Difficult to start ,tried everything

[Paul H]

Hi guys
 my Elsie 4LO is driving me mad. It's being almost impossible to start. I have a spark and fuel but just refuses to kick. If I get son to push me up and down the road for 15 minutes I can eventually bump it into life, then it runs rough foe 10 miles but clears and is sweet as a nut. If I stop for a cupcake or visit a meet she will kick first time. However I put her back in the garage and two days later I am back to square one. Things I have tried so far

different coils, 2x RD 1x Banshee
new plugs
new leads hi and low coils checked and in spec
carbs removed cleaned in ultrasonic bath and back together.

 I considered the CDI but it run sweet when it gets going. Any advice would be great as summer is slipping away.

[wallcraft]

Air leak around the crank seals or else were can cause this, not had your problem on an LC but did on a CR 250, changed the seals and it was fine.

[rigga]

Sounds like its flooding maybe, float valves not sealing and tap passing fuel?

[oldelsieboy]

Carb float bowls fitted to wrong bodies.

OEB

[midlifecrisisrd]

Start with the obvious, you haven't got the float bowls on the wrong carbs causing the choke not to work hence the poor starting and running till warm

Check the low speed windings reading with a multimeter in case they are out of spec cold but better warm. Check the pick up too.

Check the float heights next and whether the needles are passing. Test this by after you've had it running good turn off the fuel and remove and block the fuel pipes to stop all flow. Reconnect them after a few days and see if it starts

Steve

[billbott]

Mine was the same when the float valves were passing.

[arrow]

Jul 26, 2016 22:30:37 GMT 1 billbott said:

Mine was the same when the float valves were passing.

Totally agree. Dodgy float valves. Had the very same issue with my 250E.

[Paul H]

Thanks guys, i will get the carbs stripped over the weekend and see what happens

[muddyfox]

i always run my bikes dry for this reason

[JonW]

how long since you checked the bore? traditionally 2 strokes are very hard to start if the rings arent sealing too wel. if it kicks over easily but wont start, then maybe it needs a hone/rings or a rebore?

[ngordoncrosby]

My 250 won't start if I leave it on side stand. For longer than two days has to be on the main stand

[Ozhammer]

As has already been mentioned, definitely worth checking that the float bowls are fitted to the correct carb, as that will definitely cause cold starting issues, as it did on my RD400G after they were 'professionally' cleaned and refurbished

Rgds

Ozhammer

[paulperth]

Mine was a nightmare to start after standing for a while eventually narrowed it down to the float bowl on the choke carb not having the little hole on it changed to correct float bowl and now fires first or second kick

[neo]

Fuel tap not shutting off properly? Does garage smell of petrol?

[neo]

Did you get this sorted

[murp]

old thread resurrection alert


i'm having similar problems...... did you sort this

[Paul H]

Yes the carbs were not shutting off properly and flooding. I adjusted the float height and now always turn the tap off when i have finished riding as a just in case.

Paul

[earthman]

Was the vacuum type of tap invented due to this sort of thing happening basically??

[rigga]

Interesting thing I found when i had clear float bowls fitted, was that turning the fuel tap off and running the engine till it stopped didn't actully empty the carbs, well the right hand one had a decent amount of fuel still in there, whilst the left hand one had run dry and stopped the engine. Reason being, unless you have the exact same length fuel hose from the tap to both carbs, you are not accounting for that extra fuel when the tap is closed. On a two outlet tap both carbs will not be completely empty due to relative proximity to the tap.

[copper99]

Feb 1, 2018 14:54:59 GMT 1 earthman said:

Was the vacuum type of tap invented due to this sort of thing happening basically??

Thats the main advantage mate...they can still leak and of course & the tap(or repair kit) is always more expensive ..(unless the gravity fed item is/ or becomes NOS!)