Sudden non starting.

[Nogginthenog]

Good evening guys.....although I registered a while back I have been too busy to spend much time here due to starting my own business, but I now find I HAVE to.
I have a 98 carb Bird, with some 72,000 miles up. She has always started and run beautifully, and we are chucking her in the back of the van in a week and a half and heading down to the Pyrenees for a couple of weeks riding in nice weather for a change. However, as of yesterday, for no apparent reason, she wont start. Being aware that they are a bit sensitive to low voltage in the battery I hooked her up to a car battery with over 13.7v.....I have lifted the tank, checked fuel flow, checked the sparks from both coils, and all seems well. But she wont start.........not even with easi start.....its getting awfully close to leaving for France.....HELP !!!!!!!

 

[noobie]

I know your going to tell me to feck off,

but have you checked you haven't accidentally pushed the big red kill switch on?

Do you have an alarm that has an immobiliser in it?

Have you checked the connections on the sidestand kill switch?

 

[Nogginthenog]

Yep, kill switch hasnt been clicked on accidentally, alarm has immobiliser, side stand switch all seems ok, thats whats so frustrating...nothing SEEMS to be wrong...occasionally as I'm spinning her over there is a feeble attempt to fire, then all stops again and nothing......and as it does make an attempt to fire I'm thinking the immobiliser cant be causing the prob or there'd be no attempt to fire....

 

[DEG5Y]

Normally now I would have a look in the haynes wiring diagrams but this winter the book got rather wet so all the wiring in my diagrams shorted out.

I presume with you saying you've checked the sparks, it is turning over, which I think rules out the big red kill switch. But not sure if it rules out the side stand and clutch switch and isn't that diode in the fuse box part of that circuit?
Being a carby it is a very basic cicuit so it shouldn't be much.

 

[DEG5Y]

Are you definitely getting fuel, don't forget it has the vacuum diaphragm to let the fuel through.

 

[Nogginthenog]

I've had all the leads off and each delivers a healthy spark. Lifted the tank, pulled each fuel feedpipe off in turn and each fired plenty of fuel out when turned over so fuel delivery is ok, so we have fuel and an ignition source....so I think the sidestand switch must be ok or we wouldnt be getting a spark...would we ? I'll go have another go and no doubt will have to come back and report that I've done something stupid.....I hope........thanks for the input guys, will get back shortly...long time since I've regularly fettled a 4 cylinder.....

 

[Nogginthenog]

Nothing still. All fuses ok, got fuel, got a spark, turns over ok. Plugs now out in case she had flooded, will try again tomorrow. Got the Triumph out, not been run for year, jump started her first stab of the button....

 

[bishbosh]

Well had the same myself, bike standing for a while. Just kept turning her over for a few seconds with a little bip on throttle every now and then. Took ages but eventually caught. Once even ran the battery flat and had to recharge and the bike caught on the next go.

As you say, you got spark, fuel and she's turning over so eventually the pistons will draw the fuel in and fire.

 

[Nogginthenog]

I Hope so, I just cant find anything wrong....but even squirting some easistart into the bellmouths whilst turning her over does nowt......beginning to think I'll have to take the Triumph or the Ducati....

As an aside bishbosh, where in West Wales are you? used to come over to Aberporth a lot and launch the boat out of Tresaith or Llangranog......bit of bass fishing and dolphin watching....lovely area....

 

[Judge Dredd]

it does make an attempt to fire I'm thinking the immobiliser cant be causing the prob or there'd be no attempt to fire....

Only if the immobilser is working properly. Get rid of it, then that is one less thing to worry about.

 

[Centaur]

I'm with JD on this.

It is now a matter of elimination until the problem is solved. What immobiliser is fitted? :dunno:

 

[TANK0700]

same age a Carb but less miles on my bike, done the same in France 3 years ago , had to get it to a Honda dealer who stripped the immobiliser off the bike ,in all fairness only charged me £40 never refitted one and been fine since, it would not disarm lights on everything worked , battery ok, nothing just dead. so as said get it disabled and try again.

 

[Jaws]

The fact it makes the occasional effort does point very firmly to the bloody immobiliser..Get shot of it.. About 45 minutes to do.

About 4 years ago had identical thing.. Chap had stopped for a smoke and then no go.
Went out to him with some tools.. It was an older Datatool and as far as I could work out somehow managed to delay the spark ! It was sparking but that was it..
Did a quick bodge job to remove the thing and off he went
About a year later he turned up for a service.. My quick bodge job was as I had left it LOL !!

 

[lumpy]

odd request.

block of both ends of the can with your hands or a helpers or end of the can when you turn her over if you are sure you have fuel. I would try draining the bowls first so they refill with tank fuel too. The fuel does go off in the bowls, the detriment of having a proper bike. The triumph must be fool injected to fire up like that