Bike in flames

[Ratti]

So what did I do wrong?

Have been having trouble getting bike going. Squirt of engine start in the air filiter and all good.
except for a while back when flames shot out and set one or two things on fire.

Fire put out before any damage done ( note is worth having fire extinguisher in shed ) Heck of a mess tho.

Once you have stopped laughing, can you offer sensible statement outlining what happend, how, and what to do so it never happens again.

Apologies if this isnt the right thread, Mod can you move it to the appropriate one?

[yachtie10]

when you say
"Squirt of engine start in the air filiter and all good"
do you mean in the filter or behind it
If it is going into the filter I would think that is wrong (where did the flames shoot out)
needs to go in after the filter IMO

[Paul in NZ]

Never spray that stuff onto the air filter.

In fact - if you need it, its a sign something else is wrong. Best get it sorted so you don't need it.

[slofox]

Engine Start utilizes ether, usually anyway. Very volatile. Very flammable - as you have learned. Don't overuse!

[quickbuck]

Engine Start utilizes ether, usually anyway. Very volatile. Very flammable - as you have learned. Don't overuse!

A spark from ANYWHERE will be enough to light it up..... As Ratti may well have found out...

As Paul said, there is something else wrong....
May be you could put your starting technique up so we can see where you are going wrong?
In general:
Cold Start -
Full Choke, NO throttle.

[CookMySock]

Thats just a risk you take with ether. It's never happened to me.

Ether is really only good for putting tyres on.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aEdOWEFALdA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aEdOWEFALdA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Steve

[Ratti]

Im working on getting the problems ironed out. Starting is a biggie as he floods on full choke. I have another post going asking for informed opinion about starting issues.

SO you think don't use ether?

I was told to take out air filter, squirt a bit inside the filter then reassemble and fire it up. DB, may well be right and I got to heavy handed with the ether.

[Smifffy]

Ether is really only good for putting tyres on.

~~~~~
The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon.
~~~~~
;)

[Smifffy]

Ether is really only good for putting tyres on.

~~~~~
The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon.
~~~~~
;)

[Ratti]

er...I get the impression Im missing something here?

[quickbuck]

Im working on getting the problems ironed out. Starting is a biggie as he floods on full choke. I have another post going asking for informed opinion about starting issues.

SO you think don't use ether?

I was told to take out air filter, squirt a bit inside the filter then reassemble and fire it up. DB, may well be right and I got to heavy handed with the ether.

Yup, sounds like you were getting a little heavy handed.... Remember you are starting a motorcycle, not a gas turbine... unless you are Jay Lenno...

Get the choke fixed. Shouldn't be flooding. I take it we are talking about the 1000?
Not sure if they actually have Enrichers in the carbs rather than chokes, but you need to get that sorted.

Yes, indeed, you should spray it AFTER the air filter....

[Smifffy]

Sorry - mention of ether reminds me of Fear & Loathing in las vegas (movie) and happy friday afternoons in the lab where I worked (misspent youf) before OSH went mad

[Ratti]

Yup, sounds like you were getting a little heavy handed.... Remember you are starting a motorcycle, not a gas turbine... unless you are Jay Lenno...

Get the choke fixed. Shouldn't be flooding. I take it we are talking about the 1000?
Not sure if they actually have Enrichers in the carbs rather than chokes, but you need to get that sorted.

Yes, indeed, you should spray it AFTER the air filter....

Yes the Zthou. Even on half choke he still floods. SO thats something that can be altered? Don't laugh, my hubby was the mechanic not me

[pete376403]

Shouldn't be flooding unless the carbs have been messed with. Float levels would be a good place to start, and check the float valve tapers and seats while in there - after 27 years theyare probably due a bit of attention.

[Ratti]

Had the carbs pulled apart and checked while he was at Boyles a few weeks ago. If anything had needed replacing Mark would have done it at that time. I have a couple of workshop manuals here for him, and am trolling my way through the pix trying to understand what is going on.

it seems maybe the enriching system is the next thing to check.

[pete376403]

If your KZ uses Mikuni CV type carbs (most bikes of that era did except Honda - they used Keihin) there is a series of instructions (with very detailed pictures) about carbs at http://www.thegsresources.com/gs_carbrebuild.htm
Have a look and even if you have no intention of pulling the things apart yourself you'll have a better idea of what goes where.

[jonbuoy]

No need to use Easy Start on a bike thats flooding - Its handy if you think it might not be getting fuel just to see it fires on the ether but putting in an engine thats flooding or running rich is asking for trouble. If its flooded in the past I would pull the plugs, dry and clean them and get the flooding sorted.

[motorbyclist]

Have been having trouble getting bike going. Squirt of engine start in the air filiter and all good.
except for a while back when flames shot out and set one or two things on fire.

flames shot out from where? If it was the exhaust then you're clearly running rich or maybe have a spark issue, but if it was the intake then we're talking valves and/or valve timing (had this happen to myself with an XR200 that somehow would run with everything 180 degrees out! no fire though... damn.)

aside from that, engine start goes straight into the intake or carb mouth, not the filter! the idea isn't so much to start your engine but more to prove it runs when given fuel

[avgas]

If its not starting you do not - spray ether and fire it up. Chances are you have flooding everything and just added the final bit of fuel for a bit of an explosion. (sounds like "pop-BANG", usually followed by a flame somewhere)
So if it hasn't started for about 3 or more attempts and you have been using the choke - let it sit a while, kill the choke then try the ether.

Check idle screws as well as they may be too tight or loose.
Without more information that is all the info I can offer

[Edbear]

Sorry - mention of ether reminds me of Fear & Loathing in las vegas (movie) and happy friday afternoons in the lab where I worked (misspent youf) before OSH went mad

Reminds me of having my tonsils out. In the old days they used that horrible ether mask, started it dripping and said,"Count after me". Most people were out by the count of ten. I can remember saying, "19" but Mum says I did get to 20, the Doc was getting worried.

Since then I've only used it on diesel engines...

[Ratti]

Thanks guys, Im beginning to get a clear picture of the stupidity of what I did. Flames out of the air filter inlet. set the filter on fire.

Gotta learn somehow tho eh?

[Edbear]

Thanks guys, Im beginning to get a clear picture of the stupidity of what I did. Flames out of the air filter inlet. set the filter on fire.

Gotta learn somehow tho eh?

Yeah, the common definition of "burnout" is not quite what you did...

[Ratti]

*shudder* pssst Ed, tell you what mate. It was bloody scary. burnout was exactly what was going through my mind, bike, shed, house....

[FJRider]

A few things I'd check first ...Plug gap ... Point's gap (CDI unit ???) Timing ???? ... Battery strength (a sick battery wont have enough kick to turn the motor over fast enough to provide enough spark to start)

I'd look at the battery first ... then the gaps ...

[Edbear]

*shudder* pssst Ed, tell you what mate. It was bloody scary. burnout was exactly what was going through my mind, bike, shed, house....

Yeah, I can see why you might get a wee bit apprehensive... :mellow:


A few things I'd check first ...Plug gap ... Point's gap (CDI unit ???) Timing ???? ... Battery strength (a sick battery wont have enough kick to turn the motor over fast enough to provide enough spark to start)

I'd look at the battery first ... then the gaps ...

Not that you want to fill in the gaps in this case... :no:

[FJRider]

Not that you want to fill in the gaps in this case... :no:

At MY age ... if ya see a gap .... never let a chance go by .... :devil2:

[FROSTY]

Next startup I'd be intrerested to hear how you go using a set of jumper leads from the van and 1/4 choke no throttle.
Not that I know about big old bikes

[Ratti]

cheeky sod!
Got it sorted with a new battery.
Seems to not be charging while the bike is running tho.
Guess it requires further detective work. o well I have a tickle charger that I can leave on the battery.

[motorbyclist]

cheeky sod!
Got it sorted with a new battery.
Seems to not be charging while the bike is running tho.
Guess it requires further detective work. o well I have a tickle charger that I can leave on the battery.

so... no spark was the problem then? :slap:

your regulator/rectifier may well be shot; get it checked...

[Ratti]

was sparking ok, but battery not holding a charge.
okey dokey will have the thingummy checked next.
cheers

[Paul in NZ]

christ - another volunteer for a mtce day? Check my previous posts. You can make it 3 if you like?

[Ratti]

mtce day? What is that?

[Paul in NZ]

Sorry - strong drink got the better of me... Maintenance, we are trying to sort out a day to balance magicmonkeys carbs ;-) Takes 5mins to eun a meter over yours too...