Venture Royal wont start.

[woz111]

Hi all. Still can't get my XVZ1200 84 model to run, I've sorted out the TCI unit, thanks Mike, and cleaned the carbs but it still refuses to start. I think I'll check and reset the ignition timing tomorrow, weather permitting. I think the problem's with the ignition timing because when the bike's turning over it's missing, giving out a loud bang every other spin, so that points straight to the ignition timing, right???

[muffinman]

That sounds like possibly the plugs are fouled from trying to start it.

Install new plugs

turn the engine over with no choke when it hits start adding choke but dont let off the starter button while doing this sometimes they are hard to get started the first time.

Jeff

[Squeeze]

Did you check the Resistances of the Pick up Coils ?

[Dano]

Are the coils plugged into the right connector????????? Trying to find the right schematic to let you know. OOps, dinner time.

[woz111]

Hi Squeeze, I checked the coils, all are good. The plugs are new as well as the plug caps so the spark's good. I've also tried swapping the coils around but still the same. It's late here now so I'll give it another go tomorrow. Thanks all.

[Yammer Dan]

Try a little starting fluid. Be carefull with it.

[mm482]

Have you checked cylinder compression?

 

Earl

[stardbog]

What about bad gas. if was sitting for a while. dont ask me how i'm figure out

[GeorgeS]

Have you Completly, Drained and Cleaned out your fuel Tank. ???

 

Have your Replaced the Fuel Filter ???

 

Have you Drained all 4 Carb Bowls, ???

 

The Petcock has a Screen Inside the Tank, This Screen Might be Plugged !!

I would remove and clean the Petcock assembly.

 

After Tank Clean out, Use some type of fuel Injector Cleaner, in about

2 gallons of gas, let the Fuel pump run this thru the Carb Bowl Drain Holes.

 

 

Each Carb has an Air Vent Hose, from top of carb, it runs aft and down to to belowe the Exhauset cross over, Check these 4 hose ends, to make sure they are Not Plugged . If No Vent, Carbs will not work

 

[Yammer Dan]

Mud daubers will find these vent lines. FrogMan knows all about that. Won't run.Starting fluid will see if you are getting fuel.If you can get it started with the fluid you need to pull gas line and do a strong soak with Sea-Foam.

[woz111]

I've not checked the cylinder compression as I don't have a compression tester, I have checked the tank which is spotless, and the filter as well as checking that petrol is getting to the carbs, all's fine as are the 4 hoses nice and clear, no blockages in them. I've also squirted plenty of starting fluid right into the carbs, still the same though? That's why I'm thinking it may be the ignition timing?

[Yammer Dan]

You got spark and gas something has to happen. Sure you didn't flood it?? You can flood these things and ruin a set of plugs. Don't know how timing could get that far out on one of these. Use finger in plug hole to make sure compression is there.

[Dano]

Can you do a test on the pickup coils??? Asking everybody else......

[woz111]

Just done a compression test and there's plenty of compression there, the bike's only done 29.000 miles so I didn't think anything was wrong there. The pick up coils are in the Left case? I'll try a test on these, I've had to replace quite a few electrical parts on this bike since buying it, starter motor/solenoid, repair the TCI unit as it was only sparking on 2 plugs. The starter motor was wired up wrong and shorting out on the main body, so it burned out a few things, maybe it's burned the pick-up coils out messing up the spark, just a thought.

Edited June 4, 2008 by woz111

[CrazyHorse]

Hi Squeeze, I checked the coils, all are good. The plugs are new as well as the plug caps so the spark's good. I've also tried swapping the coils around but still the same. It's late here now so I'll give it another go tomorrow. Thanks all.

 

I had fairly new plugs which didnt look fouled and had a spark but wouldnt start I tried a brand new set started right up.

[CrazyHorse]

I've not checked the cylinder compression as I don't have a compression tester, I have checked the tank which is spotless, and the filter as well as checking that petrol is getting to the carbs, all's fine as are the 4 hoses nice and clear, no blockages in them. I've also squirted plenty of starting fluid right into the carbs, still the same though? That's why I'm thinking it may be the ignition timing?

 

 

Starting fluid is very flammable if you dont get a reaction from that I'd say its a spark issue of some sort. I dont think you can adjust timing on these if I remember right. Try a new set of iridium plugs.

[Squeeze]

There's nothing to adjust or tune the Spark Timing. Only thing you can do is check the Pickup Coils and the Vacuum Sensor. Only thing i'd think of in this, your mounted the wrong Flywheel, from a 1990 VR.

 

I once read(prob. Greg_in_Lodon?) here, the Bike won't start without the Sensor, but if your's seem to work but is missing and misfiring, this sounds not to be the Culprit.

[Squeeze]

Starting fluid is very flammable if you dont get a reaction from that I'd say its a spark issue of some sort. I dont think you can adjust timing on these if I remember right. Try a new set of iridium plugs.

 

That's right, but i would stay away from Iridium Plugs as long as the Bike isn't running right. I've too much Hassle with those expensive Plugs even at running Bikes.

[woz111]

I agree with you Squeeze thinking about it, if the pick-up coils can't be adjusted and it's firing in sequence as it is then it can't be them. I did notice that on the front of the engine there's a long black box with pipes coming out of it, the right hand pipe has snapped off and there's another pipe behind the carbs that isn't connected?

[GeorgeS]

I'm assumeing you have a Service Manual, but just in case you do not.

 

Its here, on this web site: http://labs.trunkful.com/8385servicemanual.pdf

 

See page: 7-31 for " Pick up Coil " Resistance Check.

 

See page: 7-30 for " Ignition Coil" Resistance Check.

 

Also, in Ref to the pick up coils, there is NO Setting, they are mounted in one position and they are not adjustable. They either work correct, or they do not.

 

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Question: When trying to Start the engine, What Position are you holding the Throttle at ??

 

On these bikes, if you hold the throttle more then about 10 Percent to the Open Position, the Engine Will Not Start!! I know this sounds crazy but its true.

 

As a general rule of thumb, Engine Cold, about 1/2 choke, and throttle just open a little, it should start. If you go to about 1/3 throttle open, it Will Not Start.

 

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On the White, 5 wire Plug, where you did the resistance check " Thru the Pick Up Coils " did you do a Resistance check " Thru the Plug itself " On all 5 of the Wires ????

 

With plug connected, check thru each of the 5 pin connections, make sure you see ZERO ohms thru each. Stick meter leads on each side of plug.

 

Also, carefully tug, on each wire, to make sure the wire is tight in the

" Crimp" of the Pins inside the Plastic plug.

 

Have you cleaned the PINS? and applied dialectric greese to the pins ??

 

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Have you checked the " Main Idle Adjust" Speed, Screw ??

 

Is it backed out, enough, that that All 4 Throttle Plates, are going to the " Full Closed Position " ??

 

With Carb #2 at Full closed position, are the 3 Sync Screws allowing the other 3 carbs to also go to the " full closed position " ????

 

IN other Words, my question here is, With Throttle Closed, are all 4 Throttle Plates Actually closed , Also ?? Check this.

 

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Are your Carb diaphrams, in good condition ?

 

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Another comment, these Engines will run just fine, on 3 Cylinders !!

So, whatever your problem is, its affecting all the cylinders, not just One !!

Keep that in mind.

[Dano]

I agree with you Squeeze thinking about it, if the pick-up coils can't be adjusted and it's firing in sequence as it is then it can't be them. I did notice that on the front of the engine there's a long black box with pipes coming out of it, the right hand pipe has snapped off and there's another pipe behind the carbs that isn't connected?

That is your YICS system. Remove the tubes from the intake mounts under the carbs and cap them off. You've got a huge vacuum leak!!!!!!

[GeorgeS]

That is your YICS system. Remove the tubes from the intake mounts under the carbs and cap them off. You've got a huge vacuum leak!!!!!!

 

 

Agreed, that would keep it from running !!! Plug the vaccume leak.

 

Also, The Rubber " Caps " that are used to cap off the Vaccume test ports might be

" Rotted with Age " Check these Caps carefully for Cracks. make sure they are actually Sealing off the Ports.

 

Have you checked the Vaccume line that runs from the Left, Forward Carb up to the " Barrometric Pressure" Sensor. Make sure there are No vaccume leaks in this line.

 

Also, the " Barrometric Pressure Sensor " itself, ( the case of the assembly ) has been reported as causeing vaccume leaks. However that should not keep the engine from running. This problem would simply Lower Engine Performance to some degree.

[GeorgeS]

Have you seen this page avialable on this Web Site ??

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=15135

 

This One page, shows the Pin Out of the TWO plugs at the TCI, and the Correct Resistance Readings, at these TWO plugs.

 

If you have not as yet, done these Checks, I would reccomend doing these tests.

 

You might find something, Post the Resistance Readings that you find !!

 

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Question: Have you used an Electrical Contact Cleaner product, on All of your Handlebar switch's and your Ignition Switch ??

 

I'm not sure whats avialable in England, but here, CRC ( brand name ) 2-26, spray contact cleaner is a very good product. Especially for cleaning Electrical contacts.

 

Spray this stuff in your Ignition Switch, and Run-Stop Switch, also the TCI Plugs, and the Plugs going to each Ignition Coil.

 

And use it on the Plug from the Pick up coils.

 

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As your bike is OLD, I also suggest Useing Contact Cleaner on Every Electrical Plug, on your Entire motorcycle. All of them !! and the Relay's located up and behind the head light assembly.

Take a couple of hours, and Just spray down Every Plug on the Entire Bike.

 

You just, might , Inadvertently, "" Fix Something"" !!!!

[woz111]

Thanks for that George, MikeB has shown me this. I've now sorted out the YICS system and connected it all up, I've also tried starting the bike again, it's missing on the front two cylinders, "it would be as theirs no gas getting to the rear cylinders", so decided to take the carbs totally off again, the back two inlets were totally dry, so carbs are most definitely faulty. I'll start to dismantle them now and get back to you all.

Edited June 5, 2008 by woz111

[GeorgeS]

Let us know what the rubber diaphrams look like ??

 

Another check to do, from my last web site Link, In addition to the Resistance readings shown on the page.

 

Do the following Checks:

 

1. Remove the 8 pin plug from the TCI.

 

2. Remove the + cable from the Battery.

 

3. Turn Ignition Key to the " On " position, and Run-Stop to ON position.

 

4. Now, Read "Resistance" from the Loose End of + Cable (at battery ) to Each of Four pins of the Plug you removed from the TCI. PIN # 3, 2, 6, and 7.

 

You should read between about 3.6 OHMS to a Maximum of about 4.2 Ohms

on each of the 4 pins.

 

Post these 4 Resistance readings. If they are " High " ( example, 10 to 20 ohms ) then this --- might ---- be contributing to your problems.

 

Any High resistance in this Circuit, will affect the operation of your TCI.

 

GeorgS N7uy@comcast.net