Another won't start thread...

[nGoldenm]

Hi guys. Sorry for posting another one of these, but I'm at a loss right now. This is a 1994 Kat 600.

My bike has been sitting for the past 4 weeks. I went out to start it last night, and it was a no go. So, I put the battery on the charger for the night and tried it again this morning after sitting the bike in the heated garage. Still wouldn't start. So I tried some starting fluid on the air intake. Still a no go. Every now and then, it will act like it is trying to hit, but will stop just as suddenly.

Since it won't even fire with starting fluid, does that mean this is probably ignition based? I'm assuming I should check the plugs and coils. Anything else? Thanks in advance for any replies.

[kevin2502000]

So I tried some starting fluid on the air intake. Still a no go. Every now and then, it will act like it is trying to hit, but will stop just as suddenly.

I'm betting still a fuel problem since it is at least firing. Are you sure the choke is physically working and it is getting fresh fuel to the bowls?

[nGoldenm]

I'm betting still a fuel problem since it is at least firing. Are you sure the choke is physically working and it is getting fresh fuel to the bowls?

That's what I thought at first too. But shouldn't it still fire with vapors from the starting fluid if it was getting spark? It may not run, but it should fire for a second. It didn't make any change at all when I sprayed the starting fluid in it. When I said it was firing for a second, I mean instead of just hearing the turning of the starter, you would hear one cylinder try to hit once. Then 5-10 seconds or so of starter noise, then one more hit. Rinse and repeat. I was thinking that one cylinder is struggling very hard to get spark, but gets it every so often. The rest are not getting spark at all.

Yes, I am sure the choke is working. That was one of the first things I checked.

I am not absolutely sure about the fuel to the bowls. I put the petcock on prime to fill the bowls. How can I check to make sure this is working? Or is there a workaround?

[waffenampt]

U might have some old gas in there ? or fouled plugs with bad gas

[nGoldenm]

U might have some old gas in there ? or fouled plugs with bad gas

Gas is good. I drained the tank prior to even trying to start it, and filled it with fresh, non-ethanol gas.

[spatula6554]

How is the compression? I know my Kat sometimes would have a hard time starting depending on the air temperature and humidity to the rings going bad. The change in weather from 4 weeks ago could have affected the actual compression in the cylinder if the rings are not up to par.

[kevin2502000]

Pull the plugs and see what you find.

[randyt26]

IS it good to drain a little from the drain to get rid of water? Thats what we did on planes

[Mattaua]

IS it good to drain a little from the drain to get rid of water? Thats what we did on planes

that was my problem a few weeks ago after some brutally cold weather (brutally cold for South Carolina at least). Yanked and cleaned the plugs and she lived again.