Paulwhite Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 hi all iv got a stubborn xv 125 that refuses to start up on its own (i have to give it a push down a big hill ) iv done the usual checks, carb, battery, plugs, coils, ht leads, starter motor, ect ect. and im stumped! it started ok if i bumped it but then when riding hard it would bog down and die (think it was too lean )so i re jetted it, still had to bump it but it road allot better. but now i cant start it at all! after 4 attempts and nearly having a heart attack iv given up and decided to seek help plus the bike would run and start fine when warm but if i left it for 10 min or more then id have to bump it again to get it going! i just dont know whats up with it and dont really want to b stripping the engine if i can sort it with the engine in the bike can anyone help? cheers. Paul . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Woody's Rule #1 - Get it serviced. Next: Describe precisely what happens when you do stuff, ie - Press teh start button, use the choke etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulwhite Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 Woody's Rule #1 - Get it serviced. Next: Describe precisely what happens when you do stuff, ie - Press teh start button, use the choke etc. ok i dont think it needs to b serviced cause iv replaced the filters, spark plugs and oil (isnt that all a service is? ) it also has a new battery and every time i try to start it with the button it just goes round and round but dont catch also there is a squeek and after about 5 min of usin the button the carb pops well its more like a surge. its the same if i use the choke. what gets me is arnt you suposed to drown ur plugs if it dont fire up with the choke? iv checked and the plugs come out dry. also iv checked all the electrics and im getting a steady 12.7v at the starter motor so i know there isnt a fault there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 A full service, at least where I get mine done, is a comprehensive top to tail check almost like a PDI. Silly question - You don't have the fuel tap turned off, do you? If not, have you tried starting it with the tap turned to Prime? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelvinjona Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 My bike is doing the same thing as yours. I started it in january and everything worked fine and I haven't touched it since. I was going to ride it the other day and got nothing when I turned the key on, no lights came on and nothing even clicked. I too thought it may be my battery so I tried jumping it with my car and got the same results. I am hoping to find an answer so I can go riding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulwhite Posted March 5, 2010 Author Share Posted March 5, 2010 yeah it is a bit of a silly question and yes i hav checked it lol about the prime. my bike is a sachs roadster which uses the virago engine so only has 3 settings on the fuel tap off on and reserve. iv taken off the left side cover to try and see what the squeek is, comming from the starter motor (just needed lubing) well kelvinjona when i got a new battery it seamed ok but still wouldnt start on the button iv stripped it down and had a look at all the electrics cleaned all the terminals (took some time! ) and refitted them then sealed with ignition sealer so i know there fine im not sure what to do next iv checked everything appart from the engine but as iv said i dont realy want to be ripping the engine out and taking it to pieces just to find it was a coil or something if you find out what the problem with urs is could u giv me a bell im always somewhere in the forum . might go and strip the carb down........again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulwhite Posted March 5, 2010 Author Share Posted March 5, 2010 My bike is doing the same thing as yours. I started it in january and everything worked fine and I haven't touched it since. I was going to ride it the other day and got nothing when I turned the key on, no lights came on and nothing even clicked. I too thought it may be my battery so I tried jumping it with my car and got the same results. I am hoping to find an answer so I can go riding. ooo just remembered mine started doing that turn the key and no lights or anything no matter how many times u tried? i took the electric switch part of the ignition barrel off and dismantled it and found the copper terminals were corroding, well they were covered in a white/green powder like what u find on old aa batterys, i cleaned then with a wire brush till the shiny copper showed then squirted them with ignition sealer. put it back together and hay presto its worked ever since! i dont know what ur ignition barrel looks like but i had to use a soldering iron to melt a couple of the clips a little to get into it. but b4 u start tearing ur ignition apart try and find the terminal where ur ignition electrics hook up to the loom, (just follow the wire from ur ignition barrel), disconnect the clip (should b 4 pins) and get a piece of wire and try to bypass the ignition by sticking one ends of the wire into one of terminals and the other end in a different one. normally black and red if it makes the bike work then u know its the electric switch in the barrel either try what iv done or just buy a new one. hope this helps soz for the long explanation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted March 5, 2010 Moderator Share Posted March 5, 2010 it started ok if i bumped it but then when riding hard it would bog down and die (think it was too lean )so i re jetted it, This says it could be a poor flow of fuel to the carb, or even rust in the carb fuel spigot. what gets me is arnt you suposed to drown ur plugs if it dont fire up with the choke? iv checked and the plugs come out dry. Your assumption is correct and this also ties in with poor fuel delivery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 yeah it is a bit of a silly question and yes i hav checked it lol Well... Silly-ish. I've known a fair few professionals who've forgotten to turn the fuel back on for a post-works test ride. my bike is a sachs roadster Ah... You'd said XV125 earlier and your profile says XVS 125. Thought we were talking about the Dragstar here. You sure the re-jet was done properly? Are the pipes and the tank free of sedimentary crap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulwhite Posted March 5, 2010 Author Share Posted March 5, 2010 yeah soz i do hav an XVS 125 but the engine is knackerd so im rebuilding it iv put that one in the general section of the forum but me sachs roadster 125 is practically a XV 125 with a different frame uses exactly the same engine!! and i did the re-jet myself just got a pilot (used to b 12.5 now 15) and a main (used to b 77.5 now 85) and the pipes are clear so no unwanted deposits there might strip the carb down and give it a good seeing to il post how it went on but even b4 i changed the jets it wouldn't start on the switch what gets me is when i bought it it would start ok but last year about feb it just wouldn't start on the switch. thats when i started tinkering with the carb settings. i can get it to run fine but it just wont start! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulwhite Posted March 6, 2010 Author Share Posted March 6, 2010 right iv cleaned out the carb so all flowing there and iv installed an in line fuel filter so should stop any debris getting into the carb but still wont start! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Wheels Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 right iv cleaned out the carb so all flowing there and iv installed an in line fuel filter so should stop any debris getting into the carb but still wont start! Is it wetting the plugs now with the choke on ?? Me thinks you are gona have to set up the carb from scratch again. Read the haynes for this and follow it exact. Make sure you clean the tiny little holes in the carb that are for the starting of the bike.(starting jets that aernt removable). Make sure you are not drawing air in anywhere that it isnt supposed to be (eg round pipes and the carb itself) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted March 6, 2010 Moderator Share Posted March 6, 2010 Have you checked the flow of fuel to the carb yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulwhite Posted March 6, 2010 Author Share Posted March 6, 2010 Have you checked the flow of fuel to the carb yet? right iv checked the flow and all seems well!! tried starting it with the button and choke with no luck but at least me plugs were soaked! i started it (still had to push it down a hill) and im no mechanic but should there be loads of air coming out of the oil filler hole when the engine is running? i left me bike on a slow tickover for 20 min while i had me tea and decided to have a look on the inside of me oil filler cap. but when i opened it i got loads of pulsating air coming out, and by loads i mean more flow than what me exhaust was kicking out! is that normal? and i cant get hold of a Haynes manual for a sachs roadster iv tried the "closest" shop that do parts and they couldnt get hold of one. i am thinking of putting a dragstar 125 carb on it if it would fit then id know if it was the carb or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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