HELP!! Bike won't start - Honda Shadow Forums : Shadow Motorcycle Forum

deadshadow · 12-02-2012, 09:35 PM

I'm no good at trouble shooting so hoping someone can give me some ideas of where to start. I'm NOT mechanically inclined so any help would be appreciated. (92 VT600 with 42K miles)

So I bought another VT600 to turn into a bobber. High mileage but runs (well.. ran) great. Finished conversion today and now it won't start. I haven't don't anything at all to the engine or anything else that should impact it starting.

Started everytime on the first hit of the starter until yesterday. Yesterday I kept hitting the starter and it would turn but not fire. Could smell the gas and see gas fumes out the exhaust. Thought that since I was messing with throttle earlier I had flooded the engine. Let it sit and later it started up. Stopped and started it a few times with no issue. This morning the same thing happened but after a few seconds it fired and then ran great. Rode it around. Stopped/started a few times. Let it sit a couple hours and now.... it turns and turns but will not start (killed battery trying so had to hook it up to charger... tried again... same).

John Hopkins · 12-02-2012, 10:06 PM

Charge the battery then get a good sparkplug, unplug any one of the plugcaps and plug it into the spare plug, using a piece of wood press the thread of the spare plug against the metal of the engine and look at the electrode, watch for a spark..repeat this for all four plugs..If you have a good spark on all four then you either need new plugs or you have a fuel fault..if you have no spark you have an electrical fault..

Before you do any of that, one question..

Did you remove the air filter?

Oh and put a rear fender on before you ride anywhere wet...Thats why we call them Mudguards..

John.

Sgoatley · 12-02-2012, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Hopkins

Oh and put a rear fender on before you ride anywhere wet...Thats why we call them Mudguards..

John.

I agree......not to mention if you were to slip off of that little seat.....well lets just say you won't be singing jingle balls anytime soon

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vonh · 12-03-2012, 01:45 PM

Yep, trouble shoot the ignition system. Get a good manual and just follow the steps. Check the stickies here and see if yours is available if not thats your first move. If you plan on keeping the bike get the shop manual its expensive but money well spent!! Then if you don't understand a procedure we can help you.

gat803 · 12-03-2012, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deadshadow

I'm NOT mechanically inclined
I haven't don't anything at all to the engine or anything else that should impact it starting.

Removing the mufflers IS doing something to the engine. I would start looking for the problem there.

luisr320 · 12-03-2012, 03:53 PM

I think she's mad at you

deadshadow · 12-03-2012, 05:59 PM

Yes...she is mad at me. I made her so very ugly.

Started right up each time after removing the mufflers....until this weekend of course.

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OHjim · 12-04-2012, 02:03 PM

Hate to ask but have you made sure that the kill switch is on? Don't ask me why I'm asking . . . .

deadshadow · 12-04-2012, 02:45 PM

Yes....however, the engine turns regardless of which position the kill switch is in. It has been suggested to me that I look into that as well.....if it was some issue with the kill switch wouldn't it completely keep power from going to the motor?? (Rather than turning over like its doing?)

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deadshadow · 12-04-2012, 07:58 PM

So it seems the issue did have something to do with the start/stop switch. Took it apart and cleaned/reinstalled and started right up. Hopefully that's the end of it. Thx for ur help.

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12-02-2012, 09:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
deadshadow Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Richmond, VA 23226 Posts: 400	HELP!! Bike won't start I'm no good at trouble shooting so hoping someone can give me some ideas of where to start. I'm NOT mechanically inclined so any help would be appreciated. (92 VT600 with 42K miles) So I bought another VT600 to turn into a bobber. High mileage but runs (well.. ran) great. Finished conversion today and now it won't start. I haven't don't anything at all to the engine or anything else that should impact it starting. Started everytime on the first hit of the starter until yesterday. Yesterday I kept hitting the starter and it would turn but not fire. Could smell the gas and see gas fumes out the exhaust. Thought that since I was messing with throttle earlier I had flooded the engine. Let it sit and later it started up. Stopped and started it a few times with no issue. This morning the same thing happened but after a few seconds it fired and then ran great. Rode it around. Stopped/started a few times. Let it sit a couple hours and now.... it turns and turns but will not start (killed battery trying so had to hook it up to charger... tried again... same).

12-02-2012, 10:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
John Hopkins Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Tredegar,South Wales, near England, not far from Scotland. Posts: 3,475	Charge the battery then get a good sparkplug, unplug any one of the plugcaps and plug it into the spare plug, using a piece of wood press the thread of the spare plug against the metal of the engine and look at the electrode, watch for a spark..repeat this for all four plugs..If you have a good spark on all four then you either need new plugs or you have a fuel fault..if you have no spark you have an electrical fault.. Before you do any of that, one question.. Did you remove the air filter? Oh and put a rear fender on before you ride anywhere wet...Thats why we call them Mudguards.. John. __________________ Beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes right to the bone. Last edited by John Hopkins; 12-02-2012 at 10:08 PM.

12-03-2012, 03:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
luisr320 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Lisbon, Portugal Posts: 519	I think she's mad at you __________________ Honda VT750C 83 Full Restoration Log Photo compilation (5 minutes video) Riding my Honda VT750 to the marina (14 minutes video)

12-03-2012, 01:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
vonh Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Squamish,B.C Posts: 202	Yep, trouble shoot the ignition system. Get a good manual and just follow the steps. Check the stickies here and see if yours is available if not thats your first move. If you plan on keeping the bike get the shop manual its expensive but money well spent!! Then if you don't understand a procedure we can help you.

12-03-2012, 05:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
deadshadow Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Richmond, VA 23226 Posts: 400	Yes...she is mad at me. I made her so very ugly. Started right up each time after removing the mufflers....until this weekend of course. Sent from my iPhone using Motorcycle.com Free App

12-04-2012, 02:03 PM	#8 (permalink)
OHjim Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 29	Hate to ask but have you made sure that the kill switch is on? Don't ask me why I'm asking . . . .

12-04-2012, 02:45 PM	#9 (permalink)
deadshadow Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Richmond, VA 23226 Posts: 400	Yes....however, the engine turns regardless of which position the kill switch is in. It has been suggested to me that I look into that as well.....if it was some issue with the kill switch wouldn't it completely keep power from going to the motor?? (Rather than turning over like its doing?) Sent from my iPhone using Motorcycle.com Free App

12-04-2012, 07:58 PM	#10 (permalink)
deadshadow Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Richmond, VA 23226 Posts: 400	So it seems the issue did have something to do with the start/stop switch. Took it apart and cleaned/reinstalled and started right up. Hopefully that's the end of it. Thx for ur help. Sent from my iPhone using Motorcycle.com Free App

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