[gisummers]

Hey everyone, I've very new here, so I'm probably going to do this wrong. I have ordered a Haynes manual and surfed YouTube for hours. Still can't find answers. I just bought a 2001 Honda Shadow VT600CDA. It has been sitting in someone's yard for over a year. I changed the spark plugs, took the tank off and emptied it, didn't take the carb off but cleaned what I could get to. It cranks, but won't start still. So I'm thinking fuel pump, but I can't find one anywhere. Is it possible that the guy I bought it from, got rid of it? And fuel filter...I think I found the only thing it has, which is a screen barrel looking thing that is kind of inserted into the bottom of the gas tank. I took it out and cleaned it and put it back in because no one close has one. Still won't start. Going to do the sea foam stuff tomorrow. But does anyone know where the fuel filter is? It's not under the seat. It's not to the right of the ignition either. Any other ideas out there? Thanks for reading this!
Ginger

 

[Troy Jollimore]

Look down underneath, around the belly of the bike. If anything, you should be able to trace the fuel lines from the tank down. As far as troubleshooting goes, I’d try a little gas in the cylinders to try getting it to fire. Then you can work back through the carbs to the pump if it’s trying to run.

 

[swifty2014]

Your model may only have the filter screen in the tank on the petcock.

Honda Motorcycle 2001 OEM Parts Diagram for FUEL TANK | Partzilla.com

Buy OEM Parts for Honda Motorcycle 2001 FUEL TANK Diagram

www.partzilla.com

 

[Ramie]

If it was me the carbs would be the first thing to come off and get torn apart and cleaned. Experience has taught me that it's never worth trying to skip that step if a bike has been sitting that long.

 

[PhantomRider64]

I would check to see if the spark plugs are working first. All the gas in the world is not gonna help if there is no spark. While you have the plugs out haw wet are they? Dry as a bone next step is the carbs. But make sure of a good fuel supply to the carbs first.

Eric


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gisummers]

I would check to see if the spark plugs are working first. All the gas in the world is not gonna help if there is no spark. While you have the plugs out haw wet are they? Dry as a bone next step is the carbs. But make sure of a good fuel supply to the carbs first.

Eric


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for answering. Yes, the spark plugs are new, and gapped correctly. Each have fire to them. The old ones were a little black, but they were not horrible. I've ordered an Auto Petcock Valve. It seems that the gas is not getting past that thing. This is one of the few years that had one of those, and they had a recall on it. I'm hoping the new one works. If not, I will follow directions on how to bypass the whole thing.

 

[gisummers]

If it was me the carbs would be the first thing to come off and get torn apart and cleaned. Experience has taught me that it's never worth trying to skip that step if a bike has been sitting that long.

Thank you for answering. Carb is my next step. A little scared to do it. I haven't done much mechanic work since high school. I will take lots of pictures with my phone, so I know how to put everything back. And the throttle cables look like they are going to be tricky to unhook and then hook back up correctly.

 

[gisummers]

Your model may only have the filter screen in the tank on the petcock.

Honda Motorcycle 2001 OEM Parts Diagram for FUEL TANK | Partzilla.com

Buy OEM Parts for Honda Motorcycle 2001 FUEL TANK Diagram

www.partzilla.com

That's what the Honda place said when I tried to buy a new fuel filter for it. I ordered one of those.

 

[PhantomRider64]

Thanks for answering. Yes, the spark plugs are new, and gapped correctly. Each have fire to them. The old ones were a little black, but they were not horrible. I've ordered an Auto Petcock Valve. It seems that the gas is not getting past that thing. This is one of the few years that had one of those, and they had a recall on it. I'm hoping the new one works. If not, I will follow directions on how to bypass the whole thing.

If the petcock is vacuum actuated you will need to put it on prime to get the fuel to flow to the carbs until the engine is running.

Normal operation is to put in prime for a few seconds to fill the fuel bowls and then put in run.

Eric


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gisummers]

Look down underneath, around the belly of the bike. If anything, you should be able to trace the fuel lines from the tank down. As far as troubleshooting goes, I’d try a little gas in the cylinders to try getting it to fire. Then you can work back through the carbs to the pump if it’s trying to run.

It does try to start when I put some gas in the cylinders. So so so close to turning over. I think I've tracked it to the Auto Petcock Valve. Gas doesn't seem to be getting past that.
Thank you for answering. I appreciate the advice.

 

[gisummers]

If the petcock is vacuum actuated you will need to put it on prime to get the fuel to flow to the carbs until the engine is running.

Normal operation is to put in prime for a few seconds to fill the fuel bowls and then put in run.

Eric


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Eric,
Prime and run? I don't know what that means. Sorry. I have a choke. I hold it while I'm trying to start the bike. If it would ever start, I would let the choke go. LOL. This is an old bike. 2001. And the auto petcock valve does have a little hose that runs to a cylinder on the backside for air/vacuum. The backside of the auto petcock valve has a tiny diaphragm in it. That's the part that needs air/vacuum.

 

[PhantomRider64]

Eric,
Prime and run? I don't know what that means. Sorry. I have a choke. I hold it while I'm trying to start the bike. If it would ever start, I would let the choke go. LOL. This is an old bike. 2001. And the auto petcock valve does have a little hose that runs to a cylinder on the backside for air/vacuum. The backside of the auto petcock valve has a tiny diaphragm in it. That's the part that needs air/vacuum.

Does the auto petcock have a lever that you can turn? Most petcocks I have seen have a lever you turn to access different functions, usually prime, run (the normal/vacuum operated setting), and reserve. There should be markings on it. If not you could hook up a hand vacuum pump to it to make it open so you can get gas to the carbs.

Eric


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gisummers]

Does the auto petcock have a lever that you can turn? Most petcocks I have seen have a lever you turn to access different functions, usually prime, run (the normal/vacuum operated setting), and reserve. There should be markings on it. If not you could hook up a hand vacuum pump to it to make it open so you can get gas to the carbs.

Eric


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No. No levers that I can turn on the auto petcock lever. The petcock has options: Fuel On, Off, and Reserve, but this auto one was designed as a safety feature when the bike falls over. It automatically shuts off the fuel supply to the carb. Or that's what it is supposed to do. I will look into the vacuum pump idea though. Thank you for answering.

 

[Troy Jollimore]

‘Tries’ to start with gas in the cylinders… It SHOULD start, and run for a few seconds, on just that tablespoonful of gasoline, if everything else is good.

 

[Weinie]

I have a 99 VT600CD with the same issue and mid-diagnosed it as a carb issue. Tore off the carbs THREE TIMES with no fix.

the drain screw at the bottom of the carb. If dry, you have no fuel in the carb.

If so, I suggest you squirt some starting fluid into the air intake as you engage the starter. If the engine fires and runs ONLY during small spurts of starting fluids, the electrical is good and the carbs work, leaving the petcock as the issue. They sell rebuild kits & it’s easy to rebuild - take photos during tear down

 

[Kenstone]

Not to jump in here on what you have going on...
USING STARTING FLUID, sprayed into the intake while cranking, to start it is way easier than pouring gas into the cylinders.
If it doesn't continue to run, crack open a float bowl drain to check for gas getting to the carbs.
NO-GAS, continue back to the petcock.

IF you do determine it is the fuel pump, there is an easy/cheap way to convert it to a vaccuum pump that eliminates everything electrical: relys, fuses, wires, switches, etc.
jmo,
.

 

[Troy Jollimore]

That’s assuming you have STARTING FLUID. I know I don’t. Pretty safe assumption you have access to gasoline if you’re trying to start an engine, though… 😉

 

[gisummers]

That’s assuming you have STARTING FLUID. I know I don’t. Pretty safe assumption you have access to gasoline if you’re trying to start an engine, though… 😉

Yes, I bought some starter fluid. I have to get it all back together now. Right now I have it apart, cleaning fuel lines and jets. Anxious to try it again. LOL. Thank you for answering.

 

[Troy Jollimore]

Just don’t get TOO anxious. Do a thorough job. As a word of caution, my Shadow was hard-starting since it was bought brand-new in ‘83. My father would give it shots of ether (Diesel Quik-Start) to get him going to work in the mornings. One morning, it was particularly reluctant, and he didn’t notice all the spray he was using was settling in the intake. When it fired… WHAM… The front cylinder just wasn’t quite the same after that…

 

[PhantomRider64]

Just don’t get TOO anxious. Do a thorough job. As a word of caution, my Shadow was hard-starting since it was bought brand-new in ‘83. My father would give it shots of ether (Diesel Quik-Start) to get him going to work in the mornings. One morning, it was particularly reluctant, and he didn’t notice all the spray he was using was settling in the intake. When it fired… WHAM… The front cylinder just wasn’t quite the same after that…

Yup you have to use starting fluid sparingly or bad things happen.

Eric


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk