Hard to start today

[vdaily89]

my 05 600 was really hard to start this morning before going to work. This is the first time I've had any trouble with it. After work I had some trouble too. Anything I should look at first to see what might cause it?

thanks

[vdaily89]

Went out to start it, and it started fine. I don't know what was up today.

[md86]

When's the last time you did any maintenance (check plugs , air filter , that sorta junk) ? USUALLY I find when a bike is hard to start (and it's NOT low on gas ) , it's old dirty plugs .

[vdaily89]

just had the 600 mile service done about a month ago. Just turned 1000 today. Maybe she just had a bad morning.

[The CyberPoet]

If you've got her parked outside, it could be as simple as condensation where it shouldn't be.

If you parked it off with the engine particularly hot, it could be that the carb bowls were partially empty due to evaporation (fuel boiling off when heated after being parked) -- if you suspect this was the case, try this next time: switch the petcock to PRIME for 15 seconds, then back to ON. Now try to start.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[mx916]

I have the exact situation Cyberpoet mentioned fairly often. So in hot weather or after a long or hard ride I just make it a point to put it on PRIME for 15-30 seconds before startup. It solves the fuel evaporation problem every time.

[xbubbax]

i had the same issue, my bike would not start. the battery was kinda dead and barely holding charge.
also spark plugs were junk

i just did a battery change and sparkplug change and cleaned the air filter, and my bike is running like a champ.

starts everytime and not an issue since.
id check spark, and battery, then plug wires. then carbs.....needs spark 1st. also make shure your battery connections are secure. i know when i dont have my battery strap in pmlace, my light flickers because of the terminals moving ever so slightly

check all battery and spark...then well see what happens.

[mystahagy]

I have the exact situation Cyberpoet mentioned fairly often. So in hot weather or after a long or hard ride I just make it a point to put it on PRIME for 15-30 seconds before startup. It solves the fuel evaporation problem every time.

I have the exact same problem here, especially on days like this with a heat index of 112, when I pull the bike into the garage. The garage door shuts behind me and with no airflow in there I guess it cooks it off. I put a small old fan right in front of where I park it and leave it on all the time. It's helped a little bit. Also, it maintains at least some form of airflow in that one-car garage. I've got a car and two bikes in there, usually parked while pretty hot, and call it paranoia but I don't want accumulation of vapors. Come to think of it, that fan could be an ignition source....hmm

[The CyberPoet]

I have the exact same problem here, especially on days like this with a heat index of 112, when I pull the bike into the garage. The garage door shuts behind me and with no airflow in there I guess it cooks it off. I put a small old fan right in front of where I park it and leave it on all the time. It's helped a little bit. Also, it maintains at least some form of airflow in that one-car garage. I've got a car and two bikes in there, usually parked while pretty hot, and call it paranoia but I don't want accumulation of vapors. Come to think of it, that fan could be an ignition source....hmm

Consider an evacuator fan instead. A small (4"x4") bathroom-style fan dumping air outside should be sufficient to help keep the fumes from building up to a dangerous level. The danger of explosion is actually rather low (you would have to atomize enough fuel to reach about 1:22 ratio of the volume of the garage), but the health risks from breathing fuel vapors are much more serious.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[DreKat]

the cooler it gets outside the harder it is to start mine.