Won't start after winter storage...help

[Hornet232]

Hi guys, The weather up here in Michigan is awesome right now BUT I can't get my dog to fire up...
2000 Husky
Only had it 1 1/2 years and it was hard to fire up last spring also but it's really being a bitch this spring and doesn't make sense.

Battery is fine, tested turns it over no problem always on a tender.
Just to make sure I drained fuel tank, replaced fuel filter and line, new fuel and I can see the main jet in the carb working.
When it turns over it just doesn't want to ignite and fire up. If I spray a little starter fluid in the carb it fires up for 1-2 seconds and then dies out, so I know I have spark and compression. It just doesn't ignite the fuel...

The carb was fine last fall but could it be something in that? I checked the adjustment screws to make sure they were ok.

Am I overlooking something simple. My 69 Sportster is a hard starter in the spring also but the BigDog should have fired up by now...scratching my head here and want to get on the road this weekend bad!!

Any thoughts appreciated, thanks

 

[Brew]

If it's cranking when you spray starter fluid in the carb, common sense says your not getting proper fuel delivery. When you say you can see the main jet working, are you saying you can see fuel spraying when you twist the throttle?

 

[Hornet232]

Yeah when I twist the throttle you can see fuel spraying.

I don't have any experience with the internal workings of a carb. Never had a problem with one on a car or bike and never had one apart. After the flapper it goes right into the chamber right?
What else could be wrong with the carb preventing fuel from reaching it?

thanks

 

[Brew]

Might want to pull your plugs and see if they're fouled. If they're fouled, change them. Also see if they're wet, if wet then you know your getting fuel. That'll be a good starting point.

 

[Sven]

Did you drain the gas out of the carb before storage?
Is there fuel to the carb?
Can you unscrew the drain plug to smell bad gas?
Can you see fresh gas flow if the assumption you never drained the float bowl for storage?
That float bowl screw or lower bowl cap are for thinks like; draining for storage/check for good fuel flow/check for stuck float so no gas is entering.

Yeah, best carb cleaner to date is straight vinegar dip. Chem dip is for the birds. So if you happen to drop the bowl, find gummy gas that turns into balsamic reduction, dip the parts in 5% vinegar to clean up carbs that sat too long with gas in them.

 

[seavee]

I think Sven is spot on. It might not hurt to throw some new plugs in it when you get it cleaned out. Try not to use to much starting fluid its not good for the motor.

 

[BigDogBro1]

Buy some Seafoam and add it to the new fresh gas in the tank and use it to clean the carb. Make sure the fuel flows throught the gass line to the carb. Remove the line from the carb a open petcock valve...it should flow well from tank unless screen is plugged or other issue.

The other day when I got my bike prepped, I removed the plugs and spun over the engine to pump oil to the top end before firing it up. While spinning over the engine you could see gas vapor blowing out of the plug holes in each cylinder on My EFI bike.

 

[Th3InfamousI]

I'm not going to say to do this but I used to own a bike that would never start in the spring. I had a full charge on the battery and it just wouldn't go. I always pushed started it in my driveway, and it started up perfect the rest of the year. Did it again the following couple years, then sold the bike.

Never figured out what it was but didn't care cause it was only a 1 time p/yr deal.

If you go that route maybe next year every 2-3 weeks go start it to keep it fresh might not have to do it.

 

[Nukeranger]

I would replace the jets and clean the carb.

 

[BadBrad]

One other thing to look for. Take a flashlight and look into your tank and make sure the liner is still in tact. Both mine and Rocky's liner separated and had to be relined. The liner could be plugging your petcock filter. Other than that, I'm with Huw. There's a "how to" on this forum for removing/cleaning/installing your S&S carb. Not really that hard. Ethenol fuels could have gummed up your jets or caused your float to stick preventing it to allow gas into the carb. Changing plugs like others mentioned is always a good annual maintenece event.

 

[Sven]

I think Sven is spot on. It might not hurt to throw some new plugs in it when you get it cleaned out. Try not to use to much starting fluid its not good for the motor.

I think Sea is spot on. No starting fluid. You can grow studs, if not pull them out of the case. There is a flow problem. When you see this forum with all these bikes, every last one is starting their bike with starting fluid, right? Hey, your bike, your call.

You need to weed out the damage that is about to happen [posts]. You need to be spot on with the start my bike and it is one or the other. Either I have no spark, no compression, no fuel at all. You die on the side of the road with that concept with the, "DO I HAVE?"

Well, it starts = Spark is present.
Well, the spray [WD-40] is less volatile, i.e., blows the head off the studs, she starts again = Has compression.
Well, it can only be one of 3 variables. It must be fuel = WD/Carb clean/started it = We have a winner!

And if you want carbon off valves without even taking a steel brush or wheel to it, I used a tiny brass brush to push the carbon off.

Dip it in vinny.
Dip it in water.
Clean it off with carb clean so the jet holes take the acid and gum out. Or use gum out to finish off the water wash. Air dry or air blow. Assemble and remember how many turns in of the air screw [without sending that needle home] you'll ruin both the needle and the body's taper. So, never send the needle home, just feel it end but be careful.

 

[Oscar Maldonado]

Check your needle valve also. I had that issue already and found that to be the problem.

 

[BadBrad]

Looks like you're fixing to work on your first carb ever. Congratulations! It's really not that much too it. There are "how to's" on this forum or you can go to S&S and get their version. Either way, that carb needs to be pulled, cleaned and inspected. Not a bad time to go ahead and replace the needle/seat and float. You can get a rebuild kit for minimum money that has instructions on where everything goes.

 

[Hornet232]

Well, yup I worked on my first carb ever! :up:

First of all, thanks for all the input guys it really helped get me going in the right direction. I figured it must be the carb but I hate tearing into something when I'm not sure and it ends up being something else. So hearing from yall was nice to know...

I spent a few hours during today going back to school and watching videos on youtube.
S&S has some great info on their website and also some good videos on youtube.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mDU3MRmm9A]S&S Super E&G Carb Basic Setup - YouTube[/ame]
Rebuilding The S&S Shorty Series Carbs
S&S Cycle | Carb Quick Guide

Then had to run over to Iron Eagle Motorcycles in Grand Rapids MI and get a parts kit they had in stock.

I pulled the bowl down and it was pretty filthy inside but I don't have any prior experience to compare it to. So I cleaned everything with some carb cleaner, that works great!
Then I replaced:
Accelerator pump cap
accelerator pump actuator spring
ejector shaft o-ring(that was missing when I dropped the bowl)
accelerator pump bellows seal
Bowl gasket

BE CAREFUL when you pull off the bottom of the bowl to get to the Accelerator Pump cap, there are 2 tiny BALL bearings just sitting on the top of 2 springs, if they go flying it'll be a bitch to find them again.
I didn't have new jets so I just cleaned out the main jet good and as much as I could get to.

I reinstalled everything, crossed my fingers and BAM We have lift off!

Started right up. Can't believe I didn't have a pain in the arse problem come up about something. That's pretty rare for my luck.
It was too late and dark to take it for a test drive. Have to wait til tomorrow but the weather should be even better here in Michigan, surprise...

Thanks again bros

 

[Brew]

Good news! Glad to hear that you got her going, now ride that thing... :2thumbs:

 

[stlmikie]

Good on you Hornet! Just remember how good this felt. Next time you have something that comes up do a little research and get them hands dirty.

 

[Nukeranger]

:2thumbs: Excellent. Now try to keep ethanol free gas in the gas tank.

 

[BadBrad]

Not only do you save a few bucks doing your own work, it's a great "self satisfaction" when that mother fires up! Nice job...

 

[Choppergirl]

:2thumbs:

 

[toomanybikes]

With the wonderful 10% ethanol fuel available in most areas now, using a fuel stabilizer, especially one for ethanol fuels, is just about mandatory if your bike is going to sit for more than a couple of weeks. Even with the use of a fuel stabilizer you will proably need to clean the carb every year or so because the ethanol does some nasty stuff to fuel systems.

While you were cleaning the carb, did you check the jet sizes so that you will know what jets are in the carb when you want to try tuning it? Good job on getting the bike running and doing the research to find the videos and other information to do the work.