Pretty sure my bike is dead :( SORTED

[ng86]

So I get up to go to work after a cold and very wet day the day before, and my bike doesn't start. Nothing too new I just normally give it a push down my driveway and it fires up. but today I get nothing, I charged my battery all night so that definitely wasn't the culprit. I tried starting about 20 times, and the only sound I got was a slight popping from the exhaust, and what sounded like the carb opening, maybe the valves. I don't know. Hopefully I can fix her up :/ she's me daily driver and all that I've got haha, suggestions?

[yamaha_george]

Ng,
ok couple of questions:-
when you turn the bike on at the key do you here a few seconds of ticking ( the pump priming carbs)?

when you hit the starter switch (run switch on I hope ) does the headlight go off and the oil light come on.
You hear the motor tumbling ?

You need to measure the voltage at the battery when doing this any thing less than 12+ volts is a problem from the battery side not being charged enough (overnight is not always good enough for sulfated/dry battery cells).

There are a number of threads on this subject SEARCH & read them thro.

A favourite is the blue lead in RH switch deciding to let go


OH by the way bikes do not die unless crushed then even body parts go for donation so CHEER UP !

[ng86]

YG,
I tried everything you suggested. The fuel pump primes right up, the blue lead to the switch is good, and the battery seems charged up with plenty of power. The oil light does come on and I hear the engine turning, I'm thinking it's a spark issue.

[DonTZ125]

I'll bet you have one or more cracked plug caps - the water gets in, shorts out the spark, and the bike just sits there and stares at you.

[ng86]

Well don, i tested my spark plug wires and theyre all good, but i pulled out my spark plugs and they look pretty gnarly. So what should i do? I cleaned out the carbs, cleaned pretty much everything, tried to push it and i got a fireball like 3 feet long .

[ng86]

I had ngk cr9e plugs in, any recommendations on other types/ better types?

[yamaha_george]

I had ngk cr9e plugs in, any recommendations on other types/ better types?

Ng
I know a lot of people here will probably disagree with me here, BIN the old plugs. get a new set if you can afford to get the Iridium plugs then do it. Make sure they are gapped properly !!!

I can hear the screams already, BUT the point of Iridiums is they do not foul so quickly & give a constant performance under load. this is just my personal experience YMMV of course.


Oh yeh the fire ball was the flooded engine spitting it out

[ng86]

I had ngk cr9e plugs in, any recommendations on other types/ better types?

Ng
I know a lot of people here will probably disagree with me here, BIN the old plugs. get a new set if you can afford to get the Iridium plugs then do it. Make sure they are gapped properly !!!

I can hear the screams already, BUT the point of Iridiums is they do not foul so quickly & give a constant performance under load. this is just my personal experience YMMV of course.


Oh yeh the fire ball was the flooded engine spitting it out

I've been looking into those iridium tipped plugs as well, expensive but well worth it it seems. Let's say my bikes running rich, which I'm pretty sure it is. Will the richness foul the $15 plugs rendering them useless? Thanks for the help! And how difficult would a do it yourself valve adjustment be?

[yamaha_george]

I've been looking into those iridium tipped plugs as well, expensive but well worth it it seems. Let's say my bikes running rich, which I'm pretty sure it is. Will the richness foul the $15 plugs rendering them useless? Thanks for the help! And how difficult would a do it yourself valve adjustment be?

Ng,
All plugs will eventually foul, but having said that because of the central tip on most plugs is flat and the spark tends to be all over its surface, deposits are easily formed .

The Tip of Iridiums is pointed so the spark will virtually always start in the same place (the path of least resistance from the point to ground electrode) which will not allow deposits as it being burnt off every shot that is why the electrodes them selves need to be hard or they will burn away quickly.

I have used one form or another of "precious" metal type plugs since God knows when, I never use anything else as they just plain work, seldom need gapping (in fact apart from when initially installing I cannot tell you when I had to do it last) cleaning err no cannot recall last when i did that..............

[ng86]

Lol thanks for the wisdom yg! I went with some ngk cr8's I believe, iridium tipped and all. Fired her right up I was definitely relieved. I didn't want to have to ride my enduro to work one more day haha.

[yamaha_george]

Lol thanks for the wisdom yg! I went with some ngk cr8's I believe, iridium tipped and all. Fired her right up I was definitely relieved. I didn't want to have to ride my enduro to work one more day haha.

Ahh that is what I like to hear another satisfied biker, ride an enduro yeh all that standing on the pegs to relieve the butt is terrible LoL