[dannyh982]

My Ninja 250 has sat outdoors under a tarp since early OCT 2014, tank was filled to the top before parked, battery pulled to store indoors.
Today was the first day above 50 degrees F, I put the battery in, cranked started for less than 15 sec, engine came to life, idled with choke on for 2 mins while I put tankbag on and helmet on.. Off I went for a 20 miles ride.
Ethanol sat in tank since OCT, if tank is pretty full, Ethanol stays pretty stable.

My Ninja 250 is the same way. I let it sit since the end of summer 2013, reconnected the battery and it fired right up. I Love that bike for that reason. My Kat though a different story let it sit a few weeks and time to clean the carbs. Although it isn't as bad now that I only run ethanol free gas.

[maniac1886]

+1 non ethanol fuel

["K"]

My Kat 750 had been sitting with ethanol fuel in tank since OCT 2014 as well, just started it this morning (37 F) for the first time since.

[KPDL6290]

New Battery. New Spark Plugs. Now what????

OKAY.....


I changed the battery. Replaced the old spark plugs. It started up again briefly for about 3 seconds this time and than shut off. It started without the choke on. What do you guys think it is now. I am thinking it is my starter as the started was fairly short and died off quickly? Or is it honestly time to just clean the carb, airfilter, change motor oil, etc.? What do you guys think?


If it is the starter, this would be my first time changing it, so how would I go about doing there? Is there a link in this forum? On the other hand, if it is cleaning carb, what's a good thread to learn how to clean it?


Thank you all for your feedback by the way.

[ZukiFred]

If it starts (and starter is turning engine over) I would rule out the starter at the moment. If it starts without the choke then try starting it with the choke on and just keep adjusting the choke to keep the idol at 1500 to 2000 rpms for a couple of minutes while she warms up, if that fails then I would clean the carbs. But that is just my two cents worth.

[KPDL6290]

I just tried to start it and it seems like it wont turn anymore. Sounds like it gets less and less loud and the engine would just die. The oil light is on, does that mean I would have to change the engine oil? That was going to be my next step before even touching the carb. Or maybe starter? Any other suggestions?

[maniac1886]

Im confused. So when you tried to start it, the starter quit turning the engine over before it fired? Or the bike fired up then died? You say it kept getting quieter and quieter and the motor died. That tells me that the starter cranked the bike up enough to start for a second, and then the motor died. If thats the case, its definitely not the starter. I still think this a carb issue.

Also, cranking a bike that wont fire will kill a battery in a fair amount of time. Make sure you didnt over do it and kill the battery

[ZukiFred]

Also, cranking a bike that wont fire will kill a battery in a fair amount of time. Make sure you didnt over do it and kill the battery

+1
It don't take much to run down those little batteries.

[GSXFJim]

I just tried to start it and it seems like it wont turn anymore. Sounds like it gets less and less loud and the engine would just die.

Repeatedly trying to start the engine will run down a lead acid battery. Charge it.

The oil light is on, does that mean I would have to change the engine oil? That was going to be my next step before even touching the carb.

No, the oil light on does not mean its time to change the oil. It comes on when the oil pressure switch isn't seeing any oil pressure. When the engine is running the light will go out.

...Or maybe starter? Any other suggestions?

Not the starter, its most likely DIRTY CARBS, as some of the previous posts mention. You need to clean the carbs, and by clean I mean pulling them off the bike, completely disassembling them soaking each body for at least 24 hours and making sure all air passages are clear of varnish and reassembling them.

If this is something you don't want to do, Arsenic is the go-to guy, he rebuilds carbs for a living.

[KPDL6290]

Guys-

Thank you for all the advice. To MANIAC1886, when I tried started the bike again after it fired up for 2 seconds and turned off, after that it won't fire UL anymore but it sounded like it would want to start. Even with the choke on, it makes that noise that it would start but than starts getting quitter and it sounds like something is keeping it from starting, I don't believe it's the battery. I have a battery tender on all day and now when I start it, it doesn't even make a sound anymore. Keep in mind, new battery is in and so are the spark plugs. I'm not comfortable of cleaning the CARBS myself as this is my first bike and I don't want to remove everything and possibly forget to put something back together :-/. However, I would like to bring it to a shop and rather have them do it all Cept I can't get it started! :-/ any other advice besides carbs? If it is than there's nothinf left but bringing it in.