Bike won't start - Page 2

**jonathan180iq** · 03-11-2013, 04:05 PM

You could also just shoot the switch with some WD-40, wiggle it like a snaggle tooth and pray for the best.

Water Warrior 2 · 03-11-2013, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathan180iq

You could also just shoot the switch with some WD-40, wiggle it like a snaggle tooth and pray for the best.

A little contact cleaner if some is handy might be better but either product would be easier than taking a housing apart and risking a spring explosion. Keep it simple and see how it works.

mrlmd1 · 03-11-2013, 09:14 PM

You said you charged the battery but that doesn't mean anything. We don't know what you did to charge it. what you used, what the battery voltage was when you started and then finished, what is was 6-12 hours later. You every easily could have a dead battery.

Could you measure the battery voltage at the terminals at rest with everything off, and then when you go to start it, and let us know what they read. If you don't have a voltmeter or multimeter, then go buy one for as little as $4-5 because you will always use it.
The headlight and horn may work but the voltage may be too low to turn over the starter.
Do you hear the starter solenoid clicking or any noise when you go to start the bike?
And of course the clutch handle is pulled in when you go to start it, right?

Did you ever try and start it by connecting with jumper cables to a good 12 V battery, like in a NON-RUNNING car? You never answered that question or suggestion.

Do these first before you go out and buy all kinds of stuff that may not be needed. You have to start at the beginning and see if you have a good source of 12.8 V electrical power before working your way down the line and wasting your time and energy and money.

Water Warrior 2 · 03-12-2013, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathan180iq

Did you drain the carb before storage?

Nope. Lynda just shut it off as normal after a ride and let the bike sit. Just made sure the carb was primed for the first ride in the spring. Also worked the clutch a few times to loosen up the clutch plates and it was good to go with an extra 4 or 5 seconds on the starter.
I honestly expected the bike to balk and run like junk for a while but Lynda never had a complaint with the first spring ride.

I would and do suggest to everyone to use fuel stabilizer when storing a bike though. The benefits far outweigh the price of the product and I feel it helped with Lynda's M-50 that we just sold. The bike sat from last April until 3 or 4 weeks ago and was never started. It did have a full tank with stabilizer and started with a short push of the button. No sputtering or stalling either.
I did have a conversation with the new owner recently and he is more than pleased with the bike. I could hear him grinning over the phone.

**jonathan180iq** · 03-12-2013, 12:02 PM

That's awesome. I've actually become friends with the person who bought my last bike. He would periodically call or text me from time to time over the last year when little issues would come up. And seeing as how it was a Chinese bike, no one else really had any quick knowledge to give the guy. Plus, he was a little younger and it was his first bike ever, so I had no problem obliging him.

You just don't get that kind of camaraderie with cars... I've not once spoken to someone who bought a car from me, and I've sold quite a few. The bike scene is just more personal.

mrlmd1 · 03-12-2013, 03:55 PM

Nice going Jonathan. You sold an unsuspecting, trusting newbie a defective bike? And then had a guilty conscience so you kept talking to him and advising him so he could keep it going a little while longer? (J/K, but you know that). :poke2:

And mgherman - any results from measuring battery voltage and the other things I asked you to do?

**jonathan180iq** · 03-13-2013, 10:34 AM

Haha... Going back over what I wrote, it DOES kinda look like that...

mgherman · 03-13-2013, 04:16 PM

mrlmd1-sorry for the late relpy. I used a battery charger from a friend of mine. When I started charging it, the display wouldn't show anything and then when finished it (could be wrong) was around 2-3.
Don't have a voltmeter or multimeter, have to buy one.
No, there isn't any noise when I go to start the bike. The clutch handle is pulled in when I tried to start it.
Have to try by connecting with jumper cables to a 12 V battery.

Thank you for the advice.
I'll let you know after I'll try all of the above.

bmxr123 · 03-13-2013, 08:18 PM

If there is not even a "click" from the starter solenoid but your bike lights up then you are looking at a break in the ignition circuit. QD (CNC) electronics cleaner is your friend.

Assuming all fused connections have been checked and battery leads are tight:

-Remove the kickstand switch and spray inside while pressing and releasing the switch.Do this until you once again feel the definitive "metal on metal" feeling.
-Disassemble the starter switch and get both the starter button AND the kill/run switch clean (with QD cleaner and a small carb brush or something similar)
-Clean the clutch safety switch plug and its contacts(found at left switch / clutch handle area) Or just connect a 1/2 inch wire to each end of the harness-side of the plug as a temporary "test-mode" method.
-Clean and check neutral indicator switch (behind the front sprocket cover).
-Disconnect the plug on the starter solenoid and clean the contacts on both sides. Take out the 20amp fuse in the solenoid and spray some cleaner while working that fuse in and out a few times.

I have brought a lot of back to life with the above steps. I usually do this without even breaking out the multimeter, as it shouldn't take more the 45 minutes to cover all your bases anyways.

The GZ250 i recently worked on had Co-existing issues found in both the kill/run switch(oxidation) and the kickstand switch(road grime/chain grease inside of the switch that you could feel and hear!). The bike would not start and run properly until BOTH of these issues were addressed.

Electrical issues can be so discouraging but they can be made easy if you are prepared(with QD cleaner and a small brush set) and thorough. Not all continuity issues can be solved with a can of cleaner and a brush, but while clicking the "buy it now" button you can at least say you tried! In all seriousness though, cleaning the electrical parts associated with the ignition circuit USUALLY works. hehe

mrlmd1 · 03-14-2013, 12:03 AM

All of the above is fine but if you don't have a fully charged battery to start with, you are wasting all of your time.

Like I said before, first check the battery voltage.

If it's low (12.8 V is fully charged), then hook the battery up with jumper cables to a NON-RUNNING car and try to start it.

If then nothing happens, then have at all the electrical connections and safety switches. etc., 'till you find the problem.

I don't know how many times this has to be repeated -- You must start at the beginning and work down the line to find the problem. Any problem. There is a stepwise procedure or order to follow instead of a shotgun approach where if you get lucky you may fix it but you have no idea what was wrong.
There's no sense in digging into the electrical system if your battery is dead, so start there.

03-11-2013, 04:05 PM	#11
jonathan180iq Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dalton, GA Posts: 3,996	Re: Bike won't start You could also just shoot the switch with some WD-40, wiggle it like a snaggle tooth and pray for the best. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

03-11-2013, 09:14 PM	#13
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Bike won't start You said you charged the battery but that doesn't mean anything. We don't know what you did to charge it. what you used, what the battery voltage was when you started and then finished, what is was 6-12 hours later. You every easily could have a dead battery. Could you measure the battery voltage at the terminals at rest with everything off, and then when you go to start it, and let us know what they read. If you don't have a voltmeter or multimeter, then go buy one for as little as $4-5 because you will always use it. The headlight and horn may work but the voltage may be too low to turn over the starter. Do you hear the starter solenoid clicking or any noise when you go to start the bike? And of course the clutch handle is pulled in when you go to start it, right? Did you ever try and start it by connecting with jumper cables to a good 12 V battery, like in a NON-RUNNING car? You never answered that question or suggestion. Do these first before you go out and buy all kinds of stuff that may not be needed. You have to start at the beginning and see if you have a good source of 12.8 V electrical power before working your way down the line and wasting your time and energy and money. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

03-12-2013, 12:02 PM	#15
jonathan180iq Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dalton, GA Posts: 3,996	Re: Bike won't start That's awesome. I've actually become friends with the person who bought my last bike. He would periodically call or text me from time to time over the last year when little issues would come up. And seeing as how it was a Chinese bike, no one else really had any quick knowledge to give the guy. Plus, he was a little younger and it was his first bike ever, so I had no problem obliging him. You just don't get that kind of camaraderie with cars... I've not once spoken to someone who bought a car from me, and I've sold quite a few. The bike scene is just more personal. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

03-12-2013, 03:55 PM	#16
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Bike won't start Nice going Jonathan. You sold an unsuspecting, trusting newbie a defective bike? And then had a guilty conscience so you kept talking to him and advising him so he could keep it going a little while longer? (J/K, but you know that). :poke2: And mgherman - any results from measuring battery voltage and the other things I asked you to do?
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03-13-2013, 10:34 AM	#17
jonathan180iq Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dalton, GA Posts: 3,996	Re: Bike won't start Haha... Going back over what I wrote, it DOES kinda look like that...
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03-13-2013, 04:16 PM	#18
mgherman Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Schaumburg, IL Posts: 9	Re: Bike won't start mrlmd1-sorry for the late relpy. I used a battery charger from a friend of mine. When I started charging it, the display wouldn't show anything and then when finished it (could be wrong) was around 2-3. Don't have a voltmeter or multimeter, have to buy one. No, there isn't any noise when I go to start the bike. The clutch handle is pulled in when I tried to start it. Have to try by connecting with jumper cables to a 12 V battery. Thank you for the advice. I'll let you know after I'll try all of the above.
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03-13-2013, 08:18 PM	#19
bmxr123 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 11	Re: Bike won't start If there is not even a "click" from the starter solenoid but your bike lights up then you are looking at a break in the ignition circuit. QD (CNC) electronics cleaner is your friend. Assuming all fused connections have been checked and battery leads are tight: -Remove the kickstand switch and spray inside while pressing and releasing the switch.Do this until you once again feel the definitive "metal on metal" feeling. -Disassemble the starter switch and get both the starter button AND the kill/run switch clean (with QD cleaner and a small carb brush or something similar) -Clean the clutch safety switch plug and its contacts(found at left switch / clutch handle area) Or just connect a 1/2 inch wire to each end of the harness-side of the plug as a temporary "test-mode" method. -Clean and check neutral indicator switch (behind the front sprocket cover). -Disconnect the plug on the starter solenoid and clean the contacts on both sides. Take out the 20amp fuse in the solenoid and spray some cleaner while working that fuse in and out a few times. I have brought a lot of back to life with the above steps. I usually do this without even breaking out the multimeter, as it shouldn't take more the 45 minutes to cover all your bases anyways. The GZ250 i recently worked on had Co-existing issues found in both the kill/run switch(oxidation) and the kickstand switch(road grime/chain grease inside of the switch that you could feel and hear!). The bike would not start and run properly until BOTH of these issues were addressed. Electrical issues can be so discouraging but they can be made easy if you are prepared(with QD cleaner and a small brush set) and thorough. Not all continuity issues can be solved with a can of cleaner and a brush, but while clicking the "buy it now" button you can at least say you tried! In all seriousness though, cleaning the electrical parts associated with the ignition circuit USUALLY works. hehe
	0

03-14-2013, 12:03 AM	#20
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Bike won't start All of the above is fine but if you don't have a fully charged battery to start with, you are wasting all of your time. Like I said before, first check the battery voltage. If it's low (12.8 V is fully charged), then hook the battery up with jumper cables to a NON-RUNNING car and try to start it. If then nothing happens, then have at all the electrical connections and safety switches. etc., 'till you find the problem. I don't know how many times this has to be repeated -- You must start at the beginning and work down the line to find the problem. Any problem. There is a stepwise procedure or order to follow instead of a shotgun approach where if you get lucky you may fix it but you have no idea what was wrong. There's no sense in digging into the electrical system if your battery is dead, so start there.
	0