New Cylinder Head, Now it won't start.

[davidsuserid]

I just put a new cylinder head on the bike and after putting everything together, now it won't start. The timing and intake/exhaust are correctly matched to the crank, and the bike turns over, it just won't catch. It just keeps trying and trying trying. I have tried all the suggestions on here, thinking maybe I flooded it. And I double checked the timing etc. twice. The spark plug isn't but a couple months old, and there is a spark, cause I took it out of the head and cranked it while observing the plug, and a spark was present.

Any ideas???? It was unseasonably cold the last couple of days, but it has been cold before and it still started right up, so I don't think that is it.

[Easy Rider]

and there is a spark, cause I took it out of the head and cranked it while observing the plug, and a spark was present.

Any ideas????

OK, you have spark, next is fuel. Have you left it in the PRIme position for a while? Probably need to get some starting fluid next (ether). You are using full choke, right ??

With a head change, a compression test might be in order too.

How about a refresher on WHY you changed the head in the first place ??

[davidsuserid]

Just another note, I had some troubles with the ignition coil a few months back, I had to scrub the contact points off and it worked after that. Now, I know for sure there is a spark, I can visually see one, but does it need to be a super strong spark, or will any old spark do? I am wondering if the coil is going bad and the really cold weather just exasperated the problem

[JWR]

My bike has a strange starting ritual.

If it cranks over and does not start, I turn off the red kill switch, turn it back on, and it starts ever time. It has always been this way.

Might be a contact, but it is not worth the trouble to check.

Might have to try this a couple of times.

Jerry

[davidsuserid]

I changed the cylinder head because it had a rusted bolt in it that i couldn't get out. I got a used one from Version on here and it was in perfect shape. I think I am going to check all my electrical connections and such tomorrow and see if that helps. I know gas is getting into the cylinder because I can light it through the spark plug hole and it will burn off quick.

At first I thought I had the camshaft on reverse, but I checked it twice and it is correct. Any other ideas while I am tinkering around tomorrow?

[Easy Rider]

I changed the cylinder head because it had a rusted bolt in it that i couldn't get out.

I know gas is getting into the cylinder because I can light it through the spark plug hole and it will burn off quick.


Oh, yes, I remember now.......it was running fine and there was nothing wrong with the head but you just didn't like the looks of the rusted bolt; wasn't that pretty much the story ?? :roll:

Make sure your insurance is paid up before you go lighting gas in the plug hole again.

I quit.

[davidsuserid]

I'm sorry, did I do something to offend you? Do chrome accessories and saddlebags, and floorboards make a bike run better? No, they don't, at least the thing I put on was a functional part of the bike. I am tired of your holier than though attitude towards EVERYONE that asks a simple question on this board, so I am gonna go ahead and put you on my ignore list so I don't have to weed through your sarcastic belittling remarks, thanks for playing..

[Easy Rider]

I am tired of your holier than though attitude towards EVERYONE .....

You pretty much missed the point. It's not everyone.
Bye.

[music man]

I am tired of your holier than though attitude towards EVERYONE .....

You pretty much missed the point. It's not everyone.
Bye.


I don't want any part of this argument (so in other words I am not commenting on that part of this discussion), but I will say that lighting up gasoline in your cylinder head through the spark plug hole is probably one of the top bad ideas that I have heard on this site, cause I kinda thought that the whole concept of the cylinder head was to produce and keep all that gasoline combustion INTERNAL.

[patrick_777]

Also, just because it ignites at the plug hole doesn't mean there's sufficient fuel in the cylinder during the ignition phase. The residual vapor in the cylinder will always ignite. There are much better ways to check gas flow to the cylinder than this.

Have you checked all of your vacuum lines?

[music man]

Also, just because it ignites at the plug hole doesn't mean there's sufficient fuel in the cylinder during the ignition phase. The residual vapor in the cylinder will always ignite. There are much better ways to check gas flow to the cylinder than this.

Have you checked all of your vacuum lines?


(Yea what he said) Very good explanation there Patrick.

[davidsuserid]

I have checked the vacuum lines that I know relate to fuel. When it does ignite, it is only a little poof, so maybe it is that it isn't getting enough fuel. I am going to take it apart again this afternoon and take another look at it.

[patrick_777]

I haven't followed your ongoing efforts so maybe I'm rehashing old things. Have you made sure the fuel petcock "filter" isn't clogged in the tank? Are you certain the carb is getting gas? Have you sprayed/poured gas into the carb, then fired it?

[davidsuserid]

As far as i can tell it is getting gas. I drained the float bowl and a lot came out, and every time i take the tank off, gas drains out of the supply line after i disconnect it. I did take a look in the head from the intake side, and it didn't look wet at all, but I don't know if it is supposed to.

[GZ250]

may be there is not enough gas in the gas tank, try the lighter there......... :) hahahahahaha

[patrick_777]

:haha: :haha: :haha:

Nice one.

[alanmcorcoran]

C'mon guys, you know David is a bit sensitive, plus, he spent a lot of time effing with his bike and now it won't run, and yet... you can't help yourselves.

I worry that one day 98.9% of all posts will be from Easy, Patrick and me. And mine are completely worthless.

[davidsuserid]

It doesn't bother me, obviously if it was such a bad idea, something bad would have happened by now. I know enough about engines to know the amount of fuel inside the cylinder isn't enough to do a whole lot of damage, especially if the piston is on the down side of the stroke leaving a lot of room for combustion in the chamber and there is a hole for the gas to escape once it is lit. It doesn't bother me because it isn't an issue.

Anyway, back to the point of the post. I have checked all the places that gas goes, and none of them are clogged, it would seem the carb is getting gas fine, but whether it is passing it on or not, I don't know, and I am not about to go taking that thing apart. I am probably gonna take the whole bike up to a shop this weekend and have them look at, I know it is something simple I am just overlooking. Oh, and I'll be sure to warn them not to light the gas tank with a lighter, thanks for that heads up.

[alanmcorcoran]

David,

I was going to recommend it was time to hit the bike shop, but I figured you were trying to save money and, maybe, face. When I've taken on challenging fixes that involve tricky disassembly and re-assembly, there's always an element of man against machine and I hate to surrender prematurely. I take it personally when the machine wins.

[mr. softie]

Just my .0002% worth, but knowing that gasoline vapors ignite explosively, why are you even near the bike with a flame?

[mrlmd1]

I had this problem with a small outboard I took apart and put back together, twice, 'till I figured it out.
Any chance you have an air leak from a bad seal at the top of the head when you put it back together and when you try and fire it up, there's a small air entry through there and it's so lean it won't fire off? You should check that again, maybe need a new gasket or sealer in there.

[Easy Rider]

Just my .0002% worth, but knowing that gasoline vapors ignite explosively, why are you even near the bike with a flame?

Careful now, that is getting dangerously close to a "holier than though [sic]attitude". :shocked:

[GZ250]

[quote="mr. softie":12prswg1]Just my .0002% worth, but knowing that gasoline vapors ignite explosively, why are you even near the bike with a flame?

Careful now, that is getting dangerously close to a "holier than though [sic]attitude". :shocked:[/quote:12prswg1]


didn't your mom tell you , not to play with flames....... hahahahahahaha

[dan_]

Ah all those classic tunes. Back da fuck back and Stomp a hata. Genius.

I hate what some people call music.

BTW. That guys ink is totally cheesy.

[alantf]

david, I hope that when you refer to "a little poof" you realise that, to an Englishman, it means a small homosexual! Ah well, "bollocks" to political correctness.

[patrick_777]

Pretty sure that's exactly what he was referring to, alan. :redflip: