Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech unreliable starting

Hi, I recently bought a 2003 America. Sometimes it starts and runs beautifully. Other times when I try to start it, the starter engine works, but it won't start up. Then I go back out the next day or two days later and it starts fine. Any ideas where to start looking for the problem?

sounds like a problem I just fixed yesterday
http://www.bonnevilleamerica.com/forums/...ge=0#Post272596

by the way, thats kind of how mine started off a couple weeks ago, cranking over till the battery died, maybe not enough spark gets through without a full charge

I'm pretty sure the charge isn't the problem. When I connect the bike to my car battery...same problem. . .

Becareful jumping a bike from a car you can damage the bikes electrical system. Some car batteries have too high CCA for our bikes. Putting it through a dead bike battery may offer some protection as I am sure that robs some of the juice. Not good to do though if I want to crank it off my big battery charger I am supposed to set it on the 6V system for cranking to prevent damage. Thats what it says right in the manual for the charger. It is a big floor charger for my towing business and can crank a car over with a dead battery.

spark plugs, battery, and does the bike have customised pipes on it

no customised pipes...spark plugs was my guess, but it looks like you have to take the fuel tank off to get to them so I was looking for some other ideas before doing that...

Sounds more like a sticky float causing it to flood since if you wait then it starts, Either that or the opposite and you have a blockage or clogged vent not allowing gas to get through. I would think the former more likely but not limited to those.

The hidden fuel filter is a possibility for the blockage.

Fuel filter blocked between the carbs is also worth a look..

Unfortuantley it wasn't as simple as a vent hose problem (loosening the fuel cap didn't help). I think the next step will be to take it too a mechanic to look at the fuel filter and to make sure the float is working properly...that's beyond my ability. I'll let you know when I figure out what the problem is.

Try some Seafoam in the gas. If it's a 2003 and it has sat for any length of time, things could be sticking in the carbs as mentioned above. The 2003's (maybe other years too) had a problem with the paint around the inside of the filler neck on the tank flaking off. It happened on mine, but never caused me any problems. The little filter showed no signs of it, but the carb bowls had a small amount of black stuff in them - the paint, I assume....

You could also take a cap off a spray can, put it under each carb and with the fuel tap off, drain each float bowl and see what comes out. Won't fix anything but may indicate if there's any crap in the carbs....

If it was a sticking float the clear plastic line on the float drain would show either and overflow or lack of gas. The hidden filter is as easy as removing the gas line from the tank where it meets the carbs. as soon as you pull that line off the plastic T fitting the hidden filter is right there and pulls out easily with any sort of grasping device,hemostats,tweezers,needlenose , etc..

EDIT: I was trying to find a good shot of the hidden filter but couldn't.It really isn't a hard thing to do and wouldn't pay a mechanic to do it.

Here it is at ssjones photobucket: clickey click

Make sure you have a good spark. Then check fuel flow. If it is cold, turn on the key and run/stop switch and wait half a minute or so for the carb warmers to do their job. Also, silly as it seems, look closely at the choke control and make sure it is connected correctly.

you do not need to remove the tank to get the plugs out.
I use an 18mm deep socket and a short(3") extension.
pull the plug wire, set the socket in on the plug then
put the ratchet handle on and break it free.
then remove the handle and spin put the plug by hand.

" install is reverse of removal "

I always wanted to say that.