Hard Start

[Kneeslider916]

So, I dragged my old 2001 CB600F Hornet out on Sunday, it's not been used for months, full choke, first prod of the button and away she goes. Lovely.

Next up, drag the S10 out, switch it on, prod the button, .............and no start. That's strange i thought, try again.... and again. Scratch head, tank's full, its not been started since its last 20 mile quick run two or three months ago, but the bike is covered in condensation in the garage for some reason, so i'm panicking thinking there's water in something electrical. Oh, and i can smell petrol, so i know i've flooded it now. It doesn't even sound like it wants to catch. Something electrical ? Failed ignition ?? I know i can smell fuel, so it has not be electrical.

OK i have an old iPod in the garage, so a quick search finds a pdf service manual online, and i'm into the tool boxes. Fairing plastics off, tank hinged up, airbox off. Wow, it has four plugs ? Bloody hell, those bolts holding down the plug packs are swines to get at with a socket set, i'll use a spanner.

I think it took 3 hours in total to get to the plugs and clean them and reinstall everything. WD40 sprayed into every connection i can find. Check all the fuses, some twice. Battery has been charging in the mean time, so ok, try again. Same thing, no start, eventually flooded it, again. Much confusion ensues, not helped by the wife asking 'if there was a switch somewhere i'd forgotten'. God love her.

OK, time to hit the net again, and i discover the 'hard start' threads. Damn, that rings a bell. OK, lets try the WOT approach. 4 or 5 minutes of 20 second cranking with the throttle pinned wide open and eventually there are signs of life, followed by more smoke than a knackered RD250, some rather unpleasant noises, and eventually a fully working S10.

Now, how on earth have Yamaha managed to manufacture a 'relatively' simple fuel injected two cylinder motorcycle with such a pain in the arse and common problem ? My 911 is fuel injected, way more complicated under the boot lid, gets used far too rarely and starts every time. And surely that amount of fuel passing through the exhaust system cannot be good.....

Now i love this bike, i bought it new, its got less than 3K miles ( i know, i know, but i have a lot of toys) and is looked after. I have no intention of changing it, but come on !

 

[boxer]

As a S10 owner of some experience [3 days & 1 start - 'twas a good'un] I suggest you search HERE. There's a couple of procedures starting the engine.

 

[steve hughes]

Also a recall I see


Quote off the site.

, I exchanged emails with the powerplant engineer that I have been dealing with at Yamaha Japan.

He has confirmed that there's a pending recall that will cover 2012 - 2015 Super Tenere's (2016 is excluded, and for now, only USA models) and is to be issued Feb 1. The recall is for the hard start issue that some of us have experienced.

Now the interesting part; the recall is one which Yamaha considers MANDATORY. And they're linking it to emissions, which according to Yamaha, in 47 states (Hawaii, Michigan, and Nevada according to some research I've done) means that we will have to comply with the recall before our next vehicle registration.

I am so thankful that the hard start issue will be fixed! Thank you Yamaha for fixing this known issue that plagues our bikes!
Logged

 

[Rasher]

Mines done it a couple of times.

Defo aggravated by not letting it run for a while once started, although I have often fired it up and only gone a very short distance to get fuel with no problems, I have also tried to replicate the issue without success, but the bottom line is letting it run for just a few seconds or turning the ignition on / off a few times without starting it can flood it.....

....I think people often keep turning it off and on when it fails to start causing it to repeatedly prime making things much worse.

In my experience bursts of full throttle cranking gets it going quickly.

Are you sure it had sat since last run and you had not turned the ignition on / off at all or fired it up to ride it out of the garage etc.

Defo an issue, but compared to Final Drives exploding FPC's going pop, and valves lobbing themselves down the bores it pales into insignificance, 20k with two hard starts Vs the problems my GS clocked up in fewer miles means I am a happy camper.

 

[Rex800]

Agree with Rasher hold it on full throttle and push starter and keep it there and should start. Mines done it twice in 4 yrs but otherwise all good.

 

[Kneeslider916]

Thanks for your comments, I will know next time and not pull the thing to pieces. Quite enjoyed the experience of stripping it however, even if it was done in the spirit of ' oh sh*t whats wrong with it'.
I am sure it wasn't switched on since i rode it last, so i'll leave this one on the mystery pile.

 

[Rasher]

Your obviously not shy with the toolkit so if it does it again you could just pull the fuel pump fuse, this clears the flood in a matter of seconds. Worth remembering which one it is (I forget now) as it may save some aggro if you have a hard start with a low battery.

 

[Ban_6]

Mine has done it a couple of times.....gasing it hard and then letting it slow on the run down without throttle, coming to a stop and turning it off may flood it (?).

I had the valves cchedk at 40k kms, and my mech guy thought iut may be the cuplrit, but the valves etc where fine, no adjustment at all needed.

But if it does do it, WIT works.

Ive only had it a few times since 2012, but its a weird thing to happen.

 

[andrew]

I have been in communication with Yamaha Customer Services on another issue but asked the question -

On another issue - there is a very strong rumour circulating in the USA that Yamaha have finally developed a fix for the "hard start" problem that plagues the Super Tenere and will be rolling out an ECU reflash - any truth in this rumour and if so will UK owners be offered the same fix and when?

Answer -

In relation to the ECU, we have referred your enquiry to our Technical staff, who having checked their records, have advised that they are unaware of any ECU reflash you mention, being available for the XTZ1200A SuperTenere.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Defo an issue, but compared to Final Drives exploding FPC's going pop, and valves lobbing themselves down the bores it pales into insignificance, 20k with two hard starts Vs the problems my GS clocked up in fewer miles means I am a happy camper.

IIRC you never actually had any issues with your GS.................you just dreamt about them, worried nervously and your paranoia got the better of you

So, no need to bring the GS into an known issue with a S10

 

[Rasher]

IIRC you never actually had any issues with your GS.................you just dreamt about them, worried nervously and your paranoia got the better of you

So, no need to bring the GS into an known issue with a S10

It blew two fork seals, warped two discs, had an ABS problem, a gearbox oil leak, intermittent cut-out problem, clutch problem, blown heated grip, regularly blew headlight bulbs and some issue with a clonking on the telelever - all in less the mileage the S10 has covered.

This led to paranoia about what else could go wrong.

The S10 has had a couple of hard starts and a headlight harness under a recall (but it was working fine)

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

It blew two fork seals, warped two discs, had an ABS problem, a gearbox oil leak, intermittent cut-out problem, clutch problem, blown heated grip, regularly blew headlight bulbs and some issue with a clonking on the telelever - all in less the mileage the S10 has covered.

This led to paranoia about what else could go wrong.

The S10 has had a couple of hard starts and a headlight harness under a recall (but it was working fine)

You want one of the new ones, they're perfect

So WTF are you doing on a GS forum, particularly as you're not a subscriber...............tightwad

Go troll the S10 forum

 

[backstreet hero]

You want one of the new ones, they're perfect

So WTF are you doing on a GS forum, particularly as you're not a subscriber...............tightwad

Go troll the S10 forum

It's time you grew up.

 

[Rasher]

So WTF are you doing on a GS forum, particularly as you're not a subscriber...............tightwad

I think this section is clearly labelled "Yamaha"

Tightwad - Quite an insult from a Yorkshireman! Maybe I like the adverts, or don't want any dipshits sending me PM's.

 

[dean0n0]

It's time you grew up.

Yes!!

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Yes!!

Ha, cheers Dean