Evo no start
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Joined: Jan 2018
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From: Philadelphia
Evo no start
friend had picked up an old evo project and hasnt been able to get it to start. I have some experience with twin cam rebuilds but both of us don’t really have any experience with evos. It’s a touring bike with what seems a late model evo motor. It apparently had a top end rebuild but had not been started by the previous owner. Lol I know it gets hairier - we probably have no business opening this can of worms but it’s here and I guess worth a shot. Tested compression and it’s about 120 in both cylinders. A little low but I guess it’s ok since the rings haven’t really seated yet. It’s got an ultima ignition wired to a single fire coil - wiring seems right per ultima docs - white wire +12v and then blue and pink wire to the front and back. Made a makeshift vented tank for it to drive the CV40 carb. Carb seems like it’s getting fuel and also supplying it to the cylinders. The wiring is very basic but seems rigged together right. When we hit the start button it cranks but no start. Thing we verified
Things I suspect are the ultima(dyna 2000i) ignition isn’t firing correctly. It does pass it check at power on and the red led seems to be going on and off when starting. Maybe cam isn’t timed right ie someone changed the cam gear and didn’t get it right but don’t know how to check that. Battery might not be cranking the engine fast enough but it seems to pass load tests and hold charge.
Inexperienced and completely stomped. Hoping some of the evo gurus can help
- Compression is about 120
- Battery is newish and above 12.8
- When tried to crank, the plugs fire. Verified by grounding plugs against the cylinders.
- Fuel seems to be getting to the cylinders. After many attempts of choke and non choke starts we see droplets of fuel on top of the pistons
- Removed rocker and cam covers and verified that the valves open and close in the right sequence. Cam is an ev27. Cam, crank and breather are timed right.
- There is no regulator wired at the moment - not sure if that would cause an issue.
- The bike started once - the very first time and ran for about 10s. Sounded right and then slowly stopped. Never been able to get it fired after that.
- When cranked we hear a fire her and a fire there and then white puffs of smoke through the carb.
Things I suspect are the ultima(dyna 2000i) ignition isn’t firing correctly. It does pass it check at power on and the red led seems to be going on and off when starting. Maybe cam isn’t timed right ie someone changed the cam gear and didn’t get it right but don’t know how to check that. Battery might not be cranking the engine fast enough but it seems to pass load tests and hold charge.
Inexperienced and completely stomped. Hoping some of the evo gurus can help
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: NC USA
Sounds like you've covered the (basic) bases.
I'm assuming it's sit for some extended length of time so, my first thought is the carb is plugged. If it had ethanol fuel in it and sat for more than 6=8 weeks or so, that's a red flag. If it had e-free fuel and sat for 4-5 months, same flag.
Remember, the accelerator pulls off the very bottom and will squirt fuel even if the idle ports are totally plugged. But they won't start or run if the idle circuit is gunked up.
You may have other issues, but from what you outlined, I'm going with a stopped up carburetor. And don't discount the benefits of fresh plugs.
I'm assuming it's sit for some extended length of time so, my first thought is the carb is plugged. If it had ethanol fuel in it and sat for more than 6=8 weeks or so, that's a red flag. If it had e-free fuel and sat for 4-5 months, same flag.
Remember, the accelerator pulls off the very bottom and will squirt fuel even if the idle ports are totally plugged. But they won't start or run if the idle circuit is gunked up.
You may have other issues, but from what you outlined, I'm going with a stopped up carburetor. And don't discount the benefits of fresh plugs.
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Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Long Island, New York
I will say it:
Have you tired shooting some starter fluid into the carb???
I know that can get sketchy, be ready for a fire BUT if she start up then dies again, it takes a lot of other things out of the equation and leaves you with a carb that needs to be rebuilt or replaced.
Good luck.
Have you tired shooting some starter fluid into the carb???
I know that can get sketchy, be ready for a fire BUT if she start up then dies again, it takes a lot of other things out of the equation and leaves you with a carb that needs to be rebuilt or replaced.
Good luck.
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From: Philadelphia
Thanks yes checked the ignition wiring and also put brand new plugs in. It feels like its free as it sat without gas. I sprayed a little starter fluid into the carb and nothing. Would it be useful to take the carb off and just shoot a little starter fluid into the intake ?
is there any way to verify if the cam is timed right outside of checking timing marks. Something like at front TDC the timing rotor mark needs to be here and read tdc it needs to be somewhere else.
thank for all the responses!!
is there any way to verify if the cam is timed right outside of checking timing marks. Something like at front TDC the timing rotor mark needs to be here and read tdc it needs to be somewhere else.
thank for all the responses!!
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From: Philadelphia
Yea tried with enricher. It just spits back white smoke through the carb when I do that. Tried single and dual fire. Even switched out to a dual fire plug and no dice
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HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: NC USA
The part hat has me puzzled is that it started/ran for 10 seconds. If the module was timed on the wrong stroke, I don't think it would start at all, rather it would act like it is currently.
Maybe time it static - as shown in the install sheet. (If you haven't already tried that.
Maybe time it static - as shown in the install sheet. (If you haven't already tried that.
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Joined: Jan 2018
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From: Philadelphia
Ha yeah I celebrated my genius in that 10s and then came down to reality when it shut down. At one point I thought the makeshift gas tank I made was the cause because it was not vented properly. But I too the cap off (it’s a simple coolant overfill bottle with a 1/4 nozzle) and even then no dice. Maybe something broke in those first 10s - not sure I want to open the motor up. It shouldn’t have had decent compression of something broke. I’ll eliminate a couple things next - use a spare car battery to drive things and then maybe spray starter fluid straight into the intake and see if it fires. Lol i feel like I checked everything grrrr!!
Is it worth doing a leak down test. Again compression was decent at 120..
Is it worth doing a leak down test. Again compression was decent at 120..
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,404
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From: NC USA
Yeah, it's a head scratcher for sure. Maybe a plugged fuel line if you're using any length of what was on it.
If you go to the trouble to pull the carb, I'd take the bowl off, low jet out and at least give it a ***** bath....
Good luck
If you go to the trouble to pull the carb, I'd take the bowl off, low jet out and at least give it a ***** bath....
Good luck