F650ST won't start but I have spark

**DrDarkMatter** · 19th June 2013, 17:07

hi, I had some trouble the other day coming home from work, the bike kept dying, think it was water in the tank from it raining so hard, got it home finally and parked it. I go to start it today and it wont start.

I have spark, how do I check the carbs are getting petrol? I dont have a "prime" on the fuel selector only , ON , OFF and RES so I was not sure I have got Petrol flowing.

thx

**kiwi cowboy** · 19th June 2013, 18:02

Originally Posted by DrDarkMatter

hi, I had some trouble the other day coming home from work, the bike kept dying, think it was water in the tank from it raining so hard, got it home finally and parked it. I go to start it today and it wont start.

I have spark, how do I check the carbs are getting petrol? I dont have a "prime" on the fuel selector only , ON , OFF and RES so I was not sure I have got Petrol flowing.

thx

If its carbed it will have a small screw at the bottom of the bowl that you undo to empty the fuel out of it.

Should have a hose (but not always ) to drain out underneath.

If its got water in the fuel you would need to empty the carb anyway and the tank.

**DrDarkMatter** · 19th June 2013, 18:05

hi, ya thats what we did when I got home, drained the carb via the screws, but that was AFTER I drove all the way home.

still need to drain the tank?

vapor lock maybe?

air in the fuel feel line?

**DrDarkMatter** · 19th June 2013, 18:11

I somehow need to see if petrol is getting to the carb, how do I do that?

**98tls** · 19th June 2013, 18:20

Originally Posted by DrDarkMatter

I somehow need to see if petrol is getting to the carb, how do I do that?

Leave the drain screw out and turn the gas on...or even messier,pull the hose off the carb and turn the gas on.Personally i doubt water in the fuel is your issue,my moneys on the lecky system.

**DrDarkMatter** · 19th June 2013, 18:47

ok, I will try tomorrow, its too cold and wet now

thank you

**unstuck** · 19th June 2013, 19:52

Put a piece of clear plastic tube on your overflow at the bottom of the carb, and run the tube up the side of the carb as a quick way to check your float hights in the bowl. But as agent 98 suggests, tis probably lectric.

**DrDarkMatter** · 19th June 2013, 20:00

ok about tube, thanks but I got spark, I pulled the plugs and tried starting it and I can see spark

how can it be electric if I have spark?

**Tarded** · 21st June 2013, 22:18

Bear with me but what kind of spark?

A little yellow number or a good bright blue crackler? It should be audible when cranking - crack crack..

A spark that is weak in the atmosphere will be all but out in a cylinder under compression.

Intermittent faults cause much cursing in workshops too so dont assume cause it works when checked its all good when reinstalled.

Fun eh!

**DrDarkMatter** · 22nd June 2013, 17:09

hi, thank you for the reply, I have a nice blue spark on both plugs. So I am thinking its got to be something fuel related

still wont start though

**unstuck** · 22nd June 2013, 17:47

Are the plugs getting wet when you crank it over, or do they remain dry?

**DrDarkMatter** · 22nd June 2013, 18:08

they seem dry, no sign if moisture...

**unstuck** · 22nd June 2013, 18:11

Probably not getting fuel to the cylinders then. Is it getting fuel to the carb bowl? Put a wee jar or container under the overflow on the bottom of the bowl and open the screw, see if any fuel comes out. You want to collect it rather than let it run onto the ground though, so you can check if there is water in the fuel.