Kick only, hard start cold

[GarageWrench]

73 Shovel, mild Andrews cam, S&S super E, Joe Hunt horizontal magneto, short pipes w/baffle and reversion cones. When hot/warm it starts in 2 or 3 kicks, when cold takes 10 kicks minimum. The carb is jetted at 29.5 low side and 68 main. Timing is a about 5deg retarted right now, that is advanced mark towards the front of the timing hole when using the mag timing buzz box. Mag points set at .014 and clean, new wires. I have varied the timing with same or worse results. This motor runs great, no popping or spitting w/great acceleration. Seems the jetting is close.

When cold, I live in Michigan, I will pump the throttle (yes the accelerator pump works) 6 to 10 times, I manually ground out the mag with a jumper wire and roach clips and kick thru a couple times, take off jumper and kick several more times to start while opening the throttle a little or even pumping more gas into the intake. I have tried many different combinations but this seems to work best. And the enrichner seems to not make a diffrence hot or cold, but I have best results not using it.

It seems to me I am needing to pump the throttle way to much to start, it seems it should be flooded but it's not, I have pulled the plugs and they are dry, no gas present. Looking for some input from someone who has experienced this issue.

GarageWrench

[Blackbetty]

Is your mag new?

Have you timed it with a light?

[madmagnus]

Your accelerator pump cant be properly adjusted or clogged, I have set up 2 super E carbs with shovels and 2 prime pumps with the throttle was enough on both. Can you see it squirt when you twist the throttle if you have the aircleaner removed?

[Tattooo]

Your accelerator pump cant be properly adjusted or clogged, I have set up 2 super E carbs with shovels and 2 prime pumps with the throttle was enough on both. Can you see it squirt when you twist the throttle if you have the aircleaner removed?

I agree.... That many pumps would fluid the bike..... Hell That might be the problem......

[boomboomthump]

I went through a period of something similar. In the end I was simply giving it too much gas (and no the plugs weren't wet). Here's my story...

- Super E
- Got the bike running mid summer
- Always started 1 or 2 kicks with a single squirt of gas (enrichener ON)
- A few times it gave me an issue and took a few more kicks and a buddy encouraged me to give it a few more squirts of gas
- When I'd check the plugs they were dry
- For a few weeks I battled it a bit as the temp dropped in the fall and I began to give it too many squirts (6-8)
- Plugs were always dry so I kept thinking it wasn't getting gas or enough (seemed I couldn't "flood" it if I tried to)
- Sometimes it would fire right off, other times 10-20 kicks
- Again, I'd always check the plugs and they were dry
- I was trying all sorts of shit, throttle partly open, fully open, etc
- Went back to my original routine (gas on, enrichener ON, 1 squirt, 2 prime kicks, ignition on, kick)
- Always starts 1-2 kicks now, just like originally

This all assumes your pushrods are reasonable adjusted and the motor is in good tune, timed nicely, etc.


Try to give it less gas, not more, unless it coughs out the air cleaner at you (which means too much air, not enough gas). Remember, it's the vapors not the amount of gas that makes it go ka-blewy. When the temperature starts to drop, it will help if you wait a min or two before turning the ignition on and kicking after your prime kicks. This helps the combustable vapors build up which takes longer during cooler temps.

The other thing I'll mention is that I've definitely noticed that the oil weight can make a big difference in colder temperatures when kick starting. Trying to start the bike with 50 or 60wt oil on a morning where it's 40* (or colder) isn't going to be fun or work (at least for my legs). I run 60wt oil in the summer (temp ~60-65* minimum in the morning), 50wt in late spring and early fall (temp ~50* minimum in the morning), 20w-50 whenever it is below 45* for a morning cold start.

[hillcat]

Re-build that Super-E.
Ethanol raises hell on all old rubber carb parts.

[jsaz666]

Too much gas. I use ONE twist of the throttle, ignition on and kick. Two kicks and it is running every time dead cold. The only time I have had to use primer kicks is with a Super B- no accelerator pump. If I ever try to use priming kicks it will flood. I really think you are flooding it.

[GarageWrench]

Boomboomthump, just tried your suggestion. It's 55deg and I'm runnin 60w oil, enrichner up, 2 pumps on the throttle, kick twice w/kill switch on, turn switch off and fired on 3rd kick. Not bad with that temp and oil weight.

Thanks for the tip, I'm a seasoned wrench and sometimes ya just need a fresh mind in the mix.

[GarageWrench]

I use the mag timing buzz box, pretty accurate

[jsaz666]

Damn that seems like a lot of fuel, but every bike is different though. Here is mine, starts great with one squirt and usually 2 kicks, but it was 74* today.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwhPzanNfUF9dHltX2huNlB0cWc

[boomboomthump]

Boomboomthump, just tried your suggestion. It's 55deg and I'm runnin 60w oil, enrichner up, 2 pumps on the throttle, kick twice w/kill switch on, turn switch off and fired on 3rd kick. Not bad with that temp and oil weight.

Thanks for the tip, I'm a seasoned wrench and sometimes ya just need a fresh mind in the mix.

Cool. Will probably get easier as the temp increases. Try a single throttle pump too.

Like I said, I progressively kept giving it more and more gas, simply because the more I gave it, I still couldnt get the plugs wet at all. So that was a red herring and I thought it just wasn't getting gas.