Hi everyone. I've gone through the forum and seen a number of potential issues, but If I could ask for your collective thoughts on this issue .
I haven't used my 03 60,000miler for a month or so due to illness and then bad weather. Yesterday I started her up. She started first press of the button and ran sweet as a nut. It has been running well prior to this.
So today, as the rain had eased a little, I togged up, dragged her out of the garage and pressed the button. Everything is as per usual, pump runs etc but the engine just spins over with no attempt to start. There is no FI light. Tried side stand up and down, flicked the kill switch, clutch etc - no change. The battery by this time did seem a little sluggish, so I put her back in the shed and put the charger on.
I plugged in the code switch and no fault code was shown (C00). After a couple of hours, and the battery charger showing it had finished, I tried to start her again. Still no luck. Then there was a huge backfire. So I thought I'd best back off and have a little think!
Could it be the battery I am wondering? I did the ignition switch clean some months ago after a period of lumpy running and removed the alarm at the same time, but other than that she has been running really well. I always use top grade fuel and the fuel in the tank is about a month old.
Any thoughts at all?
Thanks in anticipation. :)
Chip.
Hi, doesn't sound like battery, seeing as you charged it up & it spins over. I'd be checking the fuel flow & spark. Take the fuel hose off at the injector rail, put a lengthening bit on the hose & turn on the key, see how much fuel it's pumping per minute. Then there's the fuel pressure to check.
I reckon it's either the filter in the pump has got blocked or the pressure regulator has come off the pump. Either case, it's tank off n pump out for inspection.
2 cents worth from downunder, hope ya get it sorted.
Hiya KiwiCol
Thanks for your ideas. I did see the thread on the fuel pump issue and I reckon that could be the way to go. There isn't a smell of fuel coming out the exhaust, so it does look like there is no fuel getting through.
Looks like I,m gonna be in the garage over the next few days. I've got a friends Triumph 350 on my stand, so it might be a day or two before I can get onto mine! I'll keep you all informed.
Thanks again. What a cracking forum!
Have a nice Xmas. Chip
Could be mucky contacts in the ignition switch, squirt of contact cleaner would help.
Second I'd check for an intermittent clutch switch. Pull the wires off and short across with a paper clip to see if she starts.
If that doesn't work, trace the 2 wires from the kill switch down to the plug in the headlamp shell and again just short across with the paper clip, and try.
Gut feel is that it's one of the 3 causing the problem.
I'd go with what Barmy said about the ignition switch too. The only times my bike every plays up starting it's that, if you can't hear the fuel pump prime for 3secs when you turn the ignition on then it's almost always the ignition switch.
Just spray some contact cleaner (or WD40 but that'd not ideal) down it. You can get water setting on the switch & stopping it connecting properly.
Intank fuel filter is my bet. If the clutch interlock switch is dodgy it won't even turn over. Had that last ride in the rain - wouldn't turn over after stopping. At least yours turns over but doesn't fire. Also check the plug leads.
Try half a bottle of injector cleaner in the tank, mine sat for about 2 months and also started backfiring and carrying on. The injector clean helped immediately. I would be inspecting the tank internals quite closely.
I'm with Col on the pressure regulator being dislodged.
I have to agree with Col on the pressure regulator especially as there is no smell of petrol after repeated cranking. If you have some easy start give the airbox an quick squirt and try to start it, if the engine fires but does not run that will confirm it.
Thank you all for your suggestions.
I went round and split and cleaned any plug that I could reach with the side panels off. I also put the battery on charge overnight.
Can you believe it - she started first button press this morning, but the battery seemed to have to work very hard.
This reminded me that earlier this year I had a charging issue which resulted in me needing a new stator and regulator / rectifier. A trusted dealer (Orwells in Ipswich) thought we had got away with the battery, but I am now suspecting that it might need replacing.
I haven't had time to properly check the battery, but if todays floods have receded by the morning, I will try and get the bike out, and check it all out again.
Once again guys - I am indebted to you all for taking the time to offer help and advice. Its very much appreciated.
Hope you have a great winter break and enjoy yourselves.
Chip :)
Glad it's running again
The folk here can normally help.pin point a problem with a bit of input.
Be safe out there this winter .
:cheers:
Really pleased that you`ve got her running again, it`ll be good to know that things stay that way so please keep us posted (no pun intended!).
Thankfully most issues of this nature are resolved by checking the absolute obvious, ie. visual check of wiring; HT leads (definite); plugs; filter & sensors (side stand?), before thinking of taking the bike to bits, especially as you have (in this case) no fault code.
I had a severe slow running problem with my mint Bandit`12 and naturally thought `jets`, having not used the bike for over a year. After three awkward carb strip-downs and no improvement I decided to check the obvious (Doh!) and started by snipping off 1cm of the offending cylinders HT leads - literally two minutes later the bike ran like new! Apparently, HT leads are prone to corrode at the plug end on Suzukis...... :rolleyes:
Are the plug leads just a push fit into the caps then? I've considered doing that to mine as it plays up in the wet these days, but never investigated it properly.
Basically, yes.
Disconnect the HT lead from the plug, check there is sufficient slack in the lead to trim it, peel back the small rubber outer sleeve, turn/twist the plug cap and pull away from the HT cable. Snip off around 1cm of HT lead and reconnect it by twisting and pushing, replace the rubber sleeve.
A simple additional visual check of plug caps and HT leads (especially during this damp & wet weather) is to start the bike in your garage, switch the lights off, and while the bike is ticking over have a look at the plug caps and HT leads. If you see any `arking` anywhere, you`ve got a problem so replace the part.
Happy New Year to all, and a safe 2020. :)
@Hooli the plug leads are sealed (for as long as it lasts)into the coils at that end.
I think all this chat is about trimming the plugcap end of the leads.
It helped with emma's bikes wet running trimming the plugcap ends of her HT leads.
:cheers:
Correct Seth, for the avoidance of doubt, I was referring to the plug cap end of the leads - keep away from the coil end to avoid damaging the seals. :onya:
Quote from: seth on Friday, 27 December 2019, 07:22 PM
@Hooli the plug leads are sealed (for as long as it lasts)into the coils at that end.
I think all this chat is about trimming the plugcap end of the leads.
It helped with emma's bikes wet running trimming the plugcap ends of her HT leads.
:cheers:
Aye I was referring to the plug end too Seth.
Mine tends to run on about 2 1/2 pots for the first half mile on cold damp mornings (under about 5c) then behave. Smacks of damp ignition to me, not really surprising as I've never touched the leads excreta except to occasionally take the plugs out.
Another good way to check your leads and plug caps for leakage is to wet your hands and run them over the HT area's while engine is running, if there's a problem you will soon pinpoint it.
Just had another thought about this, probably better to replace the caps as that's likely where the corrosion is, I am assuming the leads are carbon, I'd be surprised if they are not.
Quote from: Irish in Oz on Saturday, 28 December 2019, 06:15 AM
Another good way to check your leads and plug caps for leakage is to wet your hands and run them over the HT area's while engine is running, if there's a problem you will soon pinpoint it.
Would it not be more accurate if you used your tongue ?
Quote from: Kiwifruit on Saturday, 28 December 2019, 03:21 PM
Quote from: Irish in Oz on Saturday, 28 December 2019, 06:15 AM
Another good way to check your leads and plug caps for leakage is to wet your hands and run them over the HT area's while engine is running, if there's a problem you will soon pinpoint it.
Would it not be more accurate if you used your tongue ?
As a lot of us are getting old, you could use your dick to save bending down
Quote from: Hooli on Saturday, 28 December 2019, 05:37 PM
Quote from: Kiwifruit on Saturday, 28 December 2019, 03:21 PM
Quote from: Irish in Oz on Saturday, 28 December 2019, 06:15 AM
Another good way to check your leads and plug caps for leakage is to wet your hands and run them over the HT area's while engine is running, if there's a problem you will soon pinpoint it.
Would it not be more accurate if you used your tongue ?
As a lot of us are getting old, you could use your dick to save bending down
Doesn't work for all of us now... Would It?
I would still need to bend my knees... And With an unheated shed....My reach is limited to belly button size :rolleyes:
To go off topic from the current topic...
I trimmed my leads when I got home on the bike tonight so I'll see if it works in the morning as I'm off out again.