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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: Cal Price on November 26, 2004, 06:47:13 AM

Title: Startup backfire?
Post by: Cal Price on November 26, 2004, 06:47:13 AM
This morning around six it's wet but not too cold, no danger of ice anyway. I hit the starter, nothing, plenty of battery but no startup. I play around a little with the choke, still nothing. I wait maybe 20 second and try again, after about 2-3 seconds of starter motor there is a huge bang behind me and I mean HUGE, not like a handgun, more like a cannon.

I look, see nothing, not a whisp of smoke, nothing. I press the starter and off she goes, sweet as a nut. Started her a couple more time through the morning, perfect. Whats going on ? ?
Title: Startup backfire?
Post by: MarkusN on November 26, 2004, 06:54:10 AM
Nothing sinister. Just some unburned fuel blown through the cylinder into the exhaust, then ignited. Can happen when cold. I had it happen to me when the plugs were carbon fouled by rich carburetion.

But this can happen anytime when the bike is slow to start due to cold weather.
Title: Startup backfire?
Post by: Cal Price on November 26, 2004, 07:44:00 AM
Thank markus, classic backfire then. I will have to get the wire brush on the plugs if it happens again.
Title: Startup backfire?
Post by: se7enty7 on November 26, 2004, 09:33:57 AM
hmm... with mine, sometimes it will not want to start... as in, the starter won't turn.  I wait about 5 seconds and it will start, ableit barely (not from the engine carbs not wanting to start, but because the starter will *barely* turn the engine over)

I suspect I have a bad battery.. bleh.. gotta go buy another from wally world (I returned the last one..)
Title: Startup backfire?
Post by: Dom on November 27, 2004, 08:31:41 PM
That happened with me this past week while trying to get carb issues sorted out.  My girlfriend was standing there and said that flames that shot out were the size of a 2-litre bottle.  I didn't get a chance to see them :(

Any way to fudge a backfire?  I have seen kits that run on propane that shoot flames out the exhaust...I think it's www.flamethrowers.com

:cheers:
Title: Startup backfire?
Post by: Anonymous on November 28, 2004, 06:35:00 AM
To make a backfire:

Ride along at a decent speed, turn off the ignition, keep giving it gas, turn the ignition back on....  Bang!

You DO know that backfiring isn't good right?