starting trouble
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Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2006
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starting trouble
ok i have all the main stuff wired. the battery is hooked up. filled with oil, and supper unleaded gas. tried to kick it over but nothing. i do get a poof here and there but no signs of even attempting to start. the battery is brand new. gas is only a week old in a new gas can. it is getting gas cuz i can smell it. i did notice the plug wires that i bought i did put together wrong. fixed that issue. but one thing with them one has wire in it the other dont. unsure if that makes a difference. i think i do need a new kick because it does skip every couple of kicks. already messed up my left knee do to this. no electric start. now my question is how do i know im getting juice to the proper areas. regulator, generator. i was beginning to think if im not getting spark to my points. pulled the new plugs and nothing on them. any ideas where to start looking? this is a 72 ironhead. thanks allen
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
RE: starting trouble
First you need both wires to have wire in them, not a carbon track. Get wire.
Pull both plugs out of the heads,
Put the plug wires on each and lay the plugs against the heads to ground them solidly (metal on plug base to metal head)
Commence kicking. Both plugs should have a strong blue colored spark.
If they spark, the fire is good. All you need is a gas/air mixture to go with that and it will crank.
If you are getting an occasional 'puff' from the engine, that means it is very close to firing off. Maybe that one plug wire is the problem. I suspect that is the case........pg
Pull both plugs out of the heads,
Put the plug wires on each and lay the plugs against the heads to ground them solidly (metal on plug base to metal head)
Commence kicking. Both plugs should have a strong blue colored spark.
If they spark, the fire is good. All you need is a gas/air mixture to go with that and it will crank.
If you are getting an occasional 'puff' from the engine, that means it is very close to firing off. Maybe that one plug wire is the problem. I suspect that is the case........pg
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
RE: starting trouble
The kickstart lever froze? That sounds like there may be trouble with the quadrant gear inside the primary behind the clutch drum.
Can you raise the lever by hand?
Remove the spark plugs, put it in 4th gear and rock the bike back and forth. Does this do anything to free the lever?
If not, then I think you are going to have to go inside the primary and possibly remove the clutch drum to find out what has it bound up........pg
Can you raise the lever by hand?
Remove the spark plugs, put it in 4th gear and rock the bike back and forth. Does this do anything to free the lever?
If not, then I think you are going to have to go inside the primary and possibly remove the clutch drum to find out what has it bound up........pg
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2006
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From:
RE: starting trouble
ok the only thing i can do is move the kick up just a little but that is onlymoving the crank spring away from the stud. but as i look at my manual i think i have the spring upside down. as i tear into the primary what exactly am i looking for? or will it be pretty simple to see?
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
RE: starting trouble
This is what you need to look at. You have a 1972, correct?
The gear that has a large spring behind it can easily get cocked and lock up if the bushing is worn. Most bushings I have seen are quite worn.
If you have a manual, go to the section labeled 'Kickstarter' and it will tell you all you need to know about getting it apart.
If you need this info, you can email me and I will send you a pdf copy. I cannot do a pdf here on the forum, so I have to do it by email.
If you do email me, be sure to tell me what you need and mention the year model of your machine.
I cannot keep up with all of the members and what particular machine they have. The numbers have just grown too great for my tired old memory............pg
[IMG]local://upfiles/8331/35DC01E816AF4D879DEC2838FD27E477.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/8331/C617194EFBF649D8B730F476A3D9E07C.jpg[/IMG]
The gear that has a large spring behind it can easily get cocked and lock up if the bushing is worn. Most bushings I have seen are quite worn.
If you have a manual, go to the section labeled 'Kickstarter' and it will tell you all you need to know about getting it apart.
If you need this info, you can email me and I will send you a pdf copy. I cannot do a pdf here on the forum, so I have to do it by email.
If you do email me, be sure to tell me what you need and mention the year model of your machine.
I cannot keep up with all of the members and what particular machine they have. The numbers have just grown too great for my tired old memory............pg
[IMG]local://upfiles/8331/35DC01E816AF4D879DEC2838FD27E477.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/8331/C617194EFBF649D8B730F476A3D9E07C.jpg[/IMG]
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Cruiser
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RE: starting trouble
now this iswhat im gonna do. i have the batterys charging in for my camara. im gonna take pics as i go along so u can see. i already had the book open to that section. too bad u didnt live closer. chilli and beer tomorrow. i dont pay much but the food is good. ill keep u posted on what my finds are. i can understand all the work u do in the group. years do get confusing. mine is a 72 but after today what a kick in the shorts. i thought for sure it would be running by noon
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
RE: starting trouble
OK, that sounds good to me.
Before you pull the clutch off, see if you can tell if that gear is what is binding. It is really hard to see behind the clutch hub because it is so tight for room but maybe you can put a thin screw driver or a flexible ruler back there to attempt to free the gear (provided it is what is stuck).
I cannot gaurantee that is the problem, but there is a good chance it is........pg
Before you pull the clutch off, see if you can tell if that gear is what is binding. It is really hard to see behind the clutch hub because it is so tight for room but maybe you can put a thin screw driver or a flexible ruler back there to attempt to free the gear (provided it is what is stuck).
I cannot gaurantee that is the problem, but there is a good chance it is........pg
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2006
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From:
RE: starting trouble
ok this is what i have come up with. took primary off to investigate before going on. i was able to get my fingers in there. while mocing my kick up and down a lil that it does move i could feel that gear mocing back and forth. so next what should i do.