Hello all. I have been talking on and off with some of you in PM's as well as searching posts in various forums, you tube videos and the web to find help, how-to's and solutions.

I am very much a noob with motorcycle repair and work, but am not a noob to wrenching and working my way around things on trucks, cars, etc. I do own the OEM service and parts manuals, Clymers, Haynes and Donny Peterson's books, as well as having access to the Web, yet I still could use some help. I can only imagine how hard it is for a guy who has never wrenched etc.

My reason for posting this, because I have seen all the other "my bike won't start" posts, and none share my symptoms or can be used by others as a "how to" or checklist to troubleshoot and fix. People in the threads banter with the assumption that all reading already know the basics or where the "such and such" part even is.

So let's go over what I checked so far:

1. Problem: Lights work, battery tender states it's getting a good float charge, yet I run through juice quickly when trying to start and hear clicking eventually, but the bike doesn't start.

Solution: Experts/fellow bike owners all deduce it's a bad battery. I replace it with an OEM HD battery because none of the Deka branded ones are available (both same battery) but this doesn't solve the bike not starting. However, it holds a strong charge, doesn't click anymore and the old battery had a melted terminal from arcing as well as being a different brand than claimed by seller and apparently, very old. Battery replacement in my case was a good idea regardless (Note I have a multimeter, if I wasn't already planning on getting a new battery I would have run many tests to see if battery was getting a charge, was good, etc. I will probably do so step 3)

2. Problem: bike still won't start. New battery.

Solutions: I planned to do this anyway as normal maintenance, replaced both old-as-dirt looking Champion spark plugs with NGK Iridium spark plugs. Replace both spark plug wires with 8.8 Drag specialties wires. Old wires were already after market 8.8 but very old and beat up looking. The part that goes onto plug didn't seat or click anymore. I hear Drag Specialties stuff isn't that good so may upgrade wires when all is done and I get really bored Bike STILL won't run

***[NB: Something happened during this process that pissed me off. I need to get straight risers that are at least 6 inches not the standard HD slightly curved 5-5 1/2" ones or replace the shorty handlebars this SOA soaked original owner had on there (originally with aftermarket, cheap Chinese risers that snapped on me which caused my last issue when the bike was running last September). I will either go with the original stock risers and bars, or a beach bar style using the OEM Style "Mustang" risers I have on there now. The boxes on both sides of handles that house the switches are too close in and hits gas cap and fuel gauge if turned too far to right or left. This time the throttle cable metal bend tube that comes out scraped the paint deep and say a quarter inch long scrape. This is a post get the bike running project, but guys make sure you wrap stuff like that when working on your scoot. Sadly, I think this is the best way to learn because obviously people telling me to watch stuff like this DIDN'T sink in!. Now it has ]***

3. Problem: Bike still won't start up. It really sounds to me like it is choked for gas.

Solution: Need to watch you tube videos, review forums, and ask people here how to remove the air filter cover and trouble shoot the lines and the carburetor. Old gas may have gummed it up as I never had a chance to run sea foam and stabil in it prior to Winter due to aforementioned issues with handlebars.

Will also run some of the tests recommended with the multimeter to rule out any other electrical issues (how to's and suggestions here appreciated)


3: 5/23/14 Update removed air filter cover, air filter is wet with slimy black stuff and is disintegrating on some of the edges. It must be the original one he had with the S& S carb (its a super carb E)

Tomorrow will clean up carb and play around with starter fluid etc. Pretty sure I am gong to need a basic rebuild kit if his air filter is any sign. Are these disposable? or are they like the K & N use a cleaner and an oil? it looks disposable to me, even if it wasn't, it's toast

4. 5/24/14.

Bought a K & N E 3226 air filter. cleaned up the carb, what I could see on the outside of carburetor and inside the cone. Did I clean off some gum sticking it up too? Maybe. but the Air cleaner was the charm.

My bike, after some false starts is now RUNNING.

Thank you all!

Lee

 

From what I'm reading the starter spins the motor but the motor won't start correct?

Your motor needs 3 things to fire. Fuel. air. spark, and it needs them at the right times.

Since you are looking at a fuel thing I'm assuming that you get spark at the plug right?

Just trying to synopsize the above.

 

Yup, pull plugs, crank motor, spark = yes then check static ign timing

spark = no then check leads, coil, module, ign pick up, is ign cup loose?

spark = yes and timing OK then you have a fuel problem. remove air cleaner and spray ether down the inlet and try starting it. Start = yes then no fuel getting through. Start = no then start looking for inlet leaks or mechanical failure (valves).

This should get you started.

To sum up.

If you have a spark and it won't start then spark is in wrong place or no fuel.

If you have no fuel a dose of ether will tell you if its gonna start once you have fuel.

 

This should be a sticky.

 

....... or common sense

 

Its a mystery if you haven't been told...

 

2 1/2 years ago until Dr. Hess and Spanners put this in my head (at the forefront), I had all sorts of troubles that were akways too much to understand. Armed with this info and two years off practically rebuilding my bike from the flywheels out I am now able to supplement my income working on bikes for brothers.

 

If you think it's fuel related:

Verify the vaccum line is connected to the fuel petcock. 97 FXDL should have a vaccum operated petcock...so no vacuum, no fuel.

Remove the air filter cover and spray some starting fluid down the throat of the carb. If it starts briefly then dies and won't restart, you have a fuel delivery or fuel quality issue.

Other things to check:

-Verify the battery and ground connections are good. You melted the previous battery terminal due to a bad connection.

-Check for spark to the spark plugs.

-sounds like you have been into the handlebar controls. Verify that the kill switch wire isn't pinched or shorted.

Good luck. Start with the basics and work through the rest.

 

Thanks guys --a lot of good ideas and info

Thanks THC I'll double check this Tuesday when I have off.


Thanks Spanner

So to be clear, I leave the spark plug in the wire when I pull it and should see a spark when I try to start? What about using the multitester for continuity ? I have an issue where clutch seems to be riding even when clutch lever is compressed--wasnt there before it went to the shop for inspection, fluid changes and new tires, was when it came back--so prefer to be sitting on bike when I start her. It's on list to fix/check. Maybe because viscosity of primary oil is different -he used a less thick weight and it is pinkish. Or maybe as my paranoid mind thinkls in it's darkest recesses "pssst he cherry picked some of your parts for another bike as he knows your a noob" -I know highly unlikely but also seems strange that I have so many issues after it was at shop too

Thanks Spanner

Thank you. I do want to say it was the previous owner that melted that terminal I'll admit I gouged the paint tho.

The Controls were moved to the shorter handlebars by the original owner--I had riser issues (handlebar moved up down and all around when riding one day) but yes that's an awesome item to add to checklist too. The clutch cable for some reason the clutch itself, don't seem the same since I had a shop put on new tires and change all fluids when I got it. Maybe it's a change in primary oil viscosity? Just seemed odd--that's on my to do list too.

But will check that all out.

Going to look into this all probably Tuesday.

Thanks all

 

forgot to mention, The old spark plugs I removed were black and uniformly covered with black soot. I know this means carbon deposits.

Is fuel mixture too rich? Issue with ignition? Does this help in diagnosis?