Had it 5 mins and already problems!

[Diehard]

Ok I got the Gixxer 400 last saturday fully running... Next day it wasn't, had it apart, got it going again with plenty of easi-start on thursday, come saturday, no start! Haven't a clue why, have been checking all that people have sujested and just changed all the plugs today, still refuses to fire. When it was running it sounded amazing, nothing wrong with the engine (touch wood) just wouldn't tick-over without choke. Really miffed with it now! Any help would be great!

What I've done:
Checked fuel tap,
Changed plugs,
Looked at dirphrams for holes,
Checked for blockages in the carbs,
Checked all plugs, they spark ok,

Haven't checked float levels yet, but wanna avoid that if possible. My petrol cap is broken open so would that affect the vacum fuel tap??? Just a thought, please help someone! It's a 1988 GK73A by the way
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If I Die... I Die!

[Robby]

Sounds like a GSXR400 to me. Get your money back ASAP.

[Demonic69]

The suzi 400's tend to have carb issues. Worth giving them an overhaul, worked on my RF
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Back on a Blade. Just feels so right.

[chunkielad]

I don't think the cap being open is an issue as the GS runs wth it open.

It may be worth getting some new petrol in it - may have been standing a while.

Also check the petrol isn't dirty (rust and crap) also if the cap is open, water may have got in to the tank.

Lastly, check the spark and battery.

Other than that - speak to Keith!!!!
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Mark Harrison R.I.P - 26th March 2003.
Remember you always and will ride in your honour.
Big revvs up for Mark!

[mr.z]

might be the fuel is a bit manky. has it been left standing for a few weeks/months? thats my only guess really... unleaded can go "off" and do odd things like this... i'm guessing you checked the fuel filter? is there a filter in the tank? try putting it on reserve (if its got one).. these are just silly kind of things that can happen
good luck getting it going again

[Diehard]

Robby always full of words of reasurrance The fuel is new, beacuse I drained it and then refilled the tank the other day just incase, it got rain in from the 2 1/2 hour drive back from where I got it. Also the the fuel filter is in the tap it's self, gonna fit an inline one soon though. Really I think I have checked all I can think of that is ovious but it really baffles me why it ain't going.
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If I Die... I Die!

[Sparks!]

Not being funny, but the breakers or shop you bought the bike from seem dodgy as hell, 2 very dodgy bikes sold to members of this forum with space of 1 week?

[Diehard]

Well Yam normally I would agree but, it ran first time he started it and when I started it later that day, I reccon I'm just cursed to be honest cos my NSR went the same way after I bought that too. Also the guy in the shop had covered the cost of a couple of things I have requested for the general workings of the bike (clutch cable etc) so I can't complain. Well I suppose it's a learning curve, gonna rival keith's knowledge soon!
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If I Die... I Die!

[Ste]

Yams, I think they just sell bikes which need doing up.

Diehard, I'd check the float levels, check that its getting a strong spark, and check the jets are all ok.

[chunkielad]

If you got water in then you may have an issue where the pistons Hydraulic siezed. The water getting into the pistond wouldn't explode and as such would cause large ammounts of pressure in the barrel. Bent items are likely when this happens.

However I doubt it is that bad. Do you get any noises etc from the engine when you try to start it?

If water did get in, maybe it is in the lines still and needs draining out.

Definately check the spark though!!!
____________________
Mark Harrison R.I.P - 26th March 2003.
Remember you always and will ride in your honour.
Big revvs up for Mark!

[Diehard]

The spark is fine esp since I put new plugs in today. Also when it ran on thurs (5 days after it's trip) it sounded fine and had no problems so I dought water is an issue. The only thing I haven't checked is float levels, but I dunno how these may have changed in a day? Unless the journey caused some rearrangment of them?
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If I Die... I Die!

[Ian (GPX)]

Replace the HT leads and spark plug caps just to rule these out.

Also check to see if the coils have any cracks, and that all the leads are connect to them (don't know if you've got two coils or one), but check them out.

Also check the ignition wiring from the switch (key) and starter button for leads that my not be connected properly and any signs of wear, could be a broken wire / connection some place (or HT lead).

[Kickstart]

Hi

If it is sparking then the chances are the cdi unit is fine.

Water in the fuel is highly unlikely to cause the engine to hydraulic. You get that if you drive through a deep puddle and the engine sucks water in. For a carb the air to fuel ratio by volume is about 10000 parts air to one part fuel, so it is not getting enough volume of fuel to hydraulic the engine.

However it could well be a problem with water in the fuel. This settles to the bottom of the tank so will often cause problems should you turn on to reserve. I would drain the fuel into a large bucket and check what it looks like. Also clean the carbs out again.

All the best

Keith
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[Phoenix]

Craig, it's hardly the shops fault. They're a breakers, they get bikes and sell them as is, that's it. The VFR only burnt down because there was no fire extinguisher to put it out straight away. The GSXR was running now isn't.

[Sparks!]

I thought they sold both as running bikes, my mistake.

[Hex]

[Annabella]

AI, I would agree with Keith and Gav....

Jimmy's did the same after a long stand, they really don't seem to like getting wet at all. However, after we drained the carbs (easy enough job as long as you have dexterous fingers and extra short allen keys) it behaved perfectly. If you need any tips how to do this, send me a pm.

There has always been an issue with the CDi until on the Gixxer, and charging. So sometimes it needed a bit of a bump.
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I did Cadwell!
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[Demonic69]

Whatever you do don't replace the Coils
Stupid feckin bikeshop and their £180 coils....
____________________
Back on a Blade. Just feels so right.

[Annabella]

Dean - I think James' mechanic friend type person put Gixxer750 coils on the 400, for £20 (ish), they seemed to have worked fine. So, yea, don't even bother going to a shop if you think that's the problem, ring round some breakers and get 750 ones if there are no 400 parts.
____________________
Avast! Pirates ahoy!
I did Cadwell!
www.bikepics.com/members/bella

[Diehard]

Well the coils seem fine, all plugs firing with their relevent coil connection. Also when I had the carb off I had it upside down and everything. Thought water would have come out if it was going to. But gonna try drain the floats out to make sure (stand by your pm Annabella but not for a day or two). I got the clutch cable on last night and tryed to bunk it but with no luck (plus I live on a hill and the bike has no breaks at mo), so I really was chasing it down the street!
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If I Die... I Die!

[Diehard]

Ok, took carb completely off, drained floast bowls. Opened them up, cleaned all of the jets, scouped (yes I said scouped) the crap out of the bottom of the bowls, put it back together and started first time! BUT One of the float bowls has a crack in it so fuel slowly drips out. Therefore if I leave the bike over-night I have to prime the carbs again the next day. ALSO the bike is possesed! It throttles it's self. Ticks over at variable 8,000 revs and randomly flicks up to 12,000 revs and I have to pull the throttle back to reduce the revs! Weird I know, must be a air leak, but any ideas anyone?
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If I Die... I Die!

[Sparks!]

Ummmm can you warm bike up and set idle to 1250rpm?

That might help, if not check the throttle isn't sticking at all or the choke sticking.

Sounds like it could be some crap sitll in the jets etc. A carb balance will be needed as well.

[Diehard]

The throttle and the choke are all free and fine. Did this before when we had the air box off and started it. That is why I suspected an air leak, because we fixed it some how. Also When I had the carbs apart I notice 3 of the mixture screws were correct (2 turns back from lockdown) but the 1st carb screw was fully screwed in a very siezed! But since it ran fine before and this screw wouldn't have moved recently, I left it (well after about half an hour of fiddleing and lots of WD40). Is this normal?
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If I Die... I Die!

[Sparks!]

meesta-annoying by name, meesta fukking annoying by nature, damn that sig is most annoying thing ever.

[Phoenix]

That's a fucking annoying signature you've got, and your replies don't seem to be contributing much, so delete it or go away please.