Bike won't start

[Timay]

Well, it was a nice day to work on a bike! Sure enough, wouldn't start and you could smell unburned fuel - pulled a plug and here is what we found...never seen anything like these plugs, not to mention they were fouled beyond belief!

As Paul said, with the new plugs it fired right up. It's still running way rich and the TFI is gonna get some adjustment ASAP.

Anybody familiar with an E3 plug? That is the brand name on them...they have a weird electrode arrangement...

A nice visit with the Old Curmudgeon!

Oh, yeah...1/2 an amp is 500 milliamps, 750 mils is 3/4 amp.

Tim

[Top Cat]

http://www.e-3sparkplugs.com/

[krash]

Originally Posted by Top Cat

http://www.e-3sparkplugs.com/

http://www.e3sparkplugs.com/

Born to Burn? never seen these before, any good or just another gimmick

[Top Cat]

Originally Posted by krash

http://www.e3sparkplugs.com/

Born to Burn? never seen these before, any good or just another gimmick

If timay's bike is any indication then I would say they are just a gimmick

[ponch]

For long term storage the BT jr should be fine. If your battery is getting that much draw just sitting their, there is something wrong. 1600 Nomads don't draw much just sitting there.

[ringadingh]

Ive never heard of E3 olugs either. Id replace them with some NGK's, never had a problem with them. I use the Iridium NGK's in my bike and it never misses a beat.

[VulcanE]

actually the E-3 plugs are among the best plugs you can get . I looked into a set for my Nomad, and they don't make one in the heat range that is required in our bikes. They make them either way colder or way hotter (like 6 heat ranges), and it sounds like you had the way colder plugs, and it couldn't keep the carbon build-up burnt off. The iridium plugs Steve was talking about is just 1 heat range colder, and that is fine (they are great plugs BTW), I run the NGK standard that is 1 heat range colder, and it does run well. You had a good set of plugs, but they were used in the wrong application.

[Top Cat]

Cliff, being the mechanical whizz I am I was wondering why you run 1 range colder instead of the called for range?

[ringadingh]

It doesn't make a huge difference in our bikes running a heat range colder, especially if you do a lot of highway riding.The plugs will still burn off any deposits. It may be possible that they would foul up if all you do is put around town all the time. Im assuming thats what happened with the E3 plugs in the pics.

[Top Cat]

Yeah Steve but is there any advantage to running colder by 1 range

[ringadingh]

Not really, but some manufacturers dont make the recomended heat range plug for our bikes. In that case its usually better to go with the colder plug, unless you do a lot of stop and go city riding where a heat range hotter would be better.
I wanted to try the Iridium plugs and they were not available in our range so thats why I went a range colder with them.

[macmac]

Waiting for drill motor batterys to charge....

Had I known the plugs were coming out, I would have said it's likely the pistons were gas washed and to add 6 drops of engine oil and crank the engine a second... The old plugs can be re- newed by heating them on a brick with a plumbers torch, untill they are clean. They will stay real hot a long time so do not try to pick them up very soon if you do that.

If the plan is lots of cold weather riding for grins, then change the oil to 5w-30.

Depending on the intake and exhaust parts on the bike, r un 86 or 87 octang, and for now set the TFI to OFF on all pots.

Th is way you can see if there is any PING.

If there is, then set pot 4 to 9:00 )' Clock first, then work with pot 1 only to best rpm.

In case you r'e a real nutcase, then set pot (2) 1 whole number at a time under hard acceleration untill the engine stumbles for too much fuel, or you simply freeze to death riding that fast.

If you have't froze to death, then set the pot (2) back to the best preformance you got at the last whole number on the clock.

Set pot 3 to OFF.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by macmac

Waiting for drill motor batterys to charge....

Had I known the plugs were coming out, I would have said it's likely the pistons were gas washed and to add 6 drops of engine oil and crank the engine a second... The old plugs can be re- newed by heating them on a brick with a plumbers torch, untill they are clean. They will stay real hot a long time so do not try to pick them up very soon if you do that.

If the plan is lots of cold weather riding for grins, then change the oil to 5w-30.

Depending on the intake and exhaust parts on the bike, r un 86 or 87 octang, and for now set the TFI to OFF on all pots.

Th is way you can see if there is any PING.

If there is, then set pot 4 to 9:00 )' Clock first, then work with pot 1 only to best rpm.

In case you r'e a real nutcase, then set pot (2) 1 whole number at a time under hard acceleration untill the engine stumbles for too much fuel, or you simply freeze to death riding that fast.

If you have't froze to death, then set the pot (2) back to the best preformance you got at the last whole number on the clock.

Set pot 3 to OFF.

5w-30 is energy conserving oil. NG in that bike. 5w-40 Rotella is not and would be the better choice.

[old curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by macmac

In case you r'e a real nutcase, then set pot (2) 1 whole number at a time under hard acceleration untill the engine stumbles for too much fuel, or you simply freeze to death riding that fast.

If you have't froze to death, then set the pot (2) back to the best preformance you got at the last whole number on the clock.

Set pot 3 to OFF.

I've been accused of that on occasion , although I was quite a bit younger then...

Since it's just started snowing again, it looks like I'm going to have to wait a while to try your suggestions, which I really do appreciate.

Originally Posted by ponch

5w-30 is energy conserving oil. NG in that bike. 5w-40 Rotella is not and would be the better choice.

I've got the Rotella 5w-40 and am just waiting for some time to change the oil.

Again, to all, thanks for the input. This has been an education!

[macmac]

I don't use 5w-30 in anything myself, but guessed wrongly it could be had in NOT 'EC" oil. Oops..... always be sure the oil is NOT "EC" oil.

Cold weather tricks are run the lowest octane you can get commonly at the pumps. Hi Test burns in a more regulated fashion, while lower grades more or less explode, thusly getting more bang for the buck. In the event you get ping, either add more fuel (richer), or get a higher octane, not neccessarily Hi Test.

On a bad cold start in colder weather, pull the plug ends of the wires slightly off the plugs to increase resistance for a hotter spark.