FE650 2002 - Won't run properly

herrlantz said:

I will double check what I wrote down in my workshop, it could be PJ38. I'll get back to you.

I talked to the previous owner and the bike is equipped with easy start kit, auto decomp and jet kit. All from you actually!

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Also, I'd like to remind you that the previous owner had stated that the bike ran great with this carb setup before.

Actually, the bike ran better before I started repairing it..

I will check the stator and get a hold of a timing light. If that seems OK I'm starting to think the cam cover needs to come off again..

Alfy said:

Adjusting the carburetor float is another cause of the malfunction. Have you checked this component?

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Well I've had the carb down 4 times now and have not noticed anything off with the float. What could be wrong with it? (Except bad float or bad float valve, which I haven't fully tested but kind off assumed were fine since I'm not getting any overflow)

The journey continues..

I adjusted the valves today (morse code was achieved with 0.10mm feeler gauge) . The intake valves were a little snug, but nothing major.

No difference in behaviour.

Checked the spark and it looks a bit weak. Checked all wires from stator and all ground wires. Nothing bad found. How come I have a weak spark? (From what I can tell)

Got it running. No idle and same as before. Feels like it's running "heavy", in lack of better words. It doesn't misfire, pop and bang, it just sounds and feels like it's something holding it back. Can't really explain it.

Tried with starter spray a few times when I tried getting it started. It seems to help since the cranking gets quicker with starter spray. It wants to fire but will take you many many tries before it actually starts (and only with 1/4th throttle).

Will put some fuel in the spark plug hole and see what happens. I'm all about ruling out things now. After that I will probably check float and float valve according to previous posts, but it sounds far fetched to me..

I've been busy with other stuff lately but got a good 4 hours with the husa tonight. I hate this bike.

1. Drained and removed cooler. Disassembled the rocker cover and checked the cam in case I had assembled it 1 tooth off or something when I had everything down the first time. I hadn't. Checked with the workshop manual just to make sure and concluded that cam is installed correctly. Checked valve springs and rockers. All looks good. Assembled rocker cover again. Installed cooler and filled up with coolant again.

2. Disassembled carburetor for the hundredth time. Removed all jets and made sure they were (still) clean. Checked float valve and float assembly. It's within spec and looks good. Assembled carburetor again and installed.

3. Removed the stator and measured the wires:
Black&red 2890 ohms
Black&green 135 ohms
Yellow&blue 0.9 ohms
Not exactly what husabutt said it should be..

4. Installed the stator and set the engine at TDC. The white line is dead center in the inspection hole at this point. I set the stator about 1-2mm to the left of the white line. Remember I have already tried all possible settings with no luck before.

5. Checked the spark plug while cranking. I have spark. Possibly not the brightest I've ever seen, but good enough to run the engine.

6. Drained the oil just to have a look at it in case something within the engine itself had broken without my knowledge. Oil looked fine. Filled up with new oil.

7. Time to start trying to start. Again. Same thing. No difference what so ever from what I've mentioned earlier.

8. Sat down on a stool next to the bike. Looked at my 1940 harley and my 1954 triumph which both works fine. Thought to myself that I will forever stick to old school bikes simply because they always work with some love and elbow grease. Maybe the husa won't start because I've developed hate for it? Mayne the husa doesn't like me?

9. Stopped imagining throwing the husa in the river and started thinking step by step what has been done to this bike since I got it (and remember, it started and idled fine when I got it). I concluded that everything I've done to it has been checked, re-checked and triple checked by now. EXCEPT the wiring. It is a pretty bare bone and simple diagram, and I didn't replace anything in the loom, I just hooked everything back up after the complete teardown of the bike.

10. Could I have wired something wrong or missed something that could cause this behaviour?

Also. Starter spray doesn't help.. it wants to fire but doesn't.

Back at it.

I'm starting to think the cam is 180 degrees off. Would it be possible to run the bike (albeit barely)?

This bike if genuinely getting on my nerves.

Yesterday I spent another day of tinkering with it. This time removing the cam once again (3rd time) making sure everything was lined up and put back together, set the valves and ignition according to everything I've learned. Removed carb again and cleaned everything for the 10th time. The bike started up after a few tries, no idle, ran for 30 seconds then bogged down again.

However. I'm starting to suspect I'm getting erratic spark with the plug installed. Once I have it out and ground it on the cylinder a spark is visible, but the reason the bike won't run HAS to be because it's not firing a spark properly with the spark installed (which can't be seen of course). So I'm thinking about replacing ignition coil and possibly CDI (is there one on my 2002 FE650? Can't remember atm)

Of course another problem occured yesterday too.. The starter is replaced to a heavy duty one from Taffy according to the previous owner. Yesterday it just started clicking even though I have 12-13V on the starter side of the relay/solenoid. No wonder since I've cranked it probably hundreds of sime by now. So a new starter is probably due too..

In summary: I need an ignition coil and a new starter. I'll wait with replacing the CDI until I've tried with a new coil.

Is this something you could help me with @Taffy?

Thanks for your advice Taffy. I'll definitely get a spark tester before I start replacing ignition parts. I really think my problem has to do with intermittent spark. Either the coil, HT lead or SEM unit.

The bike is fitted with your "beefy" starter, auto decomp and easy start kit and has always started fine with e-start only. Now that the starter relay is clicking but the starter is not doing anything I'm guessing the starter needs replacing regardless. I'll start with tearing it down to find out if it's fixable first.. quick question: Is the starter removable without removing the clutch cover?

It wasn't the starter. I took it out and tested it in the work bench and it spins like it should. It's the relay thats acting up. When measuring it's working fine, clicking like it should and sends power through. Re-mounted everything on the bike.

Went through the cables from the ignition coil (red SEM coil). Everything looks OK.

Figured I'll try starting the bike again (for the 1000th time). First it was just clicking but all of a sudden started cranking again. Lo and behold, THE BIKE STARTED. I quickly took it off the lift, keeping the revs up so it wouldn't die, and rolled it out on the street. Kicked in in gear and took off. It pulled like it should in first, second and third. Turned around and stopped outside my garage wishing I had a screwdriver with me so I could try adjust the carb and get some idle. I didn't, so the bike died when letting the throttle go.

Tried starting again. Didn't start. Puffs and bangs but no start. Charged up the battery and came back a while later. Cranking forever. No start. Just like before. Tried again and the starter relay started clicking again. Went to bed.

Hey all,
It's been a while. Since last time I posted in this thread I managed, through contacts, to find a guy who's an expert on these machines. I explained everything I've tried and done and happily handed the bike over.

Two days went past and he called me up. He had taken the engine out and apart! Here's the discussion:

Him: Did you powdercoat the frame?
Me: Yes, why?
Him: Did you sand blast the frame before you painted it?
Me: Yes, why?
Him: You know how the frame works as an air intake?
Me: Oh no, don't say..
Him: Sand gets trapped inside the frame and gets loose when the bike starts up. Husaberg actually had problems with this from the factory, a lot of bikes came back with toasted rod, piston and cylinder and they couldn't figure out why until they realized what happened. Sand trapped in pockets inside the frame gets loose and blows straight through the carb into the engine.
Me: Holy hell, are you serious?
Him: Yep, sorry, you've made the same mistake and your cylinder, piston and rod is toast.

So this explains why bike bike ran perfectly before the taredown. The cylinder has already been sent to an overhaul. I now need to get a hold of a piston and rod. @Taffy, is this something you could help me with?