starting problems

[tombomb500]

hello i have been having a few problems with my xj600, it wont start, i bought the bike back in oct 2007 it ran alright the parked it up for 3 week without starting it and it started but only ran on 3 cylinders, just left it after that and came to it this year and wouldnt even start.
took the tank off cause the breather was clogged which goes on to the tank took the tap out cleaned that out and cleaned the fuel filter.
we emptied all the petrol and put fresh in we checked the spark was nice and blue, but when turning the engine over and when we took the spark plug out it had abit of condensation on it, and it doesnt seem to be getting any petrol to the cylinders i dont even think its get any to the carbs. i was thinking of putting petrol into the carbs would that work if so do you put it into the intakes where the airbox goes.

does any one have any ideas to wat might be the problem

thanks

tom

[Padster]

Hi Tom and welcome.
What year and model designation is your Divvy? The early vacuum pump 600s suffered with starting woes if left for a while. In the first instance try putting the fuel tap onto prime and then give it a go starting without using any choke.
When my old 600 had stood for a while it took ages to to start sometimes. I used to jump start it from my car battery.
Paddy

[yan101]

i have the same problem, although i think my battery is also on its way out, when i use my indicators the speedo panel dims as the light flashes, if i dont get the bike started in the first few tries the battery just flats out and i have to re charge the battery. i have been using the prime, but leaving the choke on and just putting it to prime for a few seconds before starting. with limited sucess i think i may try knocking the choke off and trying to start it with prime as stated, although i need the choke on really while warming as it will just die on me if i dont

[bobh]

Not had this problem on either of the Divvies, but it did happen on the old Thundercat. The problem turned out to be the pilot jets becoming blocked by the goo which is left when the petrol in the float chambers dries out. The only answer was to open up the float chambers and clean the jets out by squirting carb cleaning solvent through them.

Apparently modern 95-octane unleaded is particularly bad for this. Those that know about these things recommend running the bike on best-quality petrol (e.g. that fancy Shell Optimax stuff that M Schmacher advertises) before laying it up for more than a couple of weeks.

Alternatively find a way of turning the petrol off (not easy with a vacuum-operated tap, unless you're down to reserve) and run the carbs dry, or drain the float chambers.

Bob

[tombomb500]

hello i have put it on to prime but i had the choke open, would it work if i put petrol into the carbs from the air intakes, also do you just squirt carb cleaner through the air intakes.

it is a 1993 l reg the faired one.

when you open the sliders up inside the carbs when the airbox is off they look very clean.

[tombomb500]

Can any one think of any thing else it might be as when we opened the sliders up on the carb intakes they seemed spotless in there, is there some thing else that could be causing the problem

thanks

tom

[tombomb500]

we also tried dissconecting the tps switch and switched on the ignition as described and the rev counter didnt even budge it says it is meant to go up to 10,000 rpm and it didnt move
does any one know the reason why

thanks