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starting a bike that's been sitting
- pstrbrc
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- '81 GPz 1100 project
Starter fluid (ether) is only to be used when the air temperature is too cold for gasoline to vaporize. Now, gasoline vaporizes at (if'n I 'member right) about 70 degrees farenheit, but a modern ignition can produce a spark hot enough to get gas to this point in a combustion chamber well below zero F. Now, our vintage Kawasaki ignitions do not fall into that category, so if you were trying to start you bike at, say, 20*F, I'd say starting fluid might be in order. Maybe.
But starting fluid has an incredibly low octane rating, which means it burns REALLY FAST, which is REALLY HARD on engines. I've torn engines apart to replace shattered rings becouse some numbnuts used this stuff in warm-weather conditions.
So, if you are trying to start an engine that has been sitting, don't be lazy. First change the oil, pull and clean the spark plugs, then do the hard work of taking out the air filter, and spray aerosol carb cleaner down each throttle bore. Not a lot, mind you. Like raw gas, too much carb cleaner will wash the sides of your cylinder bore down, removing oil. That's not real good. But carb cleaner is a whole lot closer in octane and specific heat to gasoline than ether is. If the engine starts, it will be running on something fairly close to what it was designed to run on. Then if it starts and dies, you can start playing with the carbs. And if it starts and keeps running, you didn't damage it in the starting process.
OK, I'm done. Carry on.
\'81 GPz 1100 project
Elkhart, Kansas USA
\"Man does not control his own fate. The women in his life do that for him.\" Groucho Marx
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- KZQ
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- Walking Behind the Corn May Not Be All That!
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Do you have the time and inclination to write up a "How To" article about a good safe way to get a long idle engine running again?
This topic comes up over and over again. If we had an authoritative article to refer to it'd be a real asset.
If you'd like I'll work with you on it.
Bill
KZCSI
Post edited by: KZCSI, at: 2007/02/25 09:09
www.KZ1300.com
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1968 BSA 441 Shooting Star, 1970 BSA 650 Lightning, 1974 W3, 1976 KZ900, 1979 KZ750 Twin, 1979 KZ750 Twin Trike, 1981 KZ1300, 1982 KZ1100 Spectre, 2000 Valkyrie, 2009 Yamaha Roadliner S. 1983 GL 1100
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- steell
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Gasoline sprayed into the intakes from an oil squirt can is a lot safer for the motor and works well.
KD9JUR
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- H1Vindicator
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- RetroRiceRocketRider
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- ...bring in the machine that goes PING!
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Beadlocks aren't DOT approved, and therefore illegal to be used on any vehicle that will ever see public roads here in Calif.
Bug spray works in a pinch as a starting fluid, but I wouldn't recommend using to much of it! :pinch:
Anyone ever use WD-40 as a "starting fluid"?
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- OKC_Kent
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The only thing I've ever used ether for is re-seating the bead on a truck tire that spun loose of the wheel while being run at a low psi for better "gription" while off-roading. :whistle:
Beadlocks aren't DOT approved, and therefore illegal to be used on any vehicle that will ever see public roads here in Calif.
What do you do? Light the ether to seat the tire back on the bead?
Oklahoma City, OK
78 KZ650 B2 82,000+ miles
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- steell
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RetroRiceRocketRider wrote:
The only thing I've ever used ether for is re-seating the bead on a truck tire that spun loose of the wheel while being run at a low psi for better "gription" while off-roading. :whistle:
Beadlocks aren't DOT approved, and therefore illegal to be used on any vehicle that will ever see public roads here in Calif.
What do you do? Light the ether to seat the tire back on the bead?
Uh huh, I never used it on anything but big truck tires, but it should work on smaller ones as well.
KD9JUR
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- wireman
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yeah ive seen the old truck and tractor repair guys do it to seat tires on rims but i dont reccomend it,very very dangerous if youve ever seen a split rim go zinning through the air or a tractor tire bounce up and hit someone it really sucks.RetroRiceRocketRider wrote:
The only thing I've ever used ether for is re-seating the bead on a truck tire that spun loose of the wheel while being run at a low psi for better "gription" while off-roading. :whistle:
Beadlocks aren't DOT approved, and therefore illegal to be used on any vehicle that will ever see public roads here in Calif.
What do you do? Light the ether to seat the tire back on the bead?
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- pstrbrc
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AAAAARRRGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!:pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch: :pinch:Bug spray works in a pinch as a starting fluid, but I wouldn't recommend using to much of it! :pinch:
Anyone ever use WD-40 as a "starting fluid"?
Look. Anything flammable can "work". But what damage are you risking to the internals of the motor? Is it harder to scrounge a can of carb cleaner, (which is sold at just about every convenience store!!) even if it's not right at hand, or tear down the top end to repair the damage?
Doggone it! PAY ATTENTION!! Whatever benefit there is in using the closest thing at hand DOES NOT make up for the damage done. And the damage done might not be obvious right away, but it could shorten the life of your bike considerably.
\'81 GPz 1100 project
Elkhart, Kansas USA
\"Man does not control his own fate. The women in his life do that for him.\" Groucho Marx
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- wireman
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Post edited by: wireman, at: 2007/02/25 13:43
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- steell
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KD9JUR
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- wireman
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