my bike wont start!! tried everything!

[calvert0014]

hey everyone i need some help, I've been going over some old threads trying to solve my problem but nothing seems to work. first of all, i have a 1991 gs500e that i bought about a year ago and its been working on and off since then. i  have been away form college for a few months so its been sitting since then. so far ive drained the tank and put in fresh gas, also took the carbs off and cleaned them, the hoses are in good shape. ive got the battery jumped to a car so thats not the problem. when i try to start it the bike it just cranks and cranks, ive tried with the choke on and off and with and without throttle but no sigh no life. today i went and bought some starter fluid and when i spray that in it starts but of course not for long, that shows that the spark is fine. gas is getting to the carbs because its was in the bowls when i checked them. do i need to get new carbs? when cleaning them i took them apart one at a time and put them back together exactly like they were. any help would be greatly appreciated!

[DerekNC]

You might want to check your compression if you've got a tester handy. I checked my compression on the FZR today and found out I had very low compression on 2 cylinders. My bike is hard to start as well so a compression check would help you rule out other things.

[Alphamazing]

Also, just because you see a spark with the plugs outside the bike doesn't mean there is enough spark inside the engine. Check that they are gapped correctly, also. Spark plugs are cheap, so it couldn't hurt to replace.

[calvert0014]

ive done the compression test where you put your finger over the spark plug hole and there was enough pressure to blow my finger off. also it started when i used the starter fluid so im guessing the compression and spark are fine. im thinking its the carb but i dont know what else to do!!

[Jughead]

Change your plugs first.First take the out and see if they are Clean but wet or Black and wet.Either way they would be Fouled out.Leave the Plug out and Set it on the Head with it still in the Plug cap.Crank it Over to see if the Spark is Bright blue and Fat.If it's Orange you hae something wrong in the Electrical Isle.Just because it is Starting on Ether doesn't mean it is the Carbs.Ether will fire with a Poor Spark before Gas will.

[calvert0014]

thanks jughead for the info, ill check the spark in the morning. any suggestions on what to do if the spark turns out to be poor/weak?

[Jughead]

Work your way up from the Plugs.Go from new Plugs to the Plug wires The Caps Unscrew from the Wire Leads.Take a Knife and Trim Off 1/4-3/8" from the end of the Lead and screw the Plug Cap back onto the wire making sure that it gets a Bite in the Middle of the Wire Strand.Do the Same at the Coils.Yes the Wires Screw out of the Coils. Unplug your Coil Wires from the Wire harness and Check the Terminals for Corrosion.One other thing that you can do is unscew the Terminal (The Thing that plugs onto the stud of the Spark Plug) out of the Spark plug end of the Plug cap and Toss the little "Pill" looking thing.The White or Light Blue looking "Pill" is a Resistor and I have found that they build up too much resistance over time and Cut down on the Voltage getting to the Combustion Chamber.To replace the Resistor look for a piece of Common Household Electrical Wire like you wire a House with and Cut a Piece to put in its Place.
IF you are running Resistor plugs then you are Doubling the resistance with the Resistor Caps.This will also cut down down on spark.Resistance is not needed since your not Riding Down the road Listening to AM or Short Wave Radio.Or Are you? I prefer 8 Track Myself.

If this doesn't work and you still have a weak Spark its Probably your CDI.If it winds up being the CDI let me Know I have a Low Mileage one to sell.

[Jughead]

Something Else if you did go thru the Carbs did you blow thru the Pilot Circuit with Carb Cleaner and Compressed Air?Sometimes the Pilot Circuit will get stopped up with Crud and be a PITA to get unstopped.
I know of a Suzuki Training Video on Carb Cleaning on the Internet that a fellow uploaded.I'll see if he will  let me Share the Links to it and a few Others on Brakes etc.

[l3uddha]