I use locally.

 

 

My Venture is usually for 2 up with the Mrs.

[Power Trippin]

I say....ride the venture more and try seafoam. I hope I didn't step on anyones toes, about the seafoam. Seriously, though, try seafoam!

[Wizard765]

Mine is the same if it sits for awhile. I guess the bowls are draining. I have to turn my key on 4 or 5 times and let the pump fill the bowls. Just turning it on once isn't enough and the pump has a timer so it quits after a few seconds. I just keep restarting it until it stops clicking altogether. A little choke if it's cold out and she starts right up.

[cabreco]

I say....ride the venture more and try seafoam. I hope I didn't step on anyones toes, about the seafoam. Seriously, though, try seafoam!

 

LOVE Seafoam

 

My Gen1 is addicted to the stuff!

[frankd]

Mine is the same if it sits for awhile. I guess the bowls are draining. I have to turn my key on 4 or 5 times and let the pump fill the bowls. Just turning it on once isn't enough and the pump has a timer so it quits after a few seconds. I just keep restarting it until it stops clicking altogether. A little choke if it's cold out and she starts right up.

 

Instead of turning the key off to recycle the fuel pump timer, you can just rock the kill switch to the OFF position, and then back ON and this will reset the timer.

[pmelah]

thats what i do but mine dont sit long enough unless shes sick:sick: like now :bang head::bang head::bang head::bang head:

[10spd]

I will have to try the kill switch thing in the morning. My 88 is kinda hard to start in the morning. I also have both of my bikes addicted to seafoam. love the stuff.

[Flyinfool]

At most I get one or 2 clicks out of the pump when I turn on the key, this meas that the float bowls are not draining out.

 

Start with SeaFoam to see if it will fix your carb ailment.

 

Park the bike with full bowls, and sit and watch for any leaks.

[cabreco]

At most I get one or 2 clicks out of the pump when I turn on the key, this meas that the float bowls are not draining out.

 

Start with SeaFoam to see if it will fix your carb ailment.

 

Park the bike with full bowls, and sit and watch for any leaks.

 

Jeff,

Until about 2 months ago (I've owned her for 18 months now) whenever I parked after a ride she would stink to high heaven (no leakes) I replaced hoses, tightened boots, overdosed on Seafoam etc. After my 1800 mile trip to Dragons tail, she was cured.

 

I ALWAYS form the day I bought her get at least 10 to 15 clicks out of the pump when I turn on the key. I have parked on newspaper no leakes. I have inspected the carb bank, no leaks yet the bowls seem to evaporate.

 

I'm happy the stink is gone when she's parked in the garage (happy wife), & the 4 brush starter is GREAT. Normally she fires right up, even after 2 or 3 days...after 5 is when the issues start.

[rstacy]

Jeff,

Until about 2 months ago (I've owned her for 18 months now) whenever I parked after a ride she would stink to high heaven (no leakes) I replaced hoses, tightened boots, overdosed on Seafoam etc. After my 1800 mile trip to Dragons tail, she was cured.

 

I ALWAYS form the day I bought her get at least 10 to 15 clicks out of the pump when I turn on the key. I have parked on newspaper no leakes. I have inspected the carb bank, no leaks yet the bowls seem to evaporate.

 

I'm happy the stink is gone when she's parked in the garage (happy wife), & the 4 brush starter is GREAT. Normally she fires right up, even after 2 or 3 days...after 5 is when the issues start.

 

So two months ago you overdosed it on Seafoam...why should it need it again?

 

Both of my Gen 1 bikes pump for 10 to 15 clicks when I turn them on.

I regularly have one sit for a month and the other for a couple of weeks.

1/2 choke, bump the starter with a simultaneous small twist of the throttle and either one is off and running immediately.

[cabreco]

So two months ago you overdosed it on Seafoam...why should it need it again?

 

Both of my Gen 1 bikes pump for 10 to 15 clicks when I turn them on.

I regularly have one sit for a month and the other for a couple of weeks.

1/2 choke, bump the starter with a simultaneous small twist of the throttle and either one is off and running immediately.

 

 

No No Ray 2 months ago the stink issue cleared up after an 1,800 mile run.

When I replaced the fuel lines shortly after I bought her, from carb to petcock, I ran straight Seafoam into the cars & let her sit a few days. It was a bear to fire up then!

 

She's been on a 2oz per tank Seafoam diet since then!

[Venturous Randy]

Instead of turning the key off to recycle the fuel pump timer, you can just rock the kill switch to the OFF position, and then back ON and this will reset the timer.

 

 

This is what I do. Turn in the ignition switch and cycle the kill switch several times. I will do about half choke and most time fires right up. Sometimes I will have the choke off and as it starts cranking over, I will start adding choke. Never use any throttle until it starts.

RandyA

[Marcarl]

Don't open the throttle until it fires, it changes the flow in the carbs and then it won't start.

[cabreco]

So after the 2 1/2 weeks of snow, sleet. rain etc I went to the garage to fire up the bikes. My 81 Honda fired right up as usual. (now that I have cutoff switches installed on the alarms) The 1st Gen...not so good. I clicked the emergency switch as Venturous recommended.(works well most times) It took 5 clicks for the fuel to stop clicking. She cranked normally but would not fire. I played with the choke and she sputtered but the more I cranked the more drain on the battery. She's on the charger now & in a few hours I'll be able to fire her up...but it is such a pain. I guess she will have to live on a battery tender.

 

Sometimes I think I shudda gone with a Goldwing.

[Venturous Randy]

Andy, when you turn the ignition switch on, the fuel pump will click. When you cycle the kill switch, it will click again. Keep cycling the kill switch until it quits clicking. There have been times that I have cycled my kill switch maybe six or eight times before the fuel pump no longer clicked. I may have misread what you posted, but are you cycling the kill switch off and on until the pump no longer clicks?

One other thing, whenever you have used a strong dose of Seafoam, you may need to replace the spark plugs. These bikes are very sensitive to spark plugs. I have used Autolites that I get from Advance Auto for years and they are cheap and work as good as anything else I have tried in the last 19 years.

RandyA

[cabreco]

Andy, when you turn the ignition switch on, the fuel pump will click. When you cycle the kill switch, it will click again. Keep cycling the kill switch until it quits clicking. There have been times that I have cycled my kill switch maybe six or eight times before the fuel pump no longer clicked. I may have misread what you posted, but are you cycling the kill switch off and on until the pump no longer clicks?

One other thing, whenever you have used a strong dose of Seafoam, you may need to replace the spark plugs. These bikes are very sensitive to spark plugs. I have used Autolites that I get from Advance Auto for years and they are cheap and work as good as anything else I have tried in the last 19 years.

RandyA

 

Spark plug are next on my spring agenda. They are 2 years old and I did run Seafoam heavily when I first got her.