Bike just won't start...

[Ryankhitt]

So... Here I am... Again. I have an 87 fj 1200. After I had to lay it over to avoid a guy not using his signal, it ripped the pick-up coil cover off and completely demolished my stator pick-up coil and rotor. Bike sat in freezing temps for about 3 months. I was finally able to afford the parts and it was a pretty easy install. I installed them just as it was left. So, I forgot to put fresh gas in and it wasn't firing. I put new gas in and it was up to backfiring. So I tried boosting it with starting fluid but just backfired. So then I clean my carbs and...(I'm glad I did) then nothing... Not even a back fire. Then I decided I need new plugs... Which I did. Still nothing. I have been using a friends car to jump it but haven't put it on a trickle charger. I tried clearing it in case it was flooded. The next move is new cables but they don't look that bad. My question is should I do any kind of timing on it and if so... How. I can't afford to take it to a shop... So here I am respectfully reaching out. Thank you to the forum and all the members.

[Pat Conlon]

Get a new battery. Weird shit happens without a healthy battery.
Assuming your carbs are clean (big assumption if not done right)  let's try the easy stuff first.
Got your plug wires on the correct plugs?
As you sit on the bike: #1 cylinder is on your left with #4 cylinder on your right.  Left side coil goes to #1 and #4. The right side coil goes to #2 and #3.
Got the vacuum line hooked up to your petcock? No vacuum to open the petcock = no gas to the carbs.

Assuming the above checks out, you ask yourself, is it fuel or is it spark?

Check the left coil: Take #1 plug out, reconnect the plug wire, ground the plug by laying it on the valve cover, thumb the starter...you should see a nice spark. Switch the plug wire with your #4 plug wire, do the same.
Now you've checked the left coil and both plug wires #1 & #4 and you've seen spark.
Now check the right coil, take #2 plug out, look for spark...switch the #2 plug wire with #3 wire and check.

If you have spark....then start thinking about fuel.

Report back.

[balky1]

Pat, shouldn't the rotor be correctly timed? I've never done this, but I think I saw it in a manual.
Maybe the old one got moved when he smashed it.

[Ryankhitt]

Pat, shouldn't the rotor be correctly timed? I've never done this, but I think I saw it in a manual.
Maybe the old one got moved when he smashed it.

That is what I am really wondering. Do I have to re-time a carburetor bike? Or is it only for fuel injected?

[Pat Conlon]

The rotor fits on the crank end just so....there is no adjustment. The plate that has the 2 pickup coils should bolt right in...unless the plate's mounting holes have been modified. Sometimes folks elongate the mounting holes to advance the timing.

If everything fits correctly, there is no need to re time anything. It's about as plug and play as you can get.
Remember, the timing advance curve resides in the TCI ignition box. The spinning rotor just signals the pickup coil to tell the TCI box which ignition coil to fire and when.

[Ryankhitt]

That is exactly what I thought. Because it really was just about the easiest install I have ever done. Thanks Pat, ill check back in tomorrow after testing.

[ribbert]

Before casting your net too wide in the search for the problem, keep in mind it was running fine when you laid it down and the problem will be something that happened as a result of that, something you replaced or something that happened over the time it was laid up.

Noel

[Ryankhitt]

Right, I have kept that in mind. As it goes, I replaced the only damaged parts (pick up coil/rotor/cover). After trying with bad gas (my fault)... I put new gas and got backfire. I think the new gas might already be bad. My friend brought me regular gas and I always use primo high octane. Maybe the gas is already bad again? It wasn't even hitting with starting fluid in the pod filters.

[Pat Conlon]

It wasn't even hitting with starting fluid in the pod filters.

When using starting spray, take your pod filters off, with your finger, lift up the slides and spray down the throat of the carbs.

Regardless, it sounds like you have a spark problem.

[Ryankhitt]

So the battery is great and I just put primo gas in... It is back to back firing... I put new spark plugs in... Now ill check the wires and if they are hitting.

[Ryankhitt]

Well, everything else checks out except... No spark on #1 and #4... So I'm guessing that means a bad coil? I was praying it would just be bad wire caps... Can't really afford a new coil and wire set... Damn it. Can I repair the coils at all?

[ribbert]

When using starting spray, take your pod filters off, with your finger, lift up the slides and spray down the throat of the carbs.

....and open the throttle fully, otherwise you are just spraying onto closed throttle plates. You also need to hit the starter quickly after spaying before the mist condensates on the cold intake port.

Bad fuel is one of those things that's get talked about more than it happens. The FJ shouldn't need premium fuel, most folks run standard, but whatever your choice normally, it won't be the reason it won't start.

Noel

[Sparky84]

Well, everything else checks out except... No spark on #1 and #4... So I'm guessing that means a bad coil? I was praying it would just be bad wire caps... Can't really afford a new coil and wire set... Damn it. Can I repair the coils at all?

Have you tried swapping primary leads (plastic connectors) on the coils to see if it's that side not a coil and I'm assuming you have checked those plastic connectors for any corrosion on the leads inside,
Just a thought

[Ryankhitt]

I checked the wire caps. There is no corrosion. I haven't looked at the actual coils themselves... I shall retire with a report. I do need to take off my pod filters and use the start guild method the right way... Just as soon as I get a spark on #1 and #4... BrB

[ribbert]

Well, everything else checks out except... No spark on #1 and #4... So I'm guessing that means a bad coil? I was praying it would just be bad wire caps... Can't really afford a new coil and wire set... Damn it. Can I repair the coils at all?

Think about the advice re the problem being related to recent events, why would all four caps go bad? why would the coil suddenly die because you laid it over? It should still fire on the remaining two cylinders if that was the problem.

Assuming it has no spark to two cylinders, have you checked to see if there is power to that coil? that would be more likely.

Do you have one of these....



...a 12v test light. If not, buy one, they're cheap and will make trouble shooting a lot easier.

Noel