Not Starting

[SteveWilko]

Got the @ booked in for its MOT this week..... but it wont fire up...

Got a new battery on...
Im almost certain its down to stale fuel, but are there any "tricks" that you guys know of to start a bike thats been idle for 12 months...

Is there a way to test the fuel pump?

Im going to replace the petrol filter as a matter of course..... and replenish the fule.... I have been using Yamaha fuel saver, but it didnt seem to work...

Thanks guys.....

[Tarka]

Depending on how awkward it is on your bike to get the spark plugs in and out,it always helps to heat the plugs up with a flame before trying to start a bike that`s been stood for while.

Especially successful on older Hondas for some reason......

[SteveWilko]

Depending on how awkward it is on your bike to get the spark plugs in and out,it always helps to heat the plugs up with a flame before trying to start a bike that`s been stood for while.

Especially successful on older Hondas for some reason......

Thanks Tarka... its bloody awkward on an RD04..... I will try it for sure... If the engine will run and fire on a carb full of fuel It will make me feel a lot better....

do you know if the fuel pumps are prone to seizure on these models?

[YEN_POWELL]

A trick I used to use on my kickstart DR350 (a notoriously bad starter when not run for a few months) was to open the drain screw on the float bowl a little, turn the fuel on and let the old stuff drain out, pulling freshers stuff from the tank. Used to turn a 400 kick start into a 4 or 5 kick start. The screws will be at the lowest point on the floatbowl.

[chronyx]

I've done the same as Yen mentions above with good results.

[SteveWilko]

Can this be done on the RD04 Twinky?

[Dilbert]

I've done the same as Tarka on other Honda's, even if you only do the two "easy" plugs it will help.

My lad got a 125cc recently that had been stood for about 3 years and we had a problem with the float needle sticking, so if you don't get any flow after the float bowl has drained, this could be worth a look.

[SteveWilko]

Okies....

1 Clean plugs
2 Drain carbs
3 Replenish fuel
4 Heat plugs
5 Start engine
6 Ride n grin like a silly thing....

Fingers crossed

Many thanks to you all.......

[YEN_POWELL]

Can this be done on the RD04 Twinky?

Drain screws should face somewhere easy to get at amabe with a long screwdriver. They are probably piped so don't worry if you hear trickling down by the swingarm and not at the carb. It's imporatnt to do it with the fuel turned on because you are filling the floatbowl up with fuel from the tank and getting rid of the stale stuff taht was there before. You will get it all over the floor so don't start heating plugs up in the vicinity until it's evaporated.

[SteveWilko]

Can this be done on the RD04 Twinky?

You will get it all over the floor so don't start heating plugs up in the vicinity until it's evaporated.

Ill be doing this in the conservatory.... so it will go on the carpet...... best use a roasting tin..... only get one slap for ruining a roasting tin.... two slaps for carpet damage..... heheh....