What does it mean???

[YamaHopper]

OK, Here's the bike:
1978 xs650SE "Special"
POD Filters (Carbs ARE re-jetted, new manifolds, float levels, etc...)
New Headers/Tapered Mufflers from MikesXS
Still running points (replaced last year)
All other MODS (and ther are a lot) are primarily cosmetic.
OK, Here's what happened:
2 weeks ago-bike was running great but the elec starter would not turn over the engine (ALWAYS worked in the past). You can hear the elec motor spin when pushing the start button. The engine would fire right up wth 1or 2 pumps of the kickstart.
A few days ago-was out for a cruise along which Imade 2 stops. Engine kicked over no problem bot times. Was on my way home (exactly 1 mile to go) sitting at a traffic light when it just quit on me. Engine just turned off. No strange noises at all, just as if somebody had hit the kill switch. I could NOT get it re-started (and of course now it's starting to rain-HARD) Elec start - still just motorwhine, Kickstart - the kick lever DOES have recoil at all times. If I hold in the clutch, kick pedal goes own with no resistance like a dead fish. If I kick (in neutral) wth the clutch lever released, has good resistance. Alternator - remove cover, turn with wrench, feels good.
OK, Here's what I checked
Try turning crank by way of Alt, Engine turns over (w/ or w/o clutch grip in or out)
Pull Plugs (1 at time), thumb over plug hole, crank engine feel for compression: left side-yes, right side-yes
check each plug for spark: let side-yes, right side-yes
Put bike in gear, kick over, bike lunges foreward: clutch grip out-yes, clutch grip in-YES (should NOT - correct?)
Put bike in neutral, kick over, bike lunges foreward: clutch grip out-no, clutch grip in-no (w/ clutch grip in kick has ZERO resistance)
Open tapit covers, turn engine over by way of Alt., valves go up and down?
Left Intake-yes
Left Exhaust-yes
Right Intake-yes
Righ Exhaust-yes

 

[XSLeo]

If you kick the bike over and it lunges forward, it's not in neutral.
As far as it just quitting I would take the switchs apart, key and kill, Clean the contacts, Bright and shiny are good.

 

[Crab_Cake]

Did you run out of gas?

 

[anysnail]

maybe your bike hates you as much as mine does! yeah and when you grab the clutch and kick it nothing is supposed to happen. mine does that too. i also heard the electric whining sound that didn't start the motor. to be honest it sounds like a dead battery brah. all the symptoms are there and they line up with mine when it's battery was dying. just don't make the same mistake i did and buy a cheapie underpowered junker from auto zone.

 

[Pandorasglocks]

Did your headlight go out when the bike quit? Could be faulty battery and/or charging system.

 

[blue900]

For sure test your Battery voltage, then test it again with the key on. Should 12.6 volts or so for fully charged battery

 

[5twins]

I think you and Crab Cake should offer a 2 for 1 deal, and not for money - you should pay us to come take those poor bikes off your hands, lol.

 

[YamaHopper]

well, its gotta be hitting neutral I pushed it mile home. The lunging foreard was in gear with the clutch handle gripped.
Did not run out of gas.
Headlight did not go out.
Battey voltage is 12.74 (key off), 12.56 (key on). Batt is 2 year old AGM from MikesXS

 

[WacoBrian]

getting fire? points foul out? coil wires or points wires ok?

 

[anysnail]

geeze man i don't know what to tell you. i had a wire come loose on my xs once and it caused the bike to just die but all the lights went off and everything so i can't be that. how bout your kill switch? something could be afoul in there. it seems that is must be electric cuz it surely isn't mechanical. right?

 

[YamaHopper]

I'm getting spark on each side, and the plugs themselves look great.

 

[anysnail]

have you tried giving it the finger? how 'bout calling it a piece of shit? sometimes that works. seriously though, you should have a running bike. that last thing i can ask is i know you have gas in the tank but is that fuel getting to the carbs? if you have spark, timing, fuel, and air you should have a working engine.

 

[anysnail]

if you live near a hill try rolling down the hill in neurtal, grab the clutch and shift into first. then let go of the clutch. a little bump start knowwhatimsayin? of course that's how i killed the coil in my bike...

nevermind that recommendation

 

[YamaHopper]

oh I tried the 1st gear drop clutch/bump start on my 1 mile push home. Didn't work!

 

[YamaHopper]

I could understand the bike quiting like that if I'm not actually getting gas THROUGH the carbs, but that doesn't explain the starter motor or the kickstart issues. All of which are all of a sudden.

 

[anysnail]

naw man your kickstarter is acting normally. if you grab the clutch and try to kick it you are disengaging all the gears. including the kickstarting one. that being said if you are in gear and grab the clutch and kickstart it it will move a little if your clutch is out of adjustment. again this has happened to me in the past. as for the motorwhine mine did that when the previous battery was dead. just spinning something in there but nothing really happening. i have no clue why your biznass just up and gave up on you but i am here to offer you support when you, like me, decide to say, "fuck it," and give up for a while.

 

[YamaHopper]

So, I'll look deeper into a fuel issue. But are you saying this whole thing could be a clutch related problem? Maybe even just needing better adjustment? Because with the clutch grip out my kick flops dead. Also, when the bike is in gear and I hold the clutch grip in (to disengage), the bike lunges foreward when I try to kick.

 

[anysnail]

i'm not saying it's a clutch problem at all. i don't think that could be the problem in the least. that's just something that needs a little adjustment. worry about that after you get it running. if you have spark, timing, air, and fuel your bike should run. that's what i'm sayin. if it took a shit and died and is refusing to start you may have some seriously clogged carbs or a bad petcock/petcock filter. it's a 78 though so at least you don't have to deal with the vacuum petcock like i do. (it sucks btw) all else fails sleep on it man. your brain WILL be working on this problem while your asleep. shit maybe you really goofed up and put diesel in the tank! i worked with a guy who accidently put 110 octane racing fuel in our diesel work truck. holy hell it made some terrible noises before it never ran again!

 

[YamaHopper]

I know I have gas flow into the carbs (and I do have inline filters). gas is NOT leaking out of carbs so it's not my floats, unless they somehow both bent the other way not providing enough gas. What are the chances both would bend or pilots clog at the same time? and if one bent or clogged it might still run poorly, and when it died it would have spit and sputtered. STUPID QUESTION TIME: What is the best/easiest way to tell if gas is making it to the cylinders? Wet plugs?
I suppose timing may have slipped-correct? I'll recheck timing.

 

[anysnail]

with the ignition turned OFF kick it over a few times and take a plug out. sniff it. if it smells like gas you are getting fuel to the cylinders. at least that's how i would do it.