[Buckklier]

I have a 82 GL500 that will start every day after I ride it, but park it for 10 days - 2 weeks and it will start hard and only run on one clyinder for about 5 -10 seconds, then it will suddenly run on both clyinders and run fine, with no problems until it sits for 10 plus days, and have the same trouble, all over again. Anybody have the same problem, or any ideas??

[Hanibel]

Buckklier, on 14 May 2012 - 09:24 PM, said:

I have a 82 GL500 that will start every day after I ride it, but park it for 10 days - 2 weeks and it will start hard and only run on one clyinder for about 5 -10 seconds, then it will suddenly run on both clyinders and run fine, with no problems until it sits for 10 plus days, and have the same trouble, all over again. Anybody have the same problem, or any ideas??

I had the same problem. Shut it down, turned off the fuel and it sat for a week. Would not start. Was in a hurry and forgot to shut off the fuel. Next day it started on the first try. So for me it appears to be a fuel evaporation problem.

So now if it has to sit for an extended period of time I go out a little early, turn on the fuel, finish my coffee and she fires right up

[ramprat06]

This is not an uncommon issue. It is due to the carb bowls evaporating the fuel......assuming there are no leaks. It's common to many of the GL's and CX's. Some folks never seem to have a problem, and I've seen some mentions of ways to avoid it, but I don't have them to hand. Others will surely chime in. I'd not be concerned if you are able to get the bike fired up in relatively short order.

Joel in the Couve

[Showmedude]

Hanibel, on 14 May 2012 - 07:50 PM, said:

I had the same problem. Shut it down, turned off the fuel and it sat for a week. Would not start. Was in a hurry and forgot to shut off the fuel. Next day it started on the first try. So for me it appears to be a fuel evaporation problem.

So now if it has to sit for an extended period of time I go out a little early, turn on the fuel, finish my coffee and she fires right up

If the vacuum-driven fuel petcock is functioning on the GLs, just turning the gas on does not let it flow to the carbs. Cylinder vacuum from the right side carb (while cranking or running) opens a diaphragm in the petcock allowing gas to get to the float valves, which will let it go into the bowls if they aren't full. I crank mine for a couple of seconds, twist the throttle to activate the accelerator pump (maybe helps, hard to tell) then keep on cranking till it fires up. On mine, it's the right side that is slow to fire off - I think because I keep the bike on the side stand and it takes a little longer for that carb to fill.
Dude

[bandit]

only from memory,Abes posted on the old forum,that after 2 weeks sitting the amount of evaporation is virtually zero.he conduct tests to show that was the case.

and if the OP,s bike only runs on one pot,than evaporation only is only in one carb...i doubt it.

but my theory.
high fuel levels in the bowls will also cause hard starting.so,bearing in mind,not all bikes have this issue.it could be that,if the petcock does not 100% shut off fuel,then over a period of time weeping fuel via the fvn could raise the level in the left carb.

my thoughts for the day.

[baxlin]

Mine doesn't have the petcock, just an on/off tap,which I leave on all the time, and I fitted an inline filter. The engine's often not started for a couple of weeks as it's not my daily drive, and it starts first time no problems.

I do however have a trickle charger which is hooked up every time it's parked in my garage, so I know the battery's full and ready to go.

HTH

Malcolm

[muzza]

I bet the problem is the crappy fuel we have these days. Get yourself one of those long electrical screwdrivers and drain the fuel bowls for 30 seconds or so so that when you turn the drains off the bowls are full of fresh gas from the gas tank.The fuel in your bowls has evaporated some of the volatile elements out of it and it is hard to ignite.

I have to do this with both my CX's after any more than about 5 days standing. Drain the bowls and they fire up pretty readily.

[Shep]

Buckklier, on 15 May 2012 - 03:24 AM, said:

I have a 82 GL500 that will start every day after I ride it, but park it for 10 days - 2 weeks and it will start hard and only run on one clyinder for about 5 -10 seconds, then it will suddenly run on both clyinders and run fine, with no problems until it sits for 10 plus days, and have the same trouble, all over again. Anybody have the same problem, or any ideas??

Click here,

http://globalcxglvtw....php?f=10&t=823

HTH

[HotFoot]

Buckklier, on 14 May 2012 - 09:24 PM, said:

Anybody have the same problem, or any ideas??

Same symptoms experienced here. I run a fuel filter, tank is lined (POR15) and carbs are clean/maintained. Ignition system is kept up properly.

I find it helpful to completely drain the tank several times a year especially upon the springtime awakening. This includes removal and shaking the tank while upside down (cap removed) to get that last quart or so of unuseable fuel out. What comes out looks like a urine sample and smells a bit like paint thinner/mineral spirits.

An oil/fuel supplier about 10 miles away has real non-ethanol fuel which I am going to try when my current stash of gas-staion fuel in cans is gone. I'm convinced the fuel we get is inferior to what we used to get years ago. I don't often fill up my bike at a service station so every can I fill gets the Sta-Bil treatment as soon as I get it home. I will also run a bit of Sea-Foam, Marvel Mystery Oil, Lucas etc. Depends on what's on sale or what I have available at the time.

Hoppy

[murrayf]

ditch the vacuum petcock and it will go away here is a 20$ solution


http://www.ebay.com/...270dc1e&vxp=mtr

and the problem gets worse in hot weather and happens faster

[FADM Stern GNSF]

Well, I have experienced the same problem with mine, one push after an idle day, but 2 weeks and it takes a few cranks. While there will be some evaporation from the carbs, I tend to side with bandit on this one, the evaporation is actually very small due to the diameter and length of the drain tubes, which only shows a very small surface area to the atmosphere. I actually believe is gas evaproation from the carb body and intake spacer that is the problem, not out of the float bowls. With the bike sitting, the gas in this area (and it will be there) is pretty well isolated from the outside (carb plates, air box and filter), and will probabaly take a few days for it to evaporate away.

I also have a vacuum petcock (and will always keep it, I love this thing) and have seen after a week or so I have to crank a few times to get it to start. I did find that the problem of one cylinder starting late improved a lot since I ballanced the carbs.

[bandit]

bandit, on 15 May 2012 - 08:50 AM, said:

only from memory,Abes posted on the old forum,that after 2 weeks sitting the amount of evaporation is virtually zero.he conduct tests to show that was the case.

surly someone from the old forum can remember abes post.

general information.
low fuel in a hot tank will blow the fnv,s open filling the bowl and shedding the fuel down to the floor.
yes my tank is vented
yes it was parked at the time,i was sat in a bar and watched it happen.

[White Knight]

This problem has existed with CX engines for the past 30 years so maybe we have to live with it--Drain carbs,tip drained fuel back into tank (i'm a tight bugger) and hit the starter-vroom.-WK

[PDC-500B]

White Knight, on 15 May 2012 - 09:36 PM, said:

This problem has existed with CX engines for the past 30 years so maybe we have to live with it -WK

Absolutely. First time I ever encountered difficulty starting my CX500 was back in 1981, when it was new, and I was going to take it in for its first (600 mile) service. I hadn't used it for over a week, and it just didn't want to start . Being new to me, and not knowing of this CX habit of non-starting after a short lay-up, I ended up flooding it in the process .
What I've done in more recent years, if it's not been used for a while, instead of churning it on the starter to no avail (and it doesn't do the battery or starter a lot of good), is to first turn on the (non vacuum) fuel tap. Then I get the bike out of garage, have a quick look over it, maybe check oil level, lights, tyre pressures etc, get togged up, helmet and gloves on etc, and by the time I go to start it, it then fires up almost instantly, with choke. If it's used daily, it fires up no problem straight away .

[Timothy_d]

When my bikes sit for a couple of weeks, I usually turn the kill switch to the off position, hit the thumb kicker for about three to five seconds, then flip the kill switch with my thumb while it's still cranking. Works pretty well for cx650's.

[muzza]

Might just be the shit fuel we have here in New Zealand . The stuff definately goes off in the fuel bowls after a week or so. Had a mate whose father owned a succession of CX's from new in Australia and he had a ritual of draining the fuel bowls if the bike hadnt run for more than a couple of days . That and always carrying spare brand new plugs in case it really packed a wobbly ....

[Knute]

ahhhh.......thought

Are you starting the bike on the side stand?

The floats may be in a "bind" due to the fuel level in the bowls being skewed relative to the motion of the floats. The right carb will be high compared to the left carb. Fluid will move to the lowest level. The right carb could be fill the left carb thru the cross over tube.

Mine was out of commision for 2 weeks while the replacement coils arrived and my installation. Sat on the center stand the entire time. No trouble starting.

This may not be an evaporation or a fuel quality issue. Could be gravity.

Just a thought.

[boulder cx500]

You have a vacuum petcock. Fuel evaporates depending on ambient temperature. After prolonged sitting, put the kill switch off, leave the throttle closed and choke off (maximizes vacuum) and crank the engine for 3-4 seconds three times. Turn the kill switch to on, choke and start.

[Eurovee]

Approach motorcycle from the left - NOT right.
Turn ignition switch on - off - on - off. Do this twice. One time standing on left leg only, other time right leg only.
Poke index finger (of either hand) into exhaust pipe and pull out quickly three times each side - six times if 2 into 1` fitted.
Turn fuel tap on - do not touch fuel tap directly but hold with a leaf from a ungabe mungabbo tree. If no ungabe mungabbo trees are availabe a rubber plant will do.
Pull choke up and place a handcrafted wooden peg from an authentic Romanian gypsy underneath the knob to prevent it from returning.
Place a shot glass of a single malt Islay whisky (Bourbon may work at a pinch..) directly on top of the fuel tank filler.
Spit on both hands and operate ignition switch and throttle while spinning the rear wheel round (in the normal direction of rotation when travelling forward) with your right leg - do not remove hands from motorcycle until engine starts, do not let rear wheel speed fall below approx 17.6 mph.
If engine fails to start or either hand is loosened from handlebars the process from the beginning will have to be repeated until successful.
If bike starts, ride away.
If it doesn`t, drink the whisky.


Works for me..

[ramprat06]

Eurovee, on 16 May 2012 - 09:55 AM, said:

Approach motorcycle from the left - NOT right.
Turn ignition switch on - off - on - off. Do this twice. One time standing on left leg only, other time right leg only.
Poke index finger (of either hand) into exhaust pipe and pull out quickly three times each side - six times if 2 into 1` fitted.
Turn fuel tap on - do not touch fuel tap directly but hold with a leaf from a ungabe mungabbo tree. If no ungabe mungabbo trees are availabe a rubber plant will do.
Pull choke up and place a handcrafted wooden peg from an authentic Romanian gypsy underneath the knob to prevent it from returning.
Place a shot glass of a single malt Islay whisky (Bourbon may work at a pinch..) directly on top of the fuel tank filler.
Spit on both hands and operate ignition switch and throttle while spinning the rear wheel round (in the normal direction of rotation when travelling forward) with your right leg - do not remove hands from motorcycle until engine starts, do not let rear wheel speed fall below approx 17.6 mph.
If engine fails to start or either hand is loosened from handlebars the process from the beginning will have to be repeated until successful.
If bike starts, ride away.
If it doesn`t, drink the whisky.


Works for me..

Sounds quite like an approach to married life......

[fibonacci]

That was a good read Eurovee.

OP - all of this discussion and no one has mentioned the obvious - ride it every day. Works for me.

Fib

[Billrod]

Let me confuse this issue even more. I have the same problem with my GL500. My current starting drill, which I have decided on after reading all starting posts, is to pull the choke on full, twist the throttle 5 to 10 times (depending on how long it has been sitting). It usually starts on one cylinder (not sure which one) and a few seconds later is running on both. I ease the choke in about 1/2 way and head down my gravel road and push the choke in all the way by the time I get to the end.
I have the vacuum petcock and never turn it off and only move it to reserve when I forget to fill-up by not watching the trip meter. I know one of the carbs has an accelerator pump and assume that is why pumping the throttle works. I guess my question is if the gas evaporates from the bowl, where does the accelerator pump get the gas that it seems to use to start my bike. I have no idea but it sure works for me. Billrod

[Shep]

I've found undoing the left hand side drains screw for a few seconds and or a quick spray of WD40/Carb brake cleaner into the Air-filter if needed usually cures most time-left starting so long as the battery is kept well charged/serviced.I would imagine AGM/Gel batteries lose less current when left.

Click here

http://www.pdsrecord...0/CarbMain.html

HTH

[FADM Stern GNSF]

Billrod, I used to do the exact proceedure you use as it worked well. I really dont think its a matter of the bowls empting out, just the gas that normally is present in the carb body/intake manifold/cylinder evaporates. When starting the engine, it takes a few revolutions before the gas gets pulled from the bowls up into the bodies and into the cylinders. If you rode it less than a day ago, there is still gas there and thats why it starts quick.

As for the one cylinder starting, mine is a lot better now that the carbs are synced, and now it starts on both cylinders every time.

[Blue Fox]

I'm tending to agree with FADM on this one too. For the guys who "need to know", just drain and measure the amount of fuel you can drain right after a ride. Then the next time, wait a week to do it, and compare. I'm guessing they will be close to the same.