dead

After finally getting my bike running and timed, it now won't start at all

kzrider.com/forum/4-electrical/595429-point-spark#644766


It has been hard to start since last fall. It wouldnt start with choke, leading to the notion that my float needles were dirty or otherwise leaking, so I cleaned the crabs twice and on the second time replaced the needles. Also did the clear tube test on float levels, which were fine. Still, it was hard to start. I'd have to have the choke just a hair below wide open to get it to fire at all. Once started and warmed up, it would run just fine. It would start up again if I shut it off for only a few minutes, but not if I left it off for a while. Then I would have to coax it by minute adjustments of the choke, right on the edge of wide open.

Couple weeks ago I brilliantly checked the plugs and noticed the left one looked like new and was not sparking. Replaced the coil points and condensor and timed it, and now it will not start at all. I'm out of ideas.

Air, fuel, and spark, are required for the engine to start, and it sounds like you're missing the fuel.

Your carbs are still screwed up, (not crabs (: ) and the enrichment circuit is at least partially blocked. You need to totally dismantle the carbs and clean every little passage. Then blow air through to make sure they're clean.

When you say it won't start at all now, if it's backfiring through the carbs, then you have the points lobe on the timing advancer on backwards.

Looks like my plugs were defective. New plugs, new life. Its nice to know I have a new ignition system that I probably didn't need. But it was probably time to change it out after 32 years anyway

Oh and my bike did have crabs once but I don't let Harley riders on it anymore.


Ok, that was very wrong...

Yes, sounds like main jet circuit is blocked still, possibly the choke also

clean it again, and see if that makes a difference.

82KZ305Belt wrote:
It has been hard to start since last fall. It wouldnt start with choke, leading to the notion that my float needles were dirty or otherwise leaking, so I cleaned the crabs twice and on the second time replaced the needles. Also did the clear tube test on float levels, which were fine. Still, it was hard to start. I'd have to have the choke just a hair below wide open to get it to fire at all..

That's where I set the choke on mine to start cold, and the instant it fires I have to back the choke off a bunch and after a few minutes, turn it off completely.