Non Starting 2001 FE

kez · Jan 16, 2005

Happy New Year To All.
Just Serviced My 400,Had To Reset The Valves As They Were Really Tight,
Changed The Oil And Filter And Put Fresh Antifrezze In Her.
Adjusted The Decompression Cable Because The Lever Did Naff All,It Now
Just Pushes Down On The Arm Ever So Slightly When You Cycle Through With The Kick,Its Now Alot Easier To Kick Over.
The Problem I Having Is No Matter How It Kick The Bike It Wont Start At All. Kick It And It Just Rumbles And Dies Turns Over On Its Own About 1 Or 2 Times,On The Button It'l Fire Once And The Starter Stalls.
Think Most Of This Is With The Battery As It Wont Hold A Charge For Very Long.
Just Want Peoples Ideas And To Make Sure Its Nothing I've Done?

berger · Jan 16, 2005

Does the manual decompressor return all the way when released? Mine used to stay engaged ever so slightly and made for very hard starting, much as you descibed. I mounted a return spring to the system and have had no problems since.

kez · Jan 16, 2005

Its Had The Manual One Removed,I Think The Lever On The Head Goes Back All The Way. Seems To Have High Compression,Starter Sins Over Till Compression Stroke And Then Stalls,Even With A Good Car Battery.
If You Pull Back On The Kick To Engage Decrompression The Starter Flys Over Let It Drop Back And The Starter Stalls.
Has Always Been A Problem To Start,But Usually On The 3rd Or 4th Attempt With The Button If Would Cough Into Life.
Never,Ever Been Able To Start With A Kick,It Had Way To Much Compression For That,Would Feel Like You Were About To Snap The Kick Off Of It Would Try And Pop You Knee Out.
Last Ride It Ran Real Bad,As The Valves Had Tightened Up And Was Running On Low,Stale Fuel,So Thats Why I Decided To Service It.
The Only Things I've Adjusted Are The Valves And The Decompression Lever.

berger · Jan 16, 2005

You might have to go through the carburetor. It may be alittle gummed up or perhaps dirty.

kez · Jan 16, 2005

I'll Have To Play With It Next Weekend. How Should The Decompression Lever Be Adjusted.
When The Kick Was Pushd Back The Lever Moved Back But Didnt Move The Rocker,Adjusted Till It Pushed It Down,Letting Go Of The Kick The Rocker Came Back Up And Lever Didnt Mover Any Further Back.
Could I Have Over Adjusted The Cable?
The Carb And Decompression Doesnt Really Explain Why The Starter Doesnt Turn The Engine Over Till I Move The Kick.
I Know The Carb Needs Looking At After Read Taffys Replies,But Havnt Got A Clear Part Of The Garage To Work In Just Yet.
Checked The Plug While I Was Doing This Yesterday And It Looked Really Quite Good Concidering.
It Was A Dark Brown Colour,Running A Little Rich I Would Think,But The Air Filter Is In Need Of A Good Clean.
I'll Get My Boy To Sort Me Out A New Battery Under Warranty From His Work And See What Happens.
:x :x :x :x Not How I Wanted To Spend My Weekend :x :x :x :x
Any More Ideas

scoot · Jan 18, 2005

Your e-start problem sounds the same as mine. Sounds like the sprague clutch is wearing out. I now have to start with the kicker, but after its warmed up then it'll start on the button easily, really this is the way you should start the bikes anyhow,so its no big deal. As for the running problem? check and clean the carb as the old fuel would've gummed up the jets and airways. Goodluck with it

BD · Jan 18, 2005

It seems to me that it must be youir decomp cable causing the problem. Maybe clean the carb out and try again, but my bike will start fine without any charge at the battery when kicked. As long as the ignition is sending out a spark, then all is good. Check your spark plug out of the hole and see if you can get a spark. Mine was doing what yours is when the ignition was going bad. Gas and fire, at the right time, and it will run. Hang in there. BD

Ady · Jan 18, 2005

Hi Kez
Mine showed similar problems,
Clean carb (with an airline and a solvent cleaner).
Re-seal around the exhaust (it may be pulling in air).
Re-check your valves (3 notches back on your adjuster, if you've got one).
Kick her from cold, don't use the button.
Use only Super plus unleaded fuel (drain the old stuff out).
Note: Battery irrelevant to poor starting off the kick.
I agree with Scoot, it could be your sprague clutch, but depends on how old it is.
These are my opinions made from experience and info from this site - I AM NO EXPERT.
I do hope it helps though and wish you luck

Ady

70marlin · Jan 18, 2005

For what's it worth. Have you changed the spark plug yet? When my 02FX470E starts to start harder, I'll throw a new plug in her and she fires right up! My dealer say's that the berg has high compression and it fractures the porcelain in the cheap NGKs. My plug always looks great, a nice light tan color. My Fx470e has never started on the E button cold.

husabutt · Jan 18, 2005

If after cleaning everything, especially the carb and replacing the plug it still won't start there is a very good chance your stator is on the way out. Based upon the year alone the stator is suspect. For a quick check remove the spark plug, put a new one in the spark plug cap and lay it against the head to ground it. Try starting with the button and kick start. It should spin freely with the plug out of the head. You should be getting spark with every revolution of the engine not just the compression stroke. If your spark is weak (not a nice fat blue), intermittent or non-existent check or have your stator checked.

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Non Starting 2001 FE

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