Triumphrat

markfly · 01-03-2005

Actually, the bike wouldn't start yesterday afternoon. It has been sitting in the garage for 6-8 weeks without being started.

Background:
When I purchased the bike in 2003, it was always hard to get started. But when it was warmed up, no problems.

Last year I cleaned and rejetted the carbs (one richer on pilot & main as I recall...jets purchased from Great Bay), installed K&N air filter, new sealed battery.

This past year, it started reasonably well and ran exceptionally well. In fact, it is in many ways more fun to ride than my 2004 BMW R1150R.

And:
Over the month of December past, I put two new Avon tires on it, changed the oil...

It ran fine the last time I rode it this past November by the way...130+ miles and filled the tank with fresh gas and put a little Sta-Bil in.

So:
The battery is strong. The gas isn't that old...it started last spring with 3+ month old gas.

It did fire a couple of times...but not enough to keep it going....and the battery was starting to fade...even though it was on the battery tender. So I decided to try it again today after work.

Also, in the past it actually started better without any choke and with slight throttle...then it likes to be choked until warm up.

Any ideas?

j98sprint · 01-03-2005

Yes markfly, it sounds to me like your air mixture screws could still be at the factory settings. The biggest advantage in setting these screws from the 1% CO (factory setting, USA models) to the 2%-3% CO (elsewhere) is easier starting.

These are the screws underneath the carbs at the intake that are capped. The caps can be removed and the screws are turned out, from lightly seated, 2.5 turns. The carb bank should be removed to perform this operation.

j98sprint

MickMaguire · 01-03-2005

It sounds to me like the partial start fouled the plugs. My advice is to pull the plugs and clean & regap or replace them, then try again with a fully charged battery. while you have the plugs out you can check you are getting a spark too.

Check that you are getting gas out of the tank - pull the pipe and run some into a container - the tank screens can block up.

As you say, the gas should be fine if you only left it since November, but did you run the bike after putting stabil in, and did you drain the carb bowls? If the answer to both is no then it is possible that the gas left ion the carbs has gummed a bit (seems unliekly in just 2 months). If you did drain the carbs (or even possible if you didnt), is that the needle valves may be sticking - give each carb a hefty tap with a screwdriver handle.

Hope this helps some, let us know how you get on.

markfly · 01-03-2005

j98sprint....Sorry...I failed to mention that the screws are set at around 2 - 2.5 times out. I did this operation the same time I rejetted the carbs last year.

In the future, I plan on starting the bike once a week to keep things in better working order.

And... the bike was probably flooded by the time I got done trying to start it. In the past, it needed about a 15-30 minute "rest period" from the initial startup try...then would usually fire up.

I'll keep you posted.

MickMaguire · 01-03-2005

Quote:

On 2005-01-03 09:52, markfly wrote:
In the future, I plan on starting the bike once a week to keep things in better working order.

That shouldn't be necessary, and will do more harm than good in the long run. My preference would be to just pull the plugs and give them a clean, then spin the engine over without them before attempting a restart. Use a battery tender too. Longer lay-ups (say more than a couple of months) shoudl warrant a "winterization".

[ This message was edited by: MickMaguire on 2005-01-03 09:59 ]

T-Bird2001 · 01-03-2005

Don't know how you could check this out other than a dealer but I had a similar problem w/ my 2001 T-Bird. Over a 3 month time kept getting harder to start until wouldn't start at all. Turned out to be an ignition module going from bad to worse to completely gone.

The good news was that it was replaced under warranty (I bought my 2001 in 2003) and now fires right up and runs stronger due to I guess, a hotter spark. It might be worth checking out because I don't think you should have a fuel problem if it has only been sitting 6-8 weeks, especially w/Stabil. Good Luck

markfly · 01-03-2005

Quote:

That shouldn't be necessary, and will do more harm than good in the long run. My preference would be to just pull the plugs and give them a clean, then spin the engine over without them before attempting a restart. Use a battery tender too. Longer lay-ups (say more than a couple of months) shoudl warrant a "winterization".

Your theory is that starting the bike once a week during the (mostly) nonriding season would do more harm than good...because...by then the engine internals would be "dry" so just do one start up in the spring rather than multiple times over the winter? Correct?

And I can see the validity of the point. I have heard this theory from a fellow rider as well.

MickMaguire · 01-03-2005

Kind of - it's dry and cold, the time when the most wear happens on the engine. You would also be running it without load which tends to promote glazing. Addiitionally you are adding acids to the oil which degrade bearings and such; the reason that you put in fresh oil for winterizing is to get shot of the acids etc.

markfly · 01-04-2005

Well, it started...but it did take some fiddling with throttle and choke to keep it running after it lit.

And, after warming up, it ran fine...like always.

I really don't know whether the issue is fuel or fire...or neither.

Out of curiosity, how much $$$ would an ignintion control module run? And how difficult to replace?

Could it need new plug wires and coil?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

MickMaguire · 01-04-2005

If it strats it's unlikely to need a ignition module. For info they are prohibitively expensive to buy new over $800 if I recall correctly.

My guess on this bike is that it probably just needs a good service and tune up: Carbs cleaned, balanced and mixture checked, new plugs and air filter. If it runs well now and starts again ok from cold I would say that the coils and leads are most likely fine - however the above shoudl include a good wipe-down of both to remove any dirt.