Flooded engine?

[iandunn]

I think I may have flooded the engine (and other parts?) when trying to start my GS. I recently bought it and it was running fine the day I bought it, but the next day I tried to start it and it wouldn't. I thought it was just because it was a little cold and I probably wasn't doing something right. So I kept messing w/ choke and the fuel petcock, etc until I drained the battery. After charging the battery, I still can't get it running. I'm pretty sure I'm doing all the basic stuff right, so I think maybe I flooded the engine and/or carbs. What can I do to check if this is the case, and how can I fix it if it is? Thanks

[mp183]

Pull out a plug and check.
While you have it out crank and see if you are
getting a spark.

[Roadstergal]

I once flooded my old F650's engine, and got it going by turning the petcock to Off and cranking it for a bit.  Worth a shot.

[Rema1000]

I once flooded my old F650's engine, and got it going by turning the petcock to Off and cranking it for a bit.  Worth a shot.

My GS doesn't have an OFF; just ON/RES/PRI.

When people say "flooded", they usually mean "fuel-fouled plugs".  The plugs have liquid gas on them, and won't fire.  The quick cure is to pull each plug and blow off any excess fuel on it, put them back in and go.  

The slow cure is to let the bike sit overnight; usually the bike will start the next day (maybe the fuel on the plugs dissipates in the cylinder?).

From Alias' post, it sounds like you have no working choke cable.  That would definitely make it hard to start.  Alias had some recommendadions about how to start a GS without a well-operating clutch, but that seems like a lot of work to me.  If you really can't get the new clutch cable on, I have heard of people running a wire from the left side of the bike to the clutch lever (somewhere in the innards of the bike there), looped around the lever, then out the right side of the bike.  To open the clutch, pull on the wire on one side of the bike; to close, pull on the other.

...but I'd probably just fix the cable .

[mp183]

Fastest way to start is to pull the plugs.  Take them to your stove and hold them over the flame with a pair of pliers.  Get them hot but not red hot.  Stick them back in while they are on the hot side.  Guaranteed to start.  Just don't let I love YOU or wife catch you doing this over their stove.

[coll0412]

Good I Idea...but be extremely carefull, if any gas touches them it could ignite, so be safte, and if you smell fumes do not have an open flame around them...ie dont heat them near the bike

[MarkusN]

When trying to recover from flooded state crank the engine over with the starter a few revs with disengaged choke and WOT. (When heavily flooded do this while you have the plugs out.) Helps to get rid of the excess fuel.