LC4 just wont start
 

Dear All, Having just got my bike out off the garage ( 03 LC4 640E ).It being standing for 9 months since my last trip I found that she just wont start. I've fitted a new battery, also a new spark plug and changed the fuel in the tank for some fresh stuff. When pressing the starter the relay clicks away like a gooden but the motor wont crank,having then had a good workout on the kick starter ( motor turns but dosent fire ) I'm at a loss as to what the problem can be cos The bike worked fine when I put it away. Would any of you be good enough to share some of your knowledge ? The problem may well be something stupidly simple but I just can't see it. Thanks for any advice you can give.

Hi dude. Have you checked that the sparkplug does give a spark?? Even if new, it can be damaged. Does the plug get wet? this meens that the engine gets fuel. If the plug is dry after some chranking, it doesent get any fuel ,and maybe some fuelfilters are dirty.
In worts case maybe the fuelpump dosent work...
Good luck

Cheers Yngveer, The plug I know does spark as I've tried it out of the motor though when I took it out it did seem dry. I'll go back and see if I'm getting fuel into the cylender, Thanks for your help.

Think you may also need to strip and clean the carb as its probably gummed up from the old fuel drying out. When you have the plug out I would also put a bit of oil down the hole and let it stand for a day so that oil gets down the side of the piston and rings. Turn it over on the kickstart several times without the pug in the hole (But makesure the plug is earthed to the engine case) just to get things moving.If this dont start to work you need to look at your fuel pump next.

Thanks for the pointers,
A carb strip down is something that I've never attempted before and is probably good advice as my last trip took me through central America ( poor fuel, lots of dust and rain etc.) and the bike has not realy been used since being shipped back.I'll study the manual and persevire.Thanks again. Les.

Hi Les,

Did you charge the new battery before fitting it? The battery went on my LC4-E and on my old Adventure. The motor wouldn't crank, but there was a high frequency clicking from what I belive to be the starter relay (located on to the right of the battery, at least on 02 LC4-Es - 03 on may be different as they have a different electrical system).

Alternatively, if the battery's OK, then you could try and replace the starter relay.

As mentioned above, it'd be wise to also check that motor will actually crank using the kickstart. I think it's highly unlikely that some sort of seizure's occured, but you never know.

Let us know how you get on.

I'd also be interested to hear about your travels on the LC4-E - IMHO a little easier to handle than the Adventure.

FWIW in standard trim the LC4-E doesn't have a fuel pump as mentioned above, even when fitted with the '18' litre tank - 620/640 Adventure's have a fuel pump because of the lowest level of the fuel tank.

Cheers,

Ian.

Hi Ian,
Thanks for the info, The new battery is now going back on trickle charge, just to make sure while I look to strip and clean the carb. You are quite right in saying that the enduro model has no fuel pump.
Simplicity and quality of build were my main reasons for buying this bike. The idea being that it should not go wrong and if it does it could be easily repaired , even by an inexperianced spanner like me.
My last trip was from Seattle down the west coast to Panama city, no particular itinery just tooling around and enjoying the ride. Most of the way I was riding on surfaced roads as you do when you want to get from one place to another though I did have plenty of play time in Mexico. For all of this the bike was not only totaly reliable but also fantastic fun. I'd made a few mods from stock ie. comfort seat, bash plate, 18 l tank and TT ali box's and luggage rack. The only problem worth mentioning was that 4 spokes on the front wheel broke.
How this bike would compare to the Adv I cann't say having never riden one. though for what its worth I would guess that there is little diference as they are basicly the same beast. having said that I can see the advantages of the raised bars for those stretches of poor track when you need to stand to ride and also the screen must be a luxury.
Cheers. Les.