A forum for owners of Yamaha TTR250 trail and enduro bikes!

DC · Veteran Member

Won't start after a hose down..

Cubber · Super Guru

Check the handlebar kill button.
Check the neutral switch.
Check the prop stand switch.

If still no joy then check spark plug, plug lead, coil.

If no joy after all that .... pray

Martyn

TTRfan · Super Guru

Very odd!

Martyn has given some good tips.

The comprehensive guide to sorting out a non-starter is here http://ttr250.activeboard.com/t45670479/help-ttr-250-wont-start/

Brian

DC · Veteran Member

Thanks Martyn, when battery is good in the morning, I'll take particular look at those switches before trying to crank over.

Has anyone tried the heated plug method for a flooded cylinder? Just a tip I was told once.

And/or a squirt of Easy Start? If used, should that be squirted in to the snorkel?

Cubber · Super Guru

I would think that "hot plug" application would be a little difficult to apply.

The TTR's plug is, unfortunately, not really accessible and any heat applied to the plug on the bench would be rather diminished by the time you had put it in the spanner, found the hole and screwed it in - then probably replace the tank! hmm

If a squirt of easy start is your choice I would prefer to remove the side pod, filter cover and spray it directl into the housing - probably removing the element also wink just to get it started.

If you suspect that the cylinder is flooded with petrol then try opening the throttle fully, petrol & ignition off, and kicking the engine over to dispel the mixture from the cylinder. After you've got yourself warm and frustrated then close the throttle, ignition on, choke not used and crank away. You may be lucky. confuse

Failing all that then move to a place on a hill to live and let gravity work for you - turn the engine back on compression, second gear, ignition on, ooze forward downhill to gain momentum then let clutch out. Vroom, vroom. (Maybe)

Has your starting problem been building up over time, or has it happened suddenly?
It may even be nothing worse than a tired battery. wink

Martyn

Cubber · Super Guru

DC wrote:
The only thing I was unsure about is the neutral switch. Can you pls point me in the right direction - the manual doesn't show it very well.
Thanks.

Take a look at this article in the FAQ section that tells about the clutch inhibition switch. wink

CLICKY THINGY

Martyn

-- Edited by Cubber on Monday 6th of February 2012 04:39:02 PM

DC · Veteran Member

Ok, tried all of the above (except bumping down a hill). I did manage to try the hot plug. I lifted the tank with a few bungee's to make putting the plug back in quickly much easier, but it didn't seem to have any effect. Whilst I had it out, I doubled checked the gap and the spark - both ok.

Another check of the electrical connections, with a hair dryer in hand as well. Pulled almost every connector apart again.

Finally tried the Easy Start, as suugested Martyn straight in to the intake. As I press the button and spray, cumbustion almost takes hold, but as soon as I stop spraying it dies away.

I don't think its the battery(?). After having a charge last night, I worked on it for a few hours today turning it over a lot before its died again. The charger was showing about 13.4volts this morning.

I guess I could try bumping it. Not easy around here, and I don't have a trailor!

As for the problem, the bike has always needed choke whatever the temp/weather, but always started after a few turns. So this problem must be something to do with the hose down?!

Any more suggestions welcomed..

The only thing I was unsure about is the neutral switch. Can you pls point me in the right direction - the manual doesn't show it very well.

Thanks.

truslack · Veteran Member

Water in the carb. Switch the petrol tap into the OFF postion, undo the carb float drain screw, wait till all the petrol/water has drained out, tighten the screw back up, turn the petrol tap back ON, choke ON, fire her up.

TTRfan · Super Guru

Sounds a bit like a blocked pilot jet plus maybe a dodgy plug. If you have a spare plug then close the gap a bit to help starting and try it.

That said, if it starts on the Easy Start and then dies it points to a fuelling problem.

If you remove the plug after a lot of cranking over, is it wet with fuel? If not, then that is likely to be the problem.

A very poor pic below shows where the neutral switch is located.

Brian

neutral switch.jpg

DC · Veteran Member

As always, thanks for your really quick responces M&B!

@Truslack - I have drained the carb a few times already. Looked to be good fuel coming out, no water present that I coud tell.

Ok, I'll have a look at the neutral switch just in case. Asuume that there is a screw holding it in? (soory have locked the garage for tonight!)

Next thing to do, is try flooding the engine, crank it over whilst altermating open/closed throttle and then see if the plug is wet I guess.

Could I also tap the float bowl gently with a piece of wood? (I heard that somewhere).

Martyn, thanks for the linky to the Clutch switch. Have you guys gone down this route of disconnecting the stand/clutch switches? Also, it doesn't completel;y explain what the replacement Off Road part is.

Cubber · Super Guru

General thing to do to bypass the switches is short the wires together somehow.
This fools the system into thinking that the stand is NOT down or the clutch IS pulled in or the bike IS in neutral.
It's not really a good thing to do if you frequently try riding off with the stand down or try starting in gear with the clutch out.
Martyn

Aidan · Senior Member

Hav u checked ur stator coil ( I think that's what it's called). I might be wrong but if the stator coil is dieing and it's giving a weak signal to the ecu and there for not firing properly ( weak spark ect), the aero start ( which is easier to ignight) might burn but when using fuel it does not. It's pretty easy to check with a tester anyway.

truslack · Veteran Member

If it runs on easy start, you can pretty much completely rule out anything electrical.

DC · Veteran Member

Hi guys,

Thought I'd update the situation. last night I decided to remove the Carb and have a look what was going on. (BTW, a big thanks to whoever posted the pictorial guide on removing the carb, very useful when doing for the first time).

The airbox was completely dry and clean. When I laid it on the floor, a small amount of wet stuff did come out of the carb intake pipe, could this be condensation sitting at the bottom of the pipe?

Anyway, carb was pretty clean on inspection, but gave it a good clean anyway including the jets.

Put back on bike, gave the neutral switch a clean, and squirted some WD in the surpressor cap.

Opened full throttle and held the button for about 12 secs, and VROOOMMMM!!!! Started then died when closed the throttle. Opened choke full, and she fired up fine first time.

So I am not comlpetely sure whether it was the carb or not. However, I enjoyed doing it and now I know what jets I've got (I'll post that somewhere else!)

The only thing I have noticed while it was running is the downpipe gasket seems to be leaking some fumes a little. But if there's a wee gap there, water could have got in I guess? On the list to replace now..

Thanks again for all your suggestions folks.

-- Edited by DC on Wednesday 8th of February 2012 07:40:19 PM

TTRfan · Super Guru

DC wrote:
(BTW, a big thanks to whoever posted the pictorial guide on removing the carb, very useful when doing for the first time).

More than welcome for the guide - pleased to help wink

I reckon your problem has got to be a blocked or partially blocked pilot jet if the carb stub is OK .....

Brian