No Start

[TuHandy]

Hello, New 1998 Banshee owner

 

The very first time I rode my banshee I got stranded after about and Hour of riding. SHEE was running good and all of a sudden just cut off. I kicked and kicked, pulled plugs, cleaned, dried and she finally started.

Tried to start when I got home and nothing.

Pulled carbs apart and cleaned out. They looked fine because I had just installed 260 mains the day before. I checked for spark and both plugs have a spark.

I have got it to fire up once since and went for a ride. Ran great, got back home and nothing again. Tore carbs apart again, all appeared fine.

I do have fuel going to carbs, fuel in bowls. After I kick it 15-20 times I checked the plugs and they are dry. I have a feeling that its something in the carbs not letting fuel go to the cylinders, but I dont know what to check or change.

 

Totally stock banshee, plus fmf pipes and 260 main jets.

 

Please help my right leg is getting sore.

[BenBB]

Hmmm tough one. The way you say it just cut off and didn't wanna start sounds electrical...but after 20 kicks I'd think the plugs would be soaked. All you need for it to run is fuel, air, compression, and spark at the right time. The symptoms don't sound like compression (it would be hard to start cold, wouldn't just die on ya when hot, etc.). If you've got fuel in the bowls, it's a pretty good bet you got fuel to the combustion chamber...

 

I guess I'd start with fresh plugs, go over the wiring harness and check for any loose connectors or wires rubbed through against the frame, ride close to the house and see if you can duplicate the problem, and check for spark as soon as it happens again. At least that way you can eliminate electrical.

 

As for fuel, you can double check that the mains are clear, and pull the pilots and make sure they aren't clogged. If there's any debris at all in the float bowls check the strainers on the fuel petcock inside the tank. Unless you actually run out of fuel or there's a complete blockage of the fuel line, it doesn't sound like a jetting problem; if it was lean it would rev waaaay up, rich would foul the plugs but you'd see them real wet. Even if the airscrews are way way off it wouldn't just die on ya like that.

 

Double check the simple stuff (petcock on, both switches on, try the choke, fuel tank full, etc.) too, we've all done that shit. Good luck.

[sheefreak]

I just helped a friend w/ a warrior that had what appeared to be good spark, but would only start when bump started. Had good compression, fuel, the whole 9 yards. Ended up being stator. Assuming it just needed enough revs to generate a strong enough spark to run. Would do weird stuff like start every once in a while. Would usually start back up after running if you tried right away, but if you waited only five minutes, would have to bump start again. I would try all the simple stuff as benbb stated, but don't overlook the stator. Good luck!

[NEVER SATISFIED]

check your pilots.. they get clogged really easy

[locogato11283]

pull the side cover and check the wires on the stator. when i first got my silver banshee it would run fine for a while then just die. sometimes itd start and other times it wouldnt. at least check it and if thats not it you can cross it off the list.

[TuHandy]

Thank you for all the ideas. I will stop and get new plugs today and try that first.

 

Then check wiring, stator, pull carbs off again, check pilots..

 

It has 120 psi in both cylinders.

 

Last night I placed a small about of fuel in one cylinder and replaced plug, first kick it tried to start, so I am assuming its a fuel thing...... Possibly pilots like someone suggested????????

[bigboybanshee]

Thank you for all the ideas.  I will stop and get new plugs today and try that first.

 

Then check wiring, stator, pull carbs off again, check pilots..

 

It has 120 psi in both cylinders.

 

Last night I placed a small about of fuel in one cylinder and replaced plug, first kick it tried to start, so I am assuming its a fuel thing...... Possibly pilots like someone suggested????????

362146[/snapback]

 

Could be but not necessarily. If you have a loose connection it could do this as well. Checking the pilot jets as well as the channels they reside in wouldn't be a bad idea, but wouldn't settle for that being the problem. I honestly think it is either a short in your wiring a ground wire that's not solid. I had a very similar issue and it turned out that I had a short in my keyswitch, which would allow it to run fine for a while but once I turned the handlebars past a certain point the wire would short out, causing my banshee to just die all of a sudden. Took me the better part of 2 weeks to find that one

[TuHandy]

The only reason I dont think its electrical because I always have had a spark. Everytime I have tested it.

 

When I put a small amount of fuel in oneof the holes last night it ran for a split second. So I guess I'm leaning towards a fuel problem, but I will still go over all the wires and check for wear or loose connections.

 

Would the TORS being connected have anything to do with no starting????

 

Thanks for the Info, will keep you posted.

[sheefreak]

Will still start, just won't rev at all. My buddy said the same thing about the spark being there every time he checked it, so I wouldn't rule it out yet. You could always unplug the TORS to check it.

[Rare Scottish Tree Badger]

Check that the valve in your fuel cap breather is working ok. If it's blocked this can cause a vacuum in the tank that stops the fuel getting to the carbs. ... Unlikely, but worth checking.

 

Rare.

 

EDIT: Just re-read your initial post and see that you're getting fuel to the carbs, so it's not the above.

 

Rare.

Edited April 29, 2005 by Rare Scottish Tree Badger

[TuHandy]

Well, I stoped at the parts store and got some new plugs, cleaned out carb again (looked fine) and installed new 27.5 pilots (stock was 25). I was told to increase due to installing aftermarket pipes and removing snorkel.

I checked the wiring quickly and didnt notice anything out of the ordinary.

 

Kicked her over a few times, nothing. I tried choke off, out one click, and all the way out. throttle half open, full open, NOTHING.

 

I wasn't to happy at this point so I just started kicking her with choke closed and throttle closed, sure enough FIRE, she started. Let her run a couple minutes and shut it down. SHEE started a couple more times on first kick.

 

I know I might not be out of the woods yet, but I will try tomorrow and see if its not just a fluke.

 

Not sure if it was the pilots that were plugged or what (they looked good) or weak plugs.

 

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions.