Won't start, just cranks

[scottysags]

Brand new battery and plugs. The bike sat for more than a month while we bought a new house and moved out of our old one. As it cranks it gets fuel because I can smell it out of the exhaust. I can also hear the faint sound of a valve opening and closing, a subtle "puh, puh" as it cranks over. Never catches, just turns over. It almost sounds like the timing is off, is it possible for the timing to slip at all? I wouldn't think it would be able to but I just want to make sure. I also pulled the plugs and there is spark there, so I know that is good.

Any suggestions?

[kevin2502000]

I assume you are using choke, hold a rag over the airbox hole to help draw in more fuel. if you have old fuel in the bowls it won't start very easy on it. You could also try some starting fluid to eliminate a fuel issue.

[kat_kitten]

have you tried bump-starting it?

[scottysags]

KK, no I have not tried to bump start it, may try that tomorrow. I will also try the rag trick and try some starter fluid.

[vonrapier]

Had this problem before and found out it could be one of 3 diferent things.
Check the plugs..... fouled?
Grab the clutch tightly. - ie" all the way depressed.
Check conflicts with the kick stand switch - could be causing the prob.

[kat_kitten]

Kick stand switch would cut the power completely though, right? It shouldn't even attempt to turn over.
Same with the clutch.
My guess would be the plugs or the starter....

[steves]

The battery might have run down. Put it in a tender or try to jump it.

[adalgiso]

I'd also check to make sure the plugs are firing. Unscrew each plug one at a time and hook it back into the plug connector, and touch the plug body to the metal frame with some rubber gloves or using a rubber-handled pair of pliers. Hit the starter and check to make sure all the plugs are sparking. I would also highly recommend getting a batter charger to make sure the battery has enough juice to turn over the starter.

[scottysags]

Brand new battery as of Saturday, full charge on the battery. Pulled the plugs and saw they have spark. still not firing.

[kat_kitten]

dun dun duuun.
starter.

[scottysags]

Just trying to follow the train of thought here KK. Why would you suggest the starter? When the start switch is engaged the engine turns over, and acts like it wants to start, but doesn't. It almost seems to me that the timing is off. In my thought process it is almost like turning a distributor on a car to get the timing correct. I know that doesn't apply here but that is the best way I can describe this.

Maybe I do not know fully what the starter on our bike does to the fact I am missing something. I am not saying your wrong, you just have me thinking now that I am not troubleshooting this correctly.

[kat_kitten]

When my starter blew, I had the same problem.
It tried to turn, but just wouldn't take.
Checked everything else, new battery, new plugs, but just wouldn't go.

Did you bump start it yet? If it bumps starts, I'd put money on the starter.
If it doesn't, then I don't know.

[scottysags]

No, haven't had a chance to bump start it yet. I will do that this weekend. Thank you for the suggestion as to the starter. I never would have thought of that.

[scottysags]

89 Kat 600 still won't fire

So an update and not a good one.

I took the carbs back out because I posted another thread about not getting fuel to all the bowls, well that is resolved. Took the spark plugs out, cleaned them rechecked gap and they are good.

Try to start it, it just turns over and over and over. Never fires, doesn't even give a hint it will. I can smell fuel out of the exhaust, I know I have spark too. I tried to bump start it and it doesn't catch that way either.

I am at wits end with this. I am almost at the point of selling the bike as is or parting it out.

If anyone has any suggestions please help me out.

Thanks

[Kreylyn]

Fuel out the exhaust doesn't tell you much... an overly lean mixture won't fire, but will still put out enough fumes from constant cranking that you eventually will smell fuel out the exhaust.

I would double check the firing order for the plug wires, then look at making sure the carbs are working correctly. If the air/fuel mixuture isn't right, it won't fire...

If it's too lean, you can try taking the air filter out, and squirting a small amount of fuel into each carb body, then trying to start it. If you hear it hit at all when prior it wasn't, you know then your carbs are not giving it enough fuel.

Krey