nc24, terrible to start, fuel draining??

[suzbug]

Hi guys.
Im back after afew months of no contact. (been off work and not had internet access!)

my nc24 was running lovely last year, start first time everytime.

But now, i have to crank it until the battery is almost (or on a few instances actually died) dead before it will fire up and with a good squirt of 'start yur ba*tad"
I think it could be the carbs spilling fuel but the bike doesnt smell of pertrol..

Any suggestions?? I cant use it as i dont trust it to get me home... and i really dont want to be strandard at work!!!

Any advice would be appreciated

C

[amaechizzle]

How does it run when you get it started?
It may lead you in a different direction.

Check your spark plugs, they can tell you alot about how any motor... excluding diesels... runs.

I'm not sure about the nc24's but valve clearance's can lead to poor starts on nc 35's.

If your spraying some start ya bastard in, that would practically be doing the same job as pulling the choke...

[suzbug]

i thought start yur bastard was an ether based?? it helped start my diesel on more than a few occasions before i got round to changing the glow plugs!
so you dont think im loosing petrol??

when its fired it runs well, okay, as well as it did last year before i had knee surgary.
it does have a flat spot about 5-8k but revs through it and brightens up again, (read this is common on the nc24?) but apart from that, pulls well, ticks over nice and will start back up straight away.

OOOH, i just remembered, i went out for a ride on sunday to get the oil flowing and i had a smell of burning rubber! couldnt identify where it was comming from, so that might be ared herring but thought should mention it.

i had a problem with the fuel tap last year and vac pipe colapsing so i replaced it and has run fine since, it just feels a bit similar to that..

Any thoughts??

[amaechizzle]

So let me get this straight...
When it's cold, it wont start unless you spray start ya bastard, but when you ride it, turn it off. Wait a short time, then try to start it again. It starts without any troubles?

How does it idle when you finally get it started with the S.Y.B?

If you can't start it when it's cold without spraying extra fuel in there (which is the choke's job)
But you can when it's hot (when the choke isn't needed)
I would be adjusting that first... if the problem continues, I would be looking at the ignition side of things.

I'm only a car mechanic, so I dont know these bikes the greatest. I only know as much as my personal experiences on my bike have tought me.

Back when all cars were carbies too, I would probably just say you need your carbies cleaned
Not starting... carby clean
Running rough... carby clean
Won't idle... you guessed it... carby clean :)

[Neosophist]

Are you starting it the correct way?

This would be using FULL choke and no throttle at all until it is ticking over, otherwise it'll be a nightmare to start.

make sure the choke is actually working too (it pulls levers out of the carbs)

The burning rubber smell could be the electrics melting around the generator connector, this could be a sign of reg/rec / electrical failure.

Still a fully charged battery should start the bike ok, even with a knackered generator.

[suzbug]

hi guys.
Thanks for the repies.

Just to clarify, when cold i pull the choke on fully and dont touch the throttle.
press start and it cranks and cranks without anything, not even a splutter. a squirt or two of s.y.b. into the air box and i get a splutter. stop spraying and it stops spluttering.. (still not running at this point)
if i do this enough it changes from splutter to coughing into life..
by this time the battery is getting weak though.

once running it ticks over high but keeps running. There is an effect if i ease the choke off, si im guessing its still connected.
If i were to turn it off it would start back up straight away with no bother!

if i leave it an hour it will start back up no bother.
The other day i went to uni and left it 2.5 hours and had the same problems..

im not an expert (i bow to the knowledge of you guys!)
ive got it in my head its having to pull fuel through from the tap...??

does this help??

[suzbug]

just to add, when it starts the engine ticks over high, this is because the choke is fully on. once it warms up and i take the choke off it ticks over about 2k.
sorry for the confucion.. (its still early in my world)

[Neosophist]

The bike shold idle at 1300rpm when the choke is off and the throtle is adjusted properly.

It sounds like your throttle could be held partially open even when shut (badly adjusted cable / idle screw)

This would be letting too much air in and leaning the bike out and stopping it from starting.

You need to check:

Choke cable is engaging fully and opening the levers properly.
The carb butterflys are fully closed with the throttle shut.

[suzbug]

hi guys.
I adjusted the idle screw out a little and the bike started better today, all be it with a little squirt of s.y.b, but it was MUCH better.
Also when warm and choke off the tickover was around 1200 ish. so that sounds better.
I will take the tank off this weekend asnd make sure there isnt any slack in the choke cable so when its on, it really is on and not a half or summat.

Thanks for the advice, appreciated!

Ps, was faaaaaaaaaaaaar too cold to be on the bike this morning!!!! brr!!

C

[nctony]

i am having almost identical problems, or even worse, mine just turns over until the battery dies, done valve clearances, cleaned and balanced carbs(although it was a few months before i got i on the road), changed plugs, new battery.
runs fine once started.
just dosnt start in the morning when its cold, i leave it under a cover outside my house.
when i take it to work i leave it inside in the warm and it starts on the button.
Thinking im gonna have to take the carbs off again