Backfire?

[Ddave]

Hi lads,
Well the vtr has been playing up when starting the past few days. Usually itll start 2nd or 3rd spin
of the engine (from cold i might add) but since mid last week its taking a few stabs of the starter, mabie turning engine over 10-15 times, and when/as it does start, itll backfire once. After starting it seems to run fine... any ideas??

Thanks in advance!
Dave

[sirch345]

Hi Dave,
I expect your battery is not as good as it was, and now with the colder weather here making the engine harder to turn over for starting the weakness is showing up. The oil in the engine will be thicker this time of the year here in the UK. If you have a multi-meter (if not may be you can borrow one) it would be a good idea first to check the charging rate (it should be between 13.5 - 15.5 volts with the engine running) and that all battery leads at the battery, solenoid, starter motor and engine (earth strap) are clean and have tight connections, the starter motor connection bolt is known to cause problems if not looked after as it's right in line of anything thrown up from the front tyre. That starter motor connection should have a rubber boot protecting it, but if it's still on the original one it may now be split and need replacing. David Silvers Honda stocks them.

If it turns out to be the battery quite a few members on here have gone for a bigger amp hour battery which will help in spinning the engine over for starting in the colder weather.

The back firing will most certainly be from unspent fuel in the silencers.

Chris.

[skyman]

mine does exactly the same, i thought big worries cct fail cam chain slipped miss timed ect, ect , just think its a quirk of the vtr one big bang then starts wakes next door up I have been giving it less choke just recently and it seems to do the trick, having said that i like setting car alarms off

[tony.mon]

Try it with 1/2 choke, even this weather, and leave the throttle closed.
If it starts trying to run, open the throttle gently and it should pick up.
Sounds like you're adding too much fuel.

[VTRDark]

I have been giving it less choke just recently

That funny, mine has been doing the same recently and I found less choke helped which seems bizzare considering the weather is colder.

(:-})

[lloydie]

i dont use choke at all till its turned over a couple of times then i only give it 1/4 .
after its started i give it a little more .
if i try full choke and hit the starter it will turn over a few times followed by a rather large BANG some times i do it on deliberately wile its still in the garage
it sets most car alarms off in the road at 4.30am

[Ddave]

Yes that makes perfect sence, thanks. Ill grab a multimeter and double check before buying a new battery (any recomendations?)
Thanks for the replys!

Ive been starting it on full choke with no throttle untill i hear it fire, then a small blip. Ill try giving it less choke and see if it helps. I park in an underground carpark, so yeah it can be quite loud! Haha! Bet my neighbours (or the whole block of flats) love me!

[VTRDark]

Here you go http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic ... ry#p237553 motobatt. These are very popular with users on here.

(:-})

[Ddave]

Thanks mate