Bike sat for two weeks -- not starting: FIXED!!!!

[DucHead]

My bike sat for two weeks (often in sub-freezing temps) while I had the case covers powdercoated and waited for the right oil seal to arrive.

Now it won't start.  It turns over, rumbled a few times and back-fired three or four times.

I don't have an extra plug to check for spark, but does back-firing imply spark?

Edit:  I'm guessing that it does, and I'm gonna swap out the old plugs for new ones.

[He Man]

pretty much. back firing is the combustion of fuel that leaks through valves before they close. sometimes on the intake side, sometime on the exahust side. I am not sure, but i dont think it can ignite without a plug though, the fuel isnt really ment to combust with compression only like diesel.

have you checked the strength of your battery? The cold really weakens them.

[ducpainter]

I'd remove the plugs...clean them with starting fluid and compressed air...charge the battery and try it.

[64duc]

I'd remove the plugs...clean them with starting fluid and compressed air...charge the battery and try it.

+1    What he said.

[Speeddog]

If the battery is a little low, then the voltage that the ECU sees when the starter is cranking is low.
The ECU does funny things when the voltage is too low, like intermittent spark, etc.

Check to make sure your ground cable connections are good.
I had a bike in recently that had some corrosion on the lug that's bolted to the case.
It would crank a little slow, occasionally backfire, but wouldn't start.
Cleaned off the lug, the bolt surface on the case, a little dielectric grease and bolted it back up.
Cranked great and lit right off.

[DucHead]

Okay, I replaced the plugs, no go.

Then, I got to thinking...I put a fiber gasket on the alternator cover, and that might have increased the air gap for the timing sensor.

Sure enough, it was over 1mm!!  Spec is 0.6-0.8mm.  Well, I sanded and filed and filed and filed and filed and filed and finally got the shim down to where when inserted the air gap is 0.635mm.

The bike turns over, does NOT backfire, but will still not start.   

[Speeddog]

Fuel pump cycling at key on?

Any abnormal activity in the gauges?

Check both connectors on your trigger, sometimes they'll push a contact back.
Latched, but no workie.

[needtorque]

Ok, start with the simple shit first.  Not saying your dumb just saying always best to start at the beginning.

You need air, fuel, and spark to fire.   Unless the world is at an end air is pretty much a given.  So, is the tank empty?  If not then make sure the the fuel is getting to the throttle bodies.   Do you hear the pump run when you cycle the switch on?  If take the line off at the throttle bodies and put it in a gas can, cycle the switch and if it shoots out fuel like a mofo then you are good there. (doubtful that both injectors would go bad at the same time so likely they are fine since the bike will run on only one cylinder if you had lost an injector)

Spark, pull a plug wire off the plug and slip a screwdriver in the end of the plug wire making contact with the metal part inside.  Put the shaft of the screwdriver close to a ground (like an 1/8 inch away) and crank the bike see if there is spark. (then repeat for the other cylinder) 

If you get to the end of this and you have fuel and you have spark then you are more than likely down to a timing issue.  Either the timing sensor is still not picking up right or some other little thing maybe a loose connector on a TPS or something stupid like that.  Or perhaps a timing belt jumped but I doubt it unless you were in there recently.


PS
just a thought but wrong plug wire going to the wrong cylinder maybe?

[DucHead]

Fuel pump cycling at key on?

Any abnormal activity in the gauges?

Check both connectors on your trigger, sometimes they'll push a contact back.
Latched, but no workie.

Fuel pump makes normal sound when key turned to on position.  Gauges sweep (although sometimes the speedometer does a second sweep). 

Which contacts and trigger?

I'm going to check my timing sensor air gap again this evening, check the plugs and try again. 

It took me about 4 hours to file that spacer down to 0.4mm!   

[needtorque]

How do you know if you have lost spark or fuel?  Have you 100% determined what you are missing fuel or spark?  You are chasing your tail until you figure out which one is missing.

[DucHead]

How do you know if you have lost spark or fuel?  Have you 100% determined what you are missing fuel or spark?  You are chasing your tail until you figure out which one is missing.

I have checked for spark and its good.  I can hear the fuel pump and I can smell gas.

I think I'm on the right track with the timing sensor air gap.  It was about 0.6mm out of spec and backfiring.  After filing the shim and getting the air gap to spec it is no longer backfiring.

Also, I bellieve my Odyssey shit the bed -- after a full charge it only turns the motor over 5 times or so.  When it was new, it would crank the motor all day long.

[ducpainter]

I have checked for spark and its good.  I can hear the fuel pump and I can smell gas.

I think I'm on the right track with the timing sensor air gap.  It was about 0.6mm out of spec and backfiring.  After filing the shim and getting the air gap to spec it is no longer backfiring.

Also, I bellieve my Odyssey shit the bed -- after a full charge it only turns the motor over 5 times or so.  When it was new, it would crank the motor all day long.

The battery could be the no start issue at this point.

[DucHead]

The battery could be the no start issue at this point.

I deep charged it, so it would crank fine (5 times or so) and still no start.

I also jumped it with my car battery (car off) and still no go.

[ducpainter]

I deep charged it, so it would crank fine (5 times or so) and still no start.

I also jumped it with my car battery (car off) and still no go.

That should have done it.

[needtorque]

If you have spark then the timing sensor is working.  The air gap should be fine.  The only things you are left with is timing belts jumping, wrong plug wire to the wrong cylinder, or insufficient fuel to the cylinders.  If you want to completely eliminate fuel there is a method I use.

Fill a spray bottle with gasoline and spray some fuel into the throttle bodies (just a little) before cranking and then while cranking alternate spray between throttle bodies about every 2 seconds.  It will run like this if fuel is the problem.