just refuse to start

[jsbulat]

Hi,
Could you please help me?

My GZ250 just refuse to start.
Usually it was starting very easy, but once it stall on the stop sign when i release the clutch at wrong shift. After that it not even "sneeze" when trying to start. Battery is fully charged and ive checked the spark-it's ok.

Is this known issue and what can you recommend?

Thank you.

PS. 1) Does not start whether i use choke or not.
2) Battery is good, spark looks good. Turns very good.
3) There is a lot gasoline in air filter chamber (probably because of desperate cranking).

[JWR]

Change or clean the spark plug.

[Rookie Rider]

Welcome aboard. Make sure you have gas in the tank and its not empty............... Hey, it happens.

[alantf]

See 3) above. Did you flood the engine while trying to start it? If you did, it needs to sit & dry out for a while, with the plug removed.

[jsbulat]

Thank you for reply.
I left it overnight, recharged battery and replaced spark plug. Also rechecked fuel level...

I managed to start engine, but it stall again in a few seconds. While starting i had to turn throttle control all the way. Motor sounds weird - very loud and unstable. More like shooting rather than purring.
If I've use choke or let throttle go little bit forward - it stalls.
White smoke of unburned gasoline coming out muffler.

Any idea what should i check next?

I am not professional, but i am afraid there could be problem with the camshaft or ignition timing, because there was no any sign of trouble before. It just stop starting after i've started moving on wrong gear (not sure).

[jonathan180iq]

How thick is the white smoke? Are you sure it's not blue or blue/gray?

There is a long tube that hangs from the bottom of the air box. It has a plug on the bottom. Pull that plug and drain the gunk out of your air box. Then pull your left side cover to access the air filter. Remove the air filter and remove any debris that may have accumulated on it. Leave the air filter out, and try to start to the bike. If it starts easier with no restriction, then I know what your problem is.

Do you keep up with maintenance on this bike regularly, or do you just kind of ride it until something happens? Simply bogging down in gear and killing the motor shouldn't have caused any real problems.

[jsbulat]

The smoke was not thick but clearly visible and it was white.
Once i drained air box and remove air filter, smoke disappear, but this is only improvement. It still starts only on full throttle. Once i touch the choke lever - engine stall. And the sound is still weird.
Air filter looks clean.

I do not know about maintenance - i just got this bike and rode only about 50 miles (out of 1000 on odometer). It is possible that previous owner did not perform maintenance regularly.

[jonathan180iq]

There are certainly some issues... Has the bike been sitting for a long time? White smoke indicates moisture. It's simply burning off condensation and whatever small amounts of carbon residue are able to be burned away. The best thing for a bike that has been sitting is to get her running again and to take it out for a long ride, but to do that, we have to get it to crank.

When you bought it, had he already cranked the bike and warmed it up? So far I don't know if you have an air delivery or fuel delivery problem. From cold, apply full choke and do not use the throttle. It is very common on these bikes for choke to be needed almost year round, except for the hottest days of summer.

Have a friend hold a dollar bill over the end of the exhaust when you try to crank it. It should not ever be sucked in towards the exhaust, it should only be blown away, as a steady angle. (It's just a little test. I'm eliminating variables)

You didn't do anything wrong by trying to start it in the wrong gear. We've all done that. If something has failed at the same time, it's not because of that.

[jsbulat]

jonathan180iq,
Thank you for the tip. I will try this thing with the dollar bill tomorrow and post results.

I have rode this bike 3 times before this happen and it was starting flawlessly. Yes, i always have to use choke on cold engine.

This problem came out of nowhere - i took it for inspection (it started easy) and then, on my way back that happen. (I did not get inspection because of dry front tire).

I do not have experience with bikes, but i have experience fixing and troubleshooting my old car in 1990s. Same simple design (only difference in the number of wheels and cylinders . If it were my old car i would say it is the problem with ignition timing or timing chain slipped one tooth (not sure if it is correct wording) and camshaft has no synchronization with the crankshaft and as the result valves are out of sync (worst case scenario). In the car it will most certainly ruin valves, pistons, cylinder block head. As i understand this is why you suggest "dollar bill" test.
Another, less likely possibility, is that idle regulator died.
Not sure what of this could be applied to the bike though.

Just being paranoid - week before that i forgot key in the ignition for 5 days and drain out battery. I put battery on charger before the day bike died. Cant see if it could possible be related, but "what if..."

[Rookie Rider]

What part of New York are you from ?