Poor Starting

[howard 70]

My 2012 700x has become reluctant to start from cold of late ! Valves are not due a check for a few thousand miles yet, plugs changed 11000 miles ago, total miles on bike are 41000. 

Normally starts almost immediately when prodding the starting button bot now takes a good bit of cranking to start. I am thinking to change the plugs first as it's the easiest place to start, anyone had a similar problem ? 

[RoyG 233]

Have you done anything to it recently ? I had a spell of poor starting, then remembered I had overenthusiastically oiled my side stand. It would only start with the stand up.

[Johnnie Mototrans 2,762]

How fresh is the fuel?

Perhaps needing a dose of something better than e10.? 

[howard 70]

Thank you for the fast replies, I did wonder about the E10 fuel so I filled with E5 yesterday but still was reluctant to start today. 

If the sidestand switch was fault/contaminated, would starter motor work at all ?

The bike does start, it is just taking more cranking than usual. One started, its running fine. 

Guess I will start with the plugs/valve check and see what happens ? 

 

[Johnnie Mototrans 2,762]

Maybe the air filter?

If it's not been changed then a cold damp morning might just clog it up enough to be a pain to start but work fine once everything has warmed up.

Good luck

[SteveThackery 3,090]

Is it cranking at normal speed?  It could be that the battery is fading such that, under load the voltage drops a bit too low.

The other thing might be the air temperature sensor, although normally a failure would produce a MIL warning.  However, if it is reporting the air as warmer than it really is, then the ECU might not be doing sufficient cold start enrichment.

 

All any of us can do is guess, though.  It's very difficult to diagnose a fault over the Internet.

[kayz1 2,928]

What Steve said, i would of plumped for the battery at this time of year..2c here this morning.

[howard 70]

Thanks again for your suggestions.

I have been out in the cold garage this evening and on trying the bike it started immediately !.

Checked battery connections, changed the plugs as I had picked up some new ones today and tested battery voltage.

All seems ok at the moment, I'll be using it later in the week so fingers crossed it was just a blip. I think that I may stick to E5 fuel for a while and if all good, then revert to E10 and see if problem returns.

 

[Bostedsprocket 213]

my bike starts and runs ok on e10 but the mpg has dropped quite abit.

[trisaki 2,029]

You do realise  that the 700 valves are done every 8000 m - you say they arnt  due for a few thousand  miles - should  have been done  at 40 thou  - 

[howard 70]

On 02/12/2021 at 23:02, trisaki said:

You do realise  that the 700 valves are done every 8000 m - you say they arnt  due for a few thousand  miles - should  have been done  at 40 thou  - 

Well spotted sir ! I did the first 3 valve checks as recommended at 8,16 and 24k. At this point I decided to extend the interval to 10k as they were never far off spec and I think that Honda had increased the inspection mileage interval also ? 

My starting issue is from cold and not consistent. I have noticed that sometimes it just takes longer cranking than it always used to.You know how your motor normally starts and occasionally I thought "that's strange, usually starts instantly!"

I have run one tank of v power (other fuels are available) and it did seem to be better. However, now back on BP e5, it still occasionally seems to be reluctant to fire. 

I will check the valve clearances as soon as I can man up and spend an evening in the cold garage, but I don't see how the valves would make the problem intermittent?

Thanks for your replies and suggestions, will keep you posted once I have done the valves,

Howard

[stvlas 15]

The HT Leads can also leak current away from Plugs to give weak sparking.  HT Leads can deteriorate over time.  

[Honda Bob 124]

The common fault that I have found with all Honda's since the year 2000 is a high resistance in the engine stop switch on the right handlebar. The contacts get corroded because no one ever uses or moves the switch, consequently when the battery is slightly low, and the starter is operated, there is not quite enough electrical power left to run the ignition. Honda started fitting relays to turn off the headlight when the starter switch was operated and this helped the problem. So how do you resolve the problem easily, quickly and cheaply? I always found that some times just flicking the switch on and off numerous times solved the problem temporarily. Putting contact cleaner or similar into the switch before flicking on and off repeatedly is a more permanent cure. It is always worth a go especially as it does not cost anything and in my experience of over 250,000 miles on various Honda's it has always worked for me.

[rjp996 1,091]

If it turns over fine but does not fire and you cycle the ignition a few times and it starts, worth checking the fuel pump relay (that is if you think you can’t hear it prime). The Fan relay is the same and you can switch them over just to see if it the problem or not

[howard 70]

On 19/12/2021 at 17:16, rjp996 said:

If it turns over fine but does not fire and you cycle the ignition a few times and it starts, worth checking the fuel pump relay (that is if you think you can’t hear it prime). The Fan relay is the same and you can switch them over just to see if it the problem or not

Thanks for the suggestion. 

I have been using it daily this last week as I am off work. Only once did it take longer to start but that may have been my fault as I had started it to take to the top of my drive, switched off to pop indoors for a bathroom visit!. On returning, it took two cranking attempts to start !

Since this and about 500miles of use its been faultless.

This afternoon I have adjusted the valves (2 exhaust valves were slightly tight but the others in spec)

Will see how she goes over the coming few day's .

Thanks again, Howard