Damn!

Well damn! For the 1st time after 3 weeks of ownership the bike wouldn't start this morning! Just cranked and cranked. Has usually started as soon as I hit the button. Didn't smell any fuel so guess not flooded so what the heck? Suggestions? I'll have to look at it after work! Damn!

 

How many miles have you put on it? Has the outside temperature changed much? Did you notice any change in operation the last time you were riding?

 

Looks like a 1st gen in your avatar, stupid question, did you choke it?

 

Last time I rode it she ran great? Only a week ago. It may be a bit cooler out but only 5-10 deg. And yes I did choke it. Lol! I've put maybe 50mi on her.

 

Do you have a 2-decimal multimeter? If yes, what is the battery voltage? How does it sound when it turns over, the same as before or like it is slow?

Open the gas tank just to see if there is a vacuum build up in there. Do you hear a "swoosh" when you open it?

 

kill switch off?

 

I'll try the gas cap trick. Yes lol! The kill switch was off. I'll check the voltage too! Thanks guys!

 

What would cause the vacuum in the tank if I hear the woosh?

 

I must admit I do not know your generation of bike, but I think it has this system.

Many vehicles have some sort of venting for gas fumes. The fumes are vented to a charcoal canister where they are trapped. This prevents gas fumes from polluting the air.

The venting may stop working due to a dirty vacuum line, pinched line, or saturated canister. As you ride and use the gas, the gas level goes down, but no air can enter the tank to fill the space that the gas took. Thus a vacuum builds in the tank. As a vacuum builds in the tank, it holds the gas back from the fuel line and prevents gas from flowing to the engine.

You might ride until vacuum builds up then the bike dies. Release the vacuum, say by opening the gas cap, and the bike runs again, until the vacuum builds up again.

 

This technique can also be employed in case of an unexpected brake failure. I suggest that you have a spare key handy for this. Maybe one of those little magnetic boxes you could stick on something steel would be good. I know some harleydoods that just used a big phillips screwdrivers but unfortunately they made holes in the tank too low and the darn bikes caught fire.

Also if you change out any charcoal canister, save the old charcoal in a ziplock bag. The little pellets are real easy to light for a quick barbeque.

The old gas cap trick may be what should be tried first. You could be oot of gas. VFRs are a bitch to start when they are out of gas.

This is your non-engineering tip of the day.

 

LOL, first thing I thought of. actually it's pretty common Doh!.. for the fun of it, ever just come up to your riding buddy at a stop reach over and hit the kill switch

 

NO DON'T DO THAT TO ME. I'll never figure it out.

 

My fuel pump was DOA when I bought my Miniceptor this summer and did the gravity feed mod which solved the problem.

 

I'm fairly certain I have plenty of fuel. But I hope it's something that simple!

 

Very unlikely the fuel cap if it has been sitting overnight

 

does that vfr have a vacuum diaphragm in the fuel valve. if so...have a look at it, if it fails then no fuel to carbs

 

just an update, it seems mine likes it no lower than 55deg then starts every time!