[Kalebrown87]

so i just got my 08 spirit750 on wednesday. it started fine every time before i bought it, when the guy delivered it, and when i rode it thursday, but yesterday was different and i'm beginning to think this may be a somewhat common occurance with these 750s from what ive read. i cranked it up yesterday afternoon and it started just fine, i pushed in the choke a little, then the rest of the way in as normal, i put it in first gear, eased off the clutch and it died. i couldn't get it to start back up. i put the battery on charge while i went work and tried cranking it again when i got home and still no fire. idk what to do or where to start and it's got me pretty upset seeing as how i just bought this thing... It wasn't the kill switch and even flicked it a couple times to make sure nothing was stuck. i've ready it could be the plugs, the carb, the coil, the filter, the float and needle, etc... i'm completely new to bikes and i've owned it since wednesday so this is really sucks as you can imagine. any thoughts?

 

[smilie]

You're not playing with the throttle when trying to start it, are you? If so, you WILL flood it.

 

[tugboat01]

Is the fuel off?

 

[Kalebrown87]

not until my last attempt before bed. when i did, it sounded like it was going to start (it coughed?) then it just quit again.

 

[Kalebrown87]

the fuel is on lol

 

[smilie]

Make sure you're not out of gas. It's happened.

 

[Kalebrown87]

that was my very first thought when i cranked for a minute yesterday. it was on reserve and i was about to go get gas. i got my gas can and put a good bit in yesterday.

 

[smilie]

Are you running the battery down when cranking it? Do you know how old the battery is? If you've been running the battery down in cranking, fully charge it and have it load tested. And DON'T keep cranking on it if it doesn't start right up. You can cook your starter. Let it rest between tries.

 

[jimbo2]

It is my guess you are flooding it and have maybe fouled your plugs. The choke is not a choke per say, it is an en richer. It basically dumps fuel and if you are twisting the throttle at all you are flooding it. Only pull the choke out a little way when you start it. only as much as you need and no more than you have to keep it running. On my wifes 750 I leave the choke alone and give the throttle a twist or two before I start it then hold the throttle for a second or two after it has started then leave it alone. I don't use the choke at all on either of our bikes and have in fact removed it from my VTX.

 

[adlowe]

http://www.hondashadow.net/forum/72...do-i-check-when-my-motorcycle-wont-start.html

 

[KCochran]

http://www.hondashadow.net/forum/72...do-i-check-when-my-motorcycle-wont-start.html

Well sir, that right there seems to be the question don't it?:mrgreen:

 

[John Hopkins]

so i just got my 08 spirit750 on wednesday. it started fine every time before i bought it, when the guy delivered it, and when i rode it thursday, but yesterday was different and i'm beginning to think this may be a somewhat common occurance with these 750s from what ive read. i cranked it up yesterday afternoon and it started just fine, i pushed in the choke a little, then the rest of the way in as normal, i put it in first gear, eased off the clutch and it died. i couldn't get it to start back up. i put the battery on charge while i went work and tried cranking it again when i got home and still no fire. idk what to do or where to start and it's got me pretty upset seeing as how i just bought this thing... It wasn't the kill switch and even flicked it a couple times to make sure nothing was stuck. i've ready it could be the plugs, the carb, the coil, the filter, the float and needle, etc... i'm completely new to bikes and i've owned it since wednesday so this is really sucks as you can imagine. any thoughts?

That is supposed to happen if you have the side stand down.

John.

 

[Kalebrown87]

the side stand wasn't down. I called a friend over that has been riding for decades. we determined that it had to be fuel because the plugs were sparking and were dry. we got to the carborator and he fiddled with it. he had me try cranking it while he messed with the throtle for a bit and it cranked right up. he said that he thinks when i put gas in it yesterday that it had knocked loose some garbage in the tank because he doesn't think it's been run much lately and the garbage clogged the the needle and seat. i took it for a ride and he did too. he tweeked the clutch cable and the throtle a little for me as well. i'm so excited right now!

 

[KCochran]

Congrats on the fix! Now if its really fixed, and it was trash in the gas, tank, etc, I would suggest you check, clean or replace, all screens and the fuel filter. and go ride!

 

[596]

I had the same type problem when I bought my VLX 600 a few months ago. I had no idea not t touch the throttle at all. Just pull out the choke and hit the start switch and it starts every time. I obviously flooded that puppy once or twice before I figured it out.

Also. I ran out of gas about 2 weeks after I bought it. I switched over to reserve and got to a gas station. The bike ran like sh*t during that ride. I tried keeping it on reserve even after I filled her up but it still ran bad. I've been running it in and out of reserve trying to burn that old gas and not picking up the junk in the bottom of the tank. So far so good. Eventually I'll run it in reserve all the time.

 

[John Hopkins]

As KC says you should both change the inline fuel filter. When you take the old one off make sure you fit the new one the right way round, they have an arrow.. Then use a hacksaw to cut the old filter in half lengthways to see what is clogging it.

If your bike only has one carb it should be easy to remove and clean..there are dozens of threads about how to clean carbs on this forum, use the search button to read a few and if you decide to go ahead take photographs of every nut, pipe and twist and label them count the number of turns as you undo every screw and jet and make notes so you don't make any silly mistakes when re-assembling.

John.

 

[Kalebrown87]

update: the bike, after running fine, wouldn't start again. we drained the carburetor to make sure there was no water in the bowl and to our supprise only got about a teaspoon of gas. from this we concuded that fuel was not making it to the carburetor. we fiddled with the carburetor and trying to crank the bike with no success until my friend paul covered the carburetor with his hand, creating a vacume, and it cranked right up. we removed the gas tank and drained it to see if there was anything clogging the screen or tubes. the screen was clear and we decided to the check the petcock and diaphragm. evidently the previous owner or mechanic had the petcock taken apart but when they reassembled it, one side of the diaphragm had gotten folded back which wouldn't allow it to create a proper vacume. we reset the diaphragm properly and it cranked on a dime multiple times. it has sat in the garage for the last 3 days because of bad weather; i went out and cranked it this evening and it cranked right up again. i do believe the problem is officially and permanately resolved.