Bike will not start

simpleman0623 · 10-23-2008, 05:13 PM

86 Yamaha virago. I just had a shop change the oil in the bike and the plugs and now they tell me the bike wont start. It has spark and fresh fuel in the tank. It ran for about 5 seconds then quite one time with some starter fluid. They said the first time they started it up it started on the first time with no choke and they shut it off to add a little oil and now they cant get it to run again. What do i do now?

badfish · 10-23-2008, 06:09 PM

If it was running when you dropped it off it should be running when you pick it up. Especially if all they did was change the oil and plugs. I'd say it's on them to find out the problem and fix it.

simpleman0623 · 10-23-2008, 06:13 PM

That's what I told them but there trying to charge me 200 to clean the carb

badfish · 10-23-2008, 07:00 PM

No way. Did they already do it or are they saying that's what needs to be done? This sounds too shady. I would stay on them about how it ran fine when you dropped it off. How does it all of a sudden not work when you change the oil and plugs? It should only run better with new oil and plugs. They either screwed something up like put in bad plugs or are trying to milk you for more money. Get the Better Business Bureau involved. Go to their website and file a report. Those guys will go to bat for you if you get nowhere with the shop.

simpleman0623 · 10-23-2008, 09:51 PM

They told me that I needed the carb cleaned. I'm gona make them do a compression check tomarrow because I think they might have ran it lean and rurined the rings. It is shady but I thought the shop was respectible

Dan631 · 10-23-2008, 10:25 PM

Give a little history on the bike. How long have you had it???? Has it run fine??? How often do you ride it????

simpleman0623 · 10-26-2008, 12:29 PM

OK Got the Bike about a month ago and it ran great. I road it quit often. Probably about 250 miles in that time. The oil filter cover was broke but not leaking. I had that replaced at the same time as the plugs and the oil change. Now the bike will not start. They told me they did a compression check and that the back cylinder was at 140 and the front was at 174. I'm not sure I believe them though because I feel like I have been jerked around quite a bit and really had not customer service to speak of. I pulled the plugs myself this morning and checked the spark which was strong. The engine runs when I spray ether into the carb’s but quits after a few seconds. Any ideas? Dose a standard automotive compression gauge work on a bike? I would like a reading for myself, as according to the repair manual the maximum difference in compression is 14 psi.

buellosaurusrex · 10-26-2008, 01:38 PM

It sounds like maybe something has plugged up your pilot jet, either from moving the bike, or from something in the tank breaking free and clogging the pilot jet. Unfortunately, I don't think you're gonna win on this one. The way I see it, you have two choices; either pay them to clean the carbs, or pick up the bike and do it yourself.
If you spray ether in the carbs and it fires, this is a very good indication that something has gone amiss in the carbs. I hate to say it, but it might just be a coincidence. We have things like this happen in my business quite often. You can try the BBB, but I doubt there's much they will do, as you have no proof these guys did anything wrong.
One last thing....are you sure they used the right plugs? Mixing resistor plugs with resistor wires makes for a bike that will hardly start, and run poorly if it does. I would try the old plugs and see if there's a difference.

CASevenFour · 10-29-2008, 08:18 PM

After you get the carburator clean I suggest you pour some Sea Foam (sold at my auto parts stores) into your fuel tank.

Sea Foam cleans your fuel tank, lines and carb, fuel stabilizer also removes water. I use it about once a month in my fuel tank.

Bill

Dan631 · 10-29-2008, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simpleman0623

OK Got the Bike about a month ago and it ran great. I road it quit often. Probably about 250 miles in that time. The oil filter cover was broke but not leaking. I had that replaced at the same time as the plugs and the oil change. Now the bike will not start. They told me they did a compression check and that the back cylinder was at 140 and the front was at 174. I'm not sure I believe them though because I feel like I have been jerked around quite a bit and really had not customer service to speak of. I pulled the plugs myself this morning and checked the spark which was strong. The engine runs when I spray ether into the carb’s but quits after a few seconds. Any ideas? Dose a standard automotive compression gauge work on a bike? I would like a reading for myself, as according to the repair manual the maximum difference in compression is 14 psi.

Do you know the maintenance history of the bike???? The reason I ask is because if the motor has never been into we are talking about a 22 year old engine. 22 year old pistons, rings and cylinders. The front cylinder isn't going to wear like the rear and vice versa. This could explain the difference in compression. Your current problem sounds like the pilot circuits in the carbs. Like buellosaurusrex mentioned, it could be coincidence that the bike wouldn't start for the shop. Speaking as a motorcycle mechanic, and speaking for the shops I have wrenched for I can honestly say that we were never out to screw anyone over. The shop I wrenched for in CA wouldn't touch anything more than 10 years old. For the very reason you started this post. It just wasn't worth the headaches. I have been on the mechanic side of this a time or two and it's never any fun to tell someone that the problem the bike was brought in for is fixed but now we have a new one. I have worked my ass off on a Friday to get a customer's 4 wheeler ready to go on a hunting trip Saturday morning just for the thing not to start when the customer came to pick it up. Ran fine the day before while test riding and now the thing has no spark. The 4 wheeler was in for a service and some wheel bearings and now the stator is bad. Was it my fault???? The moral of the story is **** happens.

Take your carbs off and clean them. When you reinstall them make sure they are indeed getting fuel. When you do the compression test make sure you hold the throttle wide open and turn the motor over until the needle on the guage stops climbing. Ensure you have the correct spark plugs. If the motor is getting fuel and has good spark and still won't start the only thing left is mechanical.

82 shovel · 10-30-2008, 06:47 PM

you said the bike started when they shot starter fluid into the intake right? did they check to see if they turned the gas off? did they check to see if it is getting fuel? how's the fuel filter look? lets start with the basics.

simpleman0623 · 11-08-2008, 02:25 PM

Thanks for the help guys. The bike has now been in the shop for 5 weeks and the owner decided to just give me a fair price for it since he thinks his tech screwed it up. ex. putting the oil filter in backwards and running the bike. I am just going to get something a little newer and more powerful.

11-11-2008, 03:58 PM

some tech put filter on backwards!
glad to see the owner came clean on it.
still i would find some place else in future.

10-23-2008, 05:13 PM	#1
simpleman0623 Motorcyclist Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 14	Bike will not start 86 Yamaha virago. I just had a shop change the oil in the bike and the plugs and now they tell me the bike wont start. It has spark and fresh fuel in the tank. It ran for about 5 seconds then quite one time with some starter fluid. They said the first time they started it up it started on the first time with no choke and they shut it off to add a little oil and now they cant get it to run again. What do i do now?

10-26-2008, 01:38 PM	#8
buellosaurusrex Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Northeast Illinois Posts: 1,345	It sounds like maybe something has plugged up your pilot jet, either from moving the bike, or from something in the tank breaking free and clogging the pilot jet. Unfortunately, I don't think you're gonna win on this one. The way I see it, you have two choices; either pay them to clean the carbs, or pick up the bike and do it yourself. If you spray ether in the carbs and it fires, this is a very good indication that something has gone amiss in the carbs. I hate to say it, but it might just be a coincidence. We have things like this happen in my business quite often. You can try the BBB, but I doubt there's much they will do, as you have no proof these guys did anything wrong. One last thing....are you sure they used the right plugs? Mixing resistor plugs with resistor wires makes for a bike that will hardly start, and run poorly if it does. I would try the old plugs and see if there's a difference. Last edited by buellosaurusrex; 10-26-2008 at 01:41 PM..

10-29-2008, 08:18 PM	#9
CASevenFour Motorcyclist Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 12	Keep it clean After you get the carburator clean I suggest you pour some Sea Foam (sold at my auto parts stores) into your fuel tank. Sea Foam cleans your fuel tank, lines and carb, fuel stabilizer also removes water. I use it about once a month in my fuel tank. Bill

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10-23-2008, 06:09 PM	#2
badfish Master At Arms Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 122	If it was running when you dropped it off it should be running when you pick it up. Especially if all they did was change the oil and plugs. I'd say it's on them to find out the problem and fix it.

10-23-2008, 06:13 PM	#3
simpleman0623 Motorcyclist Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 14	That's what I told them but there trying to charge me 200 to clean the carb

10-23-2008, 07:00 PM	#4
badfish Master At Arms Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 122	No way. Did they already do it or are they saying that's what needs to be done? This sounds too shady. I would stay on them about how it ran fine when you dropped it off. How does it all of a sudden not work when you change the oil and plugs? It should only run better with new oil and plugs. They either screwed something up like put in bad plugs or are trying to milk you for more money. Get the Better Business Bureau involved. Go to their website and file a report. Those guys will go to bat for you if you get nowhere with the shop.

10-23-2008, 09:51 PM	#5
simpleman0623 Motorcyclist Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 14	They told me that I needed the carb cleaned. I'm gona make them do a compression check tomarrow because I think they might have ran it lean and rurined the rings. It is shady but I thought the shop was respectible

10-23-2008, 10:25 PM	#6
Dan631 Paramedic Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Wynne, AR Posts: 870	Give a little history on the bike. How long have you had it???? Has it run fine??? How often do you ride it????

10-26-2008, 12:29 PM	#7
simpleman0623 Motorcyclist Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 14	OK Got the Bike about a month ago and it ran great. I road it quit often. Probably about 250 miles in that time. The oil filter cover was broke but not leaking. I had that replaced at the same time as the plugs and the oil change. Now the bike will not start. They told me they did a compression check and that the back cylinder was at 140 and the front was at 174. I'm not sure I believe them though because I feel like I have been jerked around quite a bit and really had not customer service to speak of. I pulled the plugs myself this morning and checked the spark which was strong. The engine runs when I spray ether into the carb’s but quits after a few seconds. Any ideas? Dose a standard automotive compression gauge work on a bike? I would like a reading for myself, as according to the repair manual the maximum difference in compression is 14 psi.

10-30-2008, 06:47 PM	#11
82 shovel Verified Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 84	you said the bike started when they shot starter fluid into the intake right? did they check to see if they turned the gas off? did they check to see if it is getting fuel? how's the fuel filter look? lets start with the basics.

11-08-2008, 02:25 PM	#12
simpleman0623 Motorcyclist Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 14	Thanks for the help guys. The bike has now been in the shop for 5 weeks and the owner decided to just give me a fair price for it since he thinks his tech screwed it up. ex. putting the oil filter in backwards and running the bike. I am just going to get something a little newer and more powerful.

11-11-2008, 03:58 PM	#13
wawadave Guest Posts: n/a	some tech put filter on backwards! glad to see the owner came clean on it. still i would find some place else in future.