After a long time I seek help from the omniscient GStwins.

Lately by bike (GS500E'99) has starting giving me starting troubles. The engine just does not turn over. It takes 5-10 tries to make it start. Once its started I can shut it down and it starts again easily, but after it cools down for a while it again gives trouble starting.

Given that it was not having any problems a month before, I went ahead and tested these things.

(A) VALVE: I thought maybe the valves are out of speck, but just checked all four are in speck.
(B) Battery: My battery was old, so just installed a new one with full charge so its not a battery problem.
(C) The air filter is clean.
(D) I did my carb cleaning around 500 miles back

Not really sure what steps to take next or how to troubleshoot it now? Spark plugs (they are 2 years old)? Reclean carbs again? Float Height?

Any suggestions?

Make sure both carbs are getting gas, put the petcock on prime then open the drain screws on the bottom of each carb. gas should flow freely from both. if neither drains good could be clogged petcock or line.

well if the fuel lines are clogged, then the starting trouble should be there even when the bike is heated up right?

it almost sounds like your floats are sticking shut and sticking once the bike cools off next time this happens after it doesnt start the first time use a screw driver and give both carbs a nice swat with the handle end of the screw driver and see if that helps. not saying that you should do this all the time just an easy way to tell if floats are sticking or you can open your drain bolts on the bottom of the carb after the bike is cold and see if you have fuel.  i like the swat way tho makes you feel better when it works and you take a bit of frustration out on the bike....lol

Quote from: nikux on April 24, 2010, 04:35:20 PM
The engine just does not turn over. It takes 5-10 tries to make it start.

Any suggestions?

Maybe I'm confused.  You say it doesn't turn over, but most of the things you mentioned would make no difference if it did "turn over".  "Turn over" means the starter turns the crankshaft at least one revolution.

So if the starter is not turning the crank, it could be battery, start circuit (sidestand switch, clutch switch, start switch, run switch, starter relay, etc), starter...

If the starter is turning the crank, I would suspect fuel issues.  Check choke operation, pilot jets, fuel level in float bowls...  Since it starts fine after warming up, my bet would be on choke.

Ok, my misunderstanding of the terminology, It does "turn over" - I hear the starter motor trying hard to start the engine, but the bike does not start. It takes a lot of turning over to start.

Floats... hmmm.. I will look check those things today....

Given - "difficult when cold, easy when hot" look particularly at the choke mechanism & cable - it may not be working properly. Far lower on the list would be poor compression, but choke problems are far more likely to have cropped up in 1 month than compression problems. (Or the embarrassing brain fart of forgetting to use it...)

2 year old spark plugs should probably be replaced on general principles, but are likely not "the problem."

Put a meter on the ignition and pick-up coils and check the resistances against what the book says, do it with them stone cold. While the pick-up cover is off make sure everything in there is clean and dry, all the connections are clean and sound and that no cables are pinched anywhere that might cause an intermittant earth or open-circuit.

Its interesting, after making this post I have not been able to repeat the problem!!! Grrrr!

I did check the choke wires and they are working properly, anything else that needs to be checked for "choke operation"?

Sledge: what do you mean by "pick up" coils?

he meant on the right side of the bike, the sensor(s) under the suzuki emblem that is held on by 3 8mm bolts

If it makes you feel any better, I have pretty much the exact same problem.  Had to roll start my bike yesterday, going to try and back off the ether for a while... good idea about whacking the carbs in case of stuck floats, perhaps my gaskets need to be swapped out.

My choke is also strangely finicky, don't have much idea about how to adjust/fiddle with it but it seems very approachable, just popping off the tank.

Does the length of the fuel line from the tank to the petcock make any difference at all?  Mine is cut a little long.

Peace,
Syz