need help starting for the first time in a long... long time..

[Mitchell_p]

Im having issues with starting my motor.
I bought the bike as pretty much a motor in a frame with rims.
I need to know if it's going to start before i go any further and i have had some help
from a couple guys already on here.

Since that help i have rebuilt the carbs, giving them what i think is a pretty good cleaning.
I havent checked the compression cause i dont have a gauge.
Checked the spark coming off the plugs, seems to be fine.

I only have my coils and points hooked up to a battery, thats it.
Would i need a condenser hooked up as well just to see if it's going to kick over?
or does that no matter.

I have checked the timing to the best of my ability and that all seems fine.

Any other ideas?
Im a newbie so im struggling pretty bad.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Travis]

Check out http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61 for some wiring diagrams. You don't have to worry about the charging system part of it for now if you have a good charged battery to work with, but after so many failed attempts to start, you'll probably want to charge it again (if you don't wire in the charging system). You need the points, condensers, and coils. Get your condensers wired in. The condensers keeps the points from arcing.

You need to be confident that your carbs are clean and that you have compression before you do much else. Not to be rude but a "pretty good cleaning" usually isn't enough. How did you clean them? Are your plugs wet? Have you tried spraying carb cleaner through the carbs when starting to see if you can get it run off of the carb cleaner? If that works then you know you aren't getting fuel.

You need the right amount of air and fuel, compression, and good spark at the correct time for the engine to run.

You may want to look at these for setting the points and timing:

http://xs650temp.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=ID&action=display&thread=7984
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9837
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1984

 

[Tomterrific]

It might fire without a condensor but it should have it in circuit to be sure. Timing should be as close as you can get it.

First, and I want to be firm about this, remove the spark plugs and squirt some motor oil inside. Kick her over with the plugs out to splash out the excess oil and get it all over. This oil keeps the engine from a dry start and there have been reports of valves hanging open on initial start. Good to put a squirt into each carb mouth too. You will feel the compression restore and it will get better after each run until it is broken-in again. Don't worry about the smoke when she starts, it's sucess smoke. :^)

Spray some starting fluid or carb cleaner into the intake. This will act as gas and help get her fired even if the carbs are duff.

Don't keep kicking if the plugs are carbon fouled. The spark is going through the fouling carbon instead of jumping the gap and you will just break the kicker before the engine runs.

The advance mechanism must be virtually frictionless or it will stick full advance and idle very high. Pull the rod that goes through the camshaft and clean/polish/grease it. A common problem.

Tom Graham

 

[Mitchell_p]

Thanks guys. I'll let you know how I go.