Dead tiger

[ponkars]

Hi! i´m new at this forum, i hope you guys can understand my english... I need help with my bike:

Bought my ´97 Tiger for a couple a weeks ago, there were problem with the idle, but adjustment with the idle screw got that fixed.
But it got harder and harder to start when cold, more difficult in moist weather.
Now i can´t get it to start, the start motor runs, i have exchanged the spark plug cables as in snatches tip. I now got god sparks!
I have new charged battery, but it won´t start!
Tried with put some gas in the cylinder and start, nothing!
Tried start gas in the air filter, but it do not start...

Does any one have any idea?

/Lars from Sweden

[Mustang]

what are your valve clearances ..........they should be .10-.15 mm for intakes and  .15-.20 mm for exhausts
if you have any intakes that are at zero or near zero that is probably your starting issues ,

[nightrunner]

Only a couple of weeks ago?  How many miles did you get to ride it so far?  Was it sitting a long time before?   Could be bad gas in the tank.

Also, search this forum and you'll find pics of the pathetically small fuel filter that is inside the rubber tube where the single line meets the carbs and splits into the three.   It does not take much to clog those up.  

When you say you have spark, does that mean you removed a plug, reconnected the plug wire, placed the plug in contact with the engine, cranked it over, and saw a nice blue spark?  On all three cyls?

Actually I have not heard of the spark plug cables failing on these bikes.  But the coils are a known problem.  How many kilos on the odometer?

[ponkars]

I have driven it about 6-700 kilometers since i bought it, so the gas is fine.

It´s around 35000 kilometers on the odometer

Before i changed the spark cabels i had a small yellow spark, after the spark is more blue and powerfull.

I´m going to check the filters, otherwise i will get it to a repair shop today, get him to check the valve clearence and if possible (engine running) synchronize the carbs.

Thanks for your tips guys!

[RobH]

Don't want to state the obvious but are you sure you've connected the correct leads to the the correct cylinders? Have to admit I've been guilty of getting this wrong!

Also check the side stand switch, kill switch, ignition switch (wiggle the key, you might see the oil/neutral light flicker), all have given me problems. None of these should be an issue providing you're getting a good strong spark though.

Cheers

H

[harre]

Has the bike been standing out much in heavy rain? I would start to with draining the carbs, the float chambers may be filled water. Use a tube and glass jar to collect the fuel from the bowls and check if the collected fuel is separated in two phases. Water can enter the tank through the filler cap if it's not sealed well. This happened to me.

[ponkars]

Thanks for all suggestions, before i left the bike to the repair shop i drained the carburators, there were no water in them.

I talked to the mechanic and he told me that there were no valve clearence on the intake...  So i hope the bike will run just fine then!

[JetdocX]

Sounds like intake valve recession to me.  Been there, done that.  Right about 35,000 miles, the intake valve seats had eaten enough of the valves away so it wouldn't start in the cold anymore.

[Nick Calne]

Jetdocx - did you shoot a tiger in a previous life?  You seem to be cursed.

[JetdocX]

I'm just lucky, I guess.

[Birdy68]

Sounds like intake valve recession to me.  Been there, done that.  Right about 35,000 miles, the intake valve seats had eaten enough of the valves away so it wouldn't start in the cold anymore.

I've just collected my Tiger last night. It has around 33'000 km (20'000 miles).

I was wondering about your comment regarding the 'valve recession'.
Am I understand you correctly when I picture that:
- The Intake valves wears away to the point that when the cam comes down to push (open) the intake valve it basically doesn't push it enough to allow enough fuel to go into the cylinder?

If I understand you right, would this then mean that you must / should replace the valves?

[JetdocX]

No, you have it backwards.  The intake valves beat themselves to death against the seats decreasing the clearance between the shim and bucket and the cam resulting in negative clearance.  The valve never closes and no compression can be built up.  It will start with a lot of cranking and some starting fluid and once it warms up and expands, the engine will run normally.

You end up buying valves and finding a machinist replace the seats.  If this is the case, I know a dude in Houston who did mine.  If your vavles are receeding, just replacing the valves will only get you another 6000 miles max.  Not worth the $800+.

Edit:  Or you buy another head from a breaker and cross your fingers.

[ponkars]

Got the bike back last week, it ran very fine. The problem was the intake valve clearance, but the mechanic forgot to tighten the screws for the time chain tightened....
But the nothing broke, according to the mechanic and I got the bike back again and it runs just fine!

So I keep my fingers crossed that it from now on will work just fine.

Thank guys for all your help and ideas!