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Kawasaki GT550 not starting from cold / stored

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tstwebdesign
Borekit Bruiser



Joined: 18 Nov 2013
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PostPosted: 20:32 - 12 Jan 2015    Post subject: Kawasaki GT550 not starting from cold / stored Reply with quote

Hey guys,
Right so I've got a Kawasaki GT550 that's been sat in storage for about 6 months. It started and worked fine when it was picked up from it's previous owner.

I tried to start it today with no luck, granted it is winter and it's been sat for 6 months.

It has 5 litres of fresh fuel with Redex, battery had been charged over night. When I tried starting it, I put up the sidestand (to disengage the side stand cut off) put the choke on half and tried starting it with the electric start (no kick start)

It's ticking over, just not showing any signs of firing at all.
I took out the spark plugs and they are wet and sparking (Although the spark might be slightly weak/blue)

One other thing is that the gears are stuck, as some normally do after being sat for a while.

The main things that I thought might be effecting it is
1. The battery might need replacing, although it was sparking and turning over
2. The clutch might be affecting the starting procedure, I'm not sure whether the clutch level needs to be pulled whilst starting
3. The carbs need cleaning due to jets being blocked (Hopefully not this as I've never done this before)
4. There is a something in the starting procedure that I might have missed that is immobilising the bike

Any ideas/help would be greatly appreciated. I might try a fresh battery charge & some easy start tomorrow in case I've flooded it.
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Honda CG 125 & Kawasaki GT550
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doggone
World Chat Champion



Joined: 20 May 2004
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PostPosted: 21:01 - 12 Jan 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't think you need the clutch in, but if you hold it in there might be less drag from the gearbox - won't hurt anyway.
I'd try it alternately full choke and no throttle then no choke and full throttle.
A whiff of easy start or similar in the air filter as last resort to get that initial firing (tiny amount mind)

If plugs are wet you likely flooded it, sometimes just leaving for half an hour and coming back mysteriously works Cool
It's quite unusual for anything to have gone wrong on its own kept in a dry place for that short time.
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bypass2
Spanner Monkey



Joined: 12 Sep 2013
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PostPosted: 21:24 - 12 Jan 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Was the petrol tank empty when you put the fresh petrol in. any old petrol left in the tank or the carbs.
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tstwebdesign
Borekit Bruiser



Joined: 18 Nov 2013
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PostPosted: 21:28 - 12 Jan 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the advice doggone, I'll try it again with some easy start.

Yeah there was some old petrol left in the tank/carbs bypass2
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Honda CG 125 & Kawasaki GT550
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