Honda CB-125-TD problems problems problems!

[JoDuncan]

I am in need of some help!

I have a 1983 Honda cb125td superdream. I got it a few months a go, and it has not been an easy going relationship!

Firstly it started no problem, when the guy showed me he didn't even need to take the cholk out to start, drove it home no problem. Then i took it to work with me and it stalled and it wouldn't start. Took it to a garage where the guy said he drained the fuel, changed the plugs and tuned the carbs, then it worked fine...... Until now...

Same problem! The bike just wont start; key gets turned, start putton pressed and it goes, "zhugga zhugga zhugga zhugga.." you know what i mean? But it just doesn't start up.

Does anyone out there know what's happened, How to fix it etc...

Any help would be greatly appreciated as i don't just want to stick it in the garage and spend another hundred quid.

cheers


jo.
(i'm a guy)

[mr.z]

Sounds odd, will it bump start?

Take the plugs out and have a look at them..

Have you been useing the choke to start it? (fully on or half? do you leave it on for long?)

Check the fuel overflow pipes aren't clogged, maybe its being flooded by fuel?

Phone they guy you brought it from and ask if anything similar has happened with it before...

Ask the garrage what exactly they did and what was wrongwith it, do not give tham anymore money, make a fuss, you paid for it to be fixed right?


+ try jumpstarting it, flat batterys can cause allsorts of weird problems.
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Robby]

Try charging the battery too.

[JoDuncan]

Lost the guy i bought it from's number so can't do that. I'll phone up the garage, do these things have any sort of guarantee? like you said, i paid for it to be fixed!

I don't think the battery is a problem, all the electrics come on etc.. As for the cholk, i have been using it to start, fully out, usually starts fine, of course when it's cold it sometimes struggles. where are the fuel overflow pipes?

the bump starting aspect.. In a word, no, however, my brother did manage to start it after loads of effort by me pushing, him pressing start and revving whilst jumping on the seat. But then it died several times. and wouldn't start for me at all.

thanks dude

[mr.z]

The battery can appear to work fine (all your lights will work normaly) but not have enough to get the engine going, starting uses a hell of allot of power, 2minutes on the button would probably flatten the battery entirely, 60seconds on the button would take it too low for it to be any use...

Give it a try anyway, its amazeing how often this can be a problem..

Bump starting is starting without the starter motor (no pushing the starter button), you'd put it in 2n'd hold in the clutch, run with it and let the clutch out slowly, when it starts pull the clutch in and rev it to keep it going..

Any good garrage should gaurentee work done, phone and explain the problem has happened again, so whatever they "fixed" wasn't.. they will no doubt say its something you've done or make up any old shite saying its something else, you'll just have to hope they are honest...

The carbs have pipes comeing out the bottom and runing down onto the floor if they took them off they should have checked them anyhow.. theres also a screw on the bottom, loosening this will empty the carb of any fuel however its best to leave it alone unless your 200% sure of when your doing (hanyes manual is a minimum requirement!)




As i said before, take the plugs out and have a look and post what you find (or a pic) there might if your lucky be a spark plug tool under the seat, otherwise get one cause your gonna need it eventually...
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Kickstart]

[stinkwheel]

Sound to me like it simply isn't getting any fuel.

First check for a spark though by removing a sparkplug, attaching it to the plug lead and making sure the metal bit at the bottom of the sparkplug is touching the cylinder head. Now press the starter button. You should see a fat blue spark jumping directly between the electrodes as the engine turns over. If there isn't one first off change the plugs, if you are unsuccessful with that, get back in touch.

That said, an electrical problem is less likely with this bike as each cylinder has a seperate CDI and coil, essentially two things would have to break similtaneously for it not to fire up at all.

If you have a spark, then my main suspicion would be that it isn't getting any fuel. If you take the plug out after turning the engine over without success, it should be wet and covered in petrol. If it isn't then there is a fueling problem.

If so, first check there is fuel coming through the tap by pulling the rubber hose off the tap and switching it on briefly. You should get a stream of petrol coming out. Then repeat this with the fuel line attached but disconnected from the carbs. If you have fuel there too, you could be looking at a blockage in the carbs themselves.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[sdevin14]

Last week i was going for petrol and it just stopped so i just thought it had ran out so i went and got petrol and filled it up. It would start checked for a spark NO SPARK now i thing i will need coil packs but not to sure also would like to no what the KCI units are for. Also when i turn the throttle right back it dies but once it gets up to 6rpm it doesn't dies and the carbs are hard to set.

Anybody willing to help

[Robby]

If it runs slide carbs (likely) then snapping it wide open from low revs will normally kill the engine. You're effectively letting it draw about 10x the air it was previously, venturi pressure drops to nothing and it suddenly isn't drawing the right mix.

Very unlikely that the coil packs have given up, wiring or fuses give up before coils generally, particularly if two coils have gone down.

Easy (free or cheap) things first:

1. Charge the battery overnight.
2. Check the fuses. If they are the glass tube type, they may be intact but not making a good connection. I had this on my bike, which is a Honda of a similar vintage. A little emergy paper on the fuse and contacts to ensure clean metal is making the connection did the job.
3. Make sure the low tension side of the coils is intact, and a wire hasn't popped off. The low tension wires are the normal looking wires, the high tension side is the thick black wire leading to the spark plug.
4. I don't know what a KCI unit is, I assume it's some manner of CDI. Again, rare for electronic black boxes to fail. Check the multi-plugs on the wiring loom to make sure they're plugged together and not corroded inside.

To lose a spark on both cylinders simultaneously and with no warning (poor running or starting for a week or two beforehand) points at a wire coming undone or a fuse blowing. I have seen low-tension wires vibrate themselves off a coil before.

[Teflon-Mike]

[Frost]

The original post in this thread is 5 years old. Please no one else waste their time trying to help as the original poster won't be checking this thread.

[sdevin14]

well i am checking as i have the bike sittin at home and i only post mine this mornin a bit new to this so i didn't no how to post a new topic no i just post on top of this if this is ok with u didn't no it was a law

[Teflon-Mike]

[Frost]

lol not laying down the law to anyone, just makes me sad to see someone go to a load of effort to help someone who isn't going to read it.

[sdevin14]

[sdevin14]

[JoDuncan]

Wow... 5 years.... the legacy lives on.

Really thankful for all the help and tips you people have been so kind to give but unfortunately, several years ago... the bike was nicked from outside my flat.

Still, cheers folks!

I'll be back in touch when I get back on the saddle (I stay a 5 minute walk from work so I doubt I'll be getting a bike any time soon).

(I got an email telling me about people posting on this thread, defibrillators on!)

[Frost]