What Else Should I Check?

DRider

DRider

Wannabie Member
Hi guys,

So, recently, my bike has been through all sorts of trouble, and has subsequently been off the road for almost a month (particularly depressing, as I only got it in August).

Bike is a Yamaha Virago XV 535 1989.

Basically, when out riding one day, after I stopped the bike and then went to go back on it, the bike started on one cylinder, rather than two. Solid one cylinder. Confused, and annoyed, I took it home; while the engine was running as I was looking around the bike, the second cylinder went.

The motor still turns over and responds further to throttle pulling, but having checked the spark plugs, there was no spark going to either spark plug.

So, to give a run down of what I've tried and checked, with a mechanic; new spark plugs, new HT leads and new coils, battery charged, fuse is OK, swapped main fuse with spark fuse, still nothing; full fuel of tank, too. In my opinion, there's very limited options as to what it could be.

A couple of months previous, one of my coils was going on-and-off to one cylinder and two cylinders, so I've just ordered (painstakingly) a new CDI unit from US (£200!). Tried sending mine to Holland for repair, but after half a month of the Royal Mail not doing anything with it in their Amsterdam depot, they've sent it back to me, with no reason as to why they didn't attempt delivery.

Anyway, I digress; should the worse happen, and this very expensive CDI *not* fix my problem, where else can I really look, as I'm really starting to run out of ideas, and I really, really miss riding my motorcycle.

Thanks guys.
 
Does it tick over at all?

Did it lose power, or judder?

Does it even try to tick over?

Could be regulator that's fine, maybe a solenoid

Also wondering if you have a bad earth

What's the battery charging it?
 
No, doesn't spark at all on either plug or lead.

Just immediately lost power. Full power, turned bike off, left it for five minutes, went back to it, started it up, one cylinder. When the second cylinder went, it was just immediate power loss and death, thought it was lack of fuel at first.

Not sure what you mean by the last question; do you mean the exact model and make of battery that's on the bike?
 
You can check for continuity throughout all the ignition system wires and make sure that there is a voltage to the coils.

Stupid question but might as well ask, but are you checking to see if theres spark correctly?
 
I'm thinking maybe solenoid switch. But you should get a volt meter and check for continuity. If the engine is trying to turn but there is no spark to the plugs, start at the plug wires and work backward.
 
I'd want to check the reg for supplying dodgy voltage, although you need the bike to run above idle to check what the reg/rec is/isn't putting out. Should be between 13.5 and 14.5V, much more than that you might start frying stuff.
 
Pigs said:
You can check for continuity throughout all the ignition system wires and make sure that there is a voltage to the coils.

Stupid question but might as well ask, but are you checking to see if theres spark correctly?
Click to expand...

Not a stupid question at all! I've got this special little plug... thing. You stick a screwdriver-like end in the HT lead and slot the other end on the spark plug iteself, and it'll glow purple if there's spark. When it first happened, I didn't have that tool on me; tried taking the spark plug cap off the spark plug, taking off the cap from the HT lead, and holding it against my engine block; nothing. Also tried it with a different spark plug slotted in the end of the cap, no spark.

Would the solenoid only affect the bike starting via. electric start? Tried bumping the bike to no success, solenoid didn't appear corroded or loose,, but didn't test it otherwise?

Lurch; guessing I could test that if the bike won't start? Or is there a way to do it with the bike completely non-runner?
 
Just to add on as well; trusting that the CDI replacement works (Please Lord!), the bike will have been sitting for about a month and a half, doing absolutely sod all. Wondering what you guys might suggest I check before I get her running again? Battery will be double checked for charge; don't think I'd need to replace oil, brake fluid or anything like that at this point?
 
DRider said:
Just to add on as well; trusting that the CDI replacement works (Please Lord!), the bike will have been sitting for about a month and a half, doing absolutely sod all. Wondering what you guys might suggest I check before I get her running again? Battery will be double checked for charge; don't think I'd need to replace oil, brake fluid or anything like that at this point?
Click to expand...
Cleaning carbs would help clean out whatever the gas left behind when it evaporated away. Sometimes when I had let my carbed bike sit for a week or so, my floats would get stuck open so that when I turned on the petcock, the gas would overflow the float bowls. I would fix this by tapping the carbs but just goes to show that the varnish and crap that the gasoline leaves behind when it evaporates away.

Clean carbs are happy carbs!
 
Pigs said:
Cleaning carbs would help clean out whatever the gas left behind when it evaporated away. Sometimes when I had let my carbed bike sit for a week or so, my floats would get stuck open so that when I turned on the petcock, the gas would overflow the float bowls. I would fix this by tapping the carbs but just goes to show that the varnish and crap that the gasoline leaves behind when it evaporates away.

Clean carbs are happy carbs!
Click to expand...

Fair point! A complete pain for me; the Virago dual carb is an absolute pain to get off the bike, and even worse to put on. Still, if it must be done, it must be done!
 
DRider said:
Fair point! A complete pain for me; the Virago dual carb is an absolute pain to get off the bike, and even worse to put on. Still, if it must be done, it must be done!
Click to expand...
Its probably not necessary to clean them if you have done them recently but since you have your bike apart, might as well. But you think you have it rough? try taking off carbs from an 80s inline 4 sport bike built for their tiny jap hands
 
Pigs said:
Its probably not necessary to clean them if you have done them recently but since you have your bike apart, might as well. But you think you have it rough? try taking off carbs from an 80s inline 4 sport bike built for their tiny jap hands
Click to expand...

Is this the ZX6R you're referring to? The carbs for that bike don't look fun. At all. Nada.
 
You'd need the bike running to check the RR, or you might be able to find a replacement for a reasonable price on eBay (look for a decent seller though).

You could try metering through to the solenoid, there's two big terminals, one is the battery side, other is the starter side. If you get voltage to the incoming, then when you press the button it should get to the other, but you need the battery with good charge to try it. When my reg blew it took out the main fuse (or starter/solenoid fuse if t's separate) which isn't with the other fuses, so also check that your main fuse (be at least 30A at a guess) is intact.
 
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