spree has trouble starting... sometimes

[greggo]

I got this 86 spree thats been sitting outside for 20 years and i just restored the living * out of it, new rings, gaskets, bystarter, flasher... had to derust the whole engine (thank god he left the spark plug in and no water got into the piston area), carbs been cleaned, reed checked, new spark plug... ug, basically everything has been redone but now i have a problem

the b**** started up nice, one kick (or starting the starter) but that doesnt happen all the time. for example right now it just put put puts and theres no difference in sound at all if i turn the killswitch knob (like its not even TRYING to start)


alright well i dont know where to start with this one now. it has spark but its almost like the timing is off. maybe my CDI goes in and out? i think ima try to clean up all the grounds before i try that though... any suggestions?

[swimmingfree]

loss of spark look at the wires and make sure the soled ..wood be my first guess...
swimmingfree

[bonesv]

Welcome greggo, a couple of simple questions for you. Did you test compression with compression tester? If not, get one and test. Use info from the service manual found here: http://hondaspree.net/wiki/index.php5?t ... ce_Manuals Also, when you changed the rings, did you re-install the piston correctly? The ring end-gaps point away from the exhaust port. Go back over torque on head bolts, sounds like low compression maybe. Be sure oil lines are primed all the way to the carburetor. Let us know what you find.

[greggo]

compression is over 90 and i did install the new piston rings correctly T side up ( although the bottom ring seemed to "stick" more than i liked it to) and it easily blows my finger off of the spark plug hole. the piston has never been taken off so it shouldnt be on backwards. (it only has 300 miles on it too), cylinder walls were spotless

[greggo]

oh i also put oil on the piston so its probably not a piston ring problem and no compression change

[greggo]

im gonna do a soap test later and see if i can find any bubbles

[bonesv]

Thanks greggo. Have you looked through the service manual for any information you might have over looked? Did you fully disassemble the carburetor and blow it out with compressed air? Check float level? Try the soap test but remember you have not seated the rings yet. Hence 90 psi but should increase as break-in occurs. Need to operate engine at idle a few times, bringing it up to temp. before riding, letting it cool in between, (in my opinion), cycling is what it is called. Look up spark plug gap and check, also for fouled plug. Post results,thanks.

[greggo]

hah me and that service manual are best friends by now. didn't know about the "cycling", thanks that comforts me quite a bit, and yea disassembling the carb was the very first thing i did to this thing.. ill get back to you guys, off to clean contacts and go get that soapy water

[greggo]

soapy water showed no bubbles so i think compression is not the problem here... i just used a timing light but i cant find the "F" it was talking about. i know there shouldnt be a way to f*** up the timing but d*** i got spark compression and fuel but no boom!

[greggo]

just noticed that oil isnt shooting out of the exhaust so i double checked and nope!... not getting any fuel, hmmmm

[bonesv]

hmmmm.

[greggo]

unbelievable... after taking apart everything i find out, somebody left my gas cap off and all my gasoline evaporated out of the tank. i checked the gas line by opening the float drain and gas came out... i was wrong to assume that meant there was fuel. i cant believe im smart enough to rebuild this engine and then not check the d*** tank

problem solved, excuse me i have to go kill someone now -_-

[greggo]

okay, that fixed it for an hour

Same symptoms but i really think its the spark. ive cleaned the carburetor 3 times now and checked each and every passage. the cylinder is getting fuel because when i hold a torch over the spark plug hole it POOMS a pillar of fire. compression is still a little above 90

i check the spark and it jumps fine, a little white spark and my gap is .027. there is NO difference in how much throttle i give it and if the killswitch is turned or not. its covered in oil however so i ordered another one (although this one is new too but trying to crank it for hours probably has fouled it).

i took the exhaust off just so i can see if it spits, the airbox element is missing but i jammed some filter foam in the box and down the tube leading into the carb

what now guys

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

Quoth Greggo:
the airbox element is missing but i jammed some filter foam in the box and down the tube leading into the carb[quote][/quote]
Thet-thar might just be your problem.
Y'see, Sprees gots Tender Sensibilities when it concerns the intake tract barometric pressure. Too little vacuum and it can't suck through the Tiny Pin-* O'Light. Too much and it starts sucking an over-rich through the main before enough air can match the fuel in a ratio to support Internal Combustion.

I recommend you procure and install the element prescribed by Honda-san and get back to us.

[greggo]

makes sense... guess thats my next step