Starting an engine after years sitting

[vit4]

I know there was a thread on this fairly recently but the s earch engine is being typical of itself.


Anyway, my dad has a motorbike that's been sitting for 3-4 years, going to try to get it running to sell it (Honda CB500 if that helps). Charged the battery and tried earlier, unsurprisingly it turned over but didn't start. We're going to try to get it started tomorrow. Hoping there's just gunk in the carbs, but are there any other things that should be checked? Will fresh petrol be a necessity?

Cheers

[RJDM3]

Drain engine oil and replace with new. Clean out carb and replace spark plug/s

[Yazza54]

Carbs will want cleaning out with carb/brake cleaner and fresh fuel. Full service too, if you want to do it properly, which I hope you do.

[littlebasher]

Careful, i had the same bike that was sitting for a few years (even had a birds nest in the airbox. I degunked the carbs, changed the oil, lubed the bores and then tried to fire it up

Ran for a few seconds before the crank siezed solid.

It's probably still sat where i left it...behind a bush at the back of my parents garden, along with a C50 and DT175

[davepoth]

If it turns, it'll probably work. As has been said, change the oil, drain and change the fuel, and get cranking.

[Arlen]

My bike had sat for 25 years, new petrol, new spark plug and some oil down the cylinder, few kicks over, put the plug back in and runs like a dream. In fact it runs better than my recently rebuilt engine.

[Stu - B]

You might be after my thread: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... on bringing a car out of decade long disuse?

[flemke]

vit4 said:

I know there was a thread on this fairly recently but the s earch engine is being typical of itself.


Anyway, my dad has a motorbike that's been sitting for 3-4 years, going to try to get it running to sell it (Honda CB500 if that helps). Charged the battery and tried earlier, unsurprisingly it turned over but didn't start. We're going to try to get it started tomorrow. Hoping there's just gunk in the carbs, but are there any other things that should be checked? Will fresh petrol be a necessity?

Cheers

Rotate the crank manually a few times before you "fire it up".

Over time, the weight of the crank, rods and pistons will cause the film of oil between the underside of the crank and shells to displace. In that condition, suddenly to introduce 1500 rpm can wreck the surfaces in the instant before a new film can form. By manually rotating, you can re-establish the film with no risk of overheating the surfaces.

[Alfie Noakes]

I had a CB250 that would take longer to start the longer it had been left.

I made enquiries and found that there is a pressure switch in the oil ways that prevents it firing untill the turning of the engine has built up a bit of oil pressure.

So as well as all the other things, charge the battery.