Starting Problems

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Started my bike up this morning for a ride after it sitting in my garage for almost 7 weeks (vacation and too much work). The tank was around half full, battery was fully charged (battery tender). She turned over smartly, with the occasional cough. It took maybe 6 or 8 tries, with extended cranking (not more than 15 or 20 seconds each time) before it started and ran fine. Subsequent starts before and after my RTE were as usual - the bike has always started on the first revolution of the crankshaft.

Might this have been due to condensation or separation of the gas? The last ride before storage was a 600 mile ride and I put no Stabil in the tank. I don't remember the brand of gas. This has never happened before to me (on any bike) after a similar layup. The ST started up immediately this spring after sitting all winter in the garage (of course, over the winter the tank was full and had Stabil in the gas).

I know, if I ride it more often this won't happen.
 
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I think it's your valves sticking a bit from the ethanol in fuel.. Put a little stabil in the last tank of fuel before layup and it will be fine.
 
OP
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Thanks guys. On my ride, I ran the tank down to under two blocks on the gas gage, added an ounce of Stabil for the bottom tank and sloshed in some gas. Added enough to fill the bottom tank then added two more ounces to the top tank. Finished my ride. Now I'll keep adding Stabil as I use gas until the winter layup.
 

Mellow

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Same thing has been happening for years, some say it's the re-pressurization of the fuel rail after it's been sitting. I'd say you're fine.
 

Smallville

Scott
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I've had better luck with sea foam than stabil.
Could of been a number of things. Plus the items above sometimes if the engine does not catch on the initial revolutions it seems that the 1300 engine floods easily. Several have had that happen. Don't worry and ride.
 

970mike

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I've had better luck with sea foam than stabil.
Could of been a number of things. Plus the items above sometimes if the engine does not catch on the initial revolutions it seems that the 1300 engine floods easily. Several have had that happen. Don't worry and ride.
:plus1: Put a can of SeaFoam in your tank and that will help out with the ethanol problems.
 
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+1 It happened to me after 2 weeks. I had to twist the throttle while cranking to get her to start, I knew this wasn't right with fuel injection engines. After that I've had no issues with starting. One turn over and she purrs.:shrug1: :tb1:
 

ST1100Y

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Same thing has been happening for years, some say it's the re-pressurization of the fuel rail after it's been sitting.
Would flicking the kill-switch 2~3 times (with ignition ON to prime the fuel pump) before cranking overcome this?
 
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Mellow

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Would flicking the kill-switch 2~3 times (with ignition ON to prime the fuel pump) before cranking overcome this?
Never tried it, typically, you would just roll the throttle all the way open and press the starter 'til it starts. That's what I've always done. Between 2 ST1300s it's only happened a handful of times to me.
 

ST1100Y

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...typically, you would just roll the throttle all the way open and press the starter 'til it starts...
Hmm... with the launch of EFI and catalytic converters we learned to never start with actuated throttle... risk of damaging the cat due flooding...

Priming the fuel pump by flicking the switch does help to fire up my carbed 1100s after the winter-break...

And also on the Toyota I've developed that weird routine to leave the key for 2 seconds in ON before hitting the starter after some weeks/months grounding time, to give ECU and probes time to adjust...
 

Mellow

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I think if it's something that happens all the time it might be a possible issue but like I said, it was only a very few times between 2 bikes and resolved itself quickly, I don't remember it ever acting like a flooded carb. Even the Super Tenere will do this on a rare occasion but has yet happened to me so I'm not worried about it.
 

Smallville

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Hmm... with the launch of EFI and catalytic converters we learned to never start with actuated throttle... risk of damaging the cat due flooding...

Priming the fuel pump by flicking the switch does help to fire up my carbed 1100s after the winter-break...

And also on the Toyota I've developed that weird routine to leave the key for 2 seconds in ON before hitting the starter after some weeks/months grounding time, to give ECU and probes time to adjust...
Holding the throttle in the full open position on EFI engines during start turns the injectors off. This is the proper procedure for starting a flooded engine.
 
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