Need more help with 97 vs 800 battery?

[Georgey]

Ok so I bought a motorbatt battery and put the posts on and realized that bike wasn’t starting - checked the battery and it wasn’t charged (or lost it charge) - I bought it off Amazon. So I charged it and next day it’s charged.

Install it but I realized that I put the posts on wrong - negative post connected to positive side of bike, and vice versa. Tried starting it but nothing happened obviously. Switched the posts so now positive side has positive post and negative side has negative post — still nothing.

So was it just a bad battery? (Motorbatt batteries are supposed to be good to install right away)—- or did I do something when negative side was connected to positive terminal, etc.?

[sgtcall]

Check your main fuse and never trust the battery terminals to be in the same place as the last one. Fuses are under the left side cover. You may have also destroyed the new battery.

[Georgey]

Check your main fuse and never trust the battery terminals to be in the same place as the last one. Fuses are under the left side cover. You may have also destroyed the new battery.

My god I wish I thought of that - that’s it!!! Thank you Sgtcall!! It’s trying to start now!!! (Haven’t rode this bike since 2020)

But it’s not staying on. Even with choke out it will stay on if I give it gas, but won’t stay on. What now?

[hillsy v2]

Check your main fuse and never trust the battery terminals to be in the same place as the last one. Fuses are under the left side cover. You may have also destroyed the new battery.

My god I wish I thought of that - that’s it!!! Thank you Sgtcall!! It’s trying to start now!!! (Haven’t rode this bike since 2020)

But it’s not staying on. Even with choke out it will stay on if I give it gas, but won’t stay on. What now?

You have fuelling issues. Have you had the carbs apart to clean? How long has the bike been sitting? Can you hear the fuel pump working? How old is the gas?

[Georgey]

Gas isn’t that old and had sea foam in it - I’ve been trying since 2020 when it originally stopped on me on the road. For years it’s been working just fine. Very reliable.

When it stopped suddenly at a light, in 2020, I had to give it constant gas to get home.

That winter I took out the carbs and cleaned them. I got ignition coils, new spark plugs, new ignition coil wires, new starter (which didn’t work and the old starter actually was fine). In 2021 and 2022 I dumped the gas and refilled it fresh with sea foam.

But I am opened to any ideas as i probably screwed up somewhere.

So now it will start and run for a few seconds, sometimes a couple of minutes, until it will surge a little and die, or just die.

I love this bike and I don’t want to give up and this has to be the year it gets fixed

[sgtcall]

Do you hear the fuel pump running?

[hillsy v2]

Do you hear the fuel pump running?

Also is the tank venting? When it stops open the gas cap and listen if there's a "whoosh" sound.

[hillsy v2]

Gas isn’t that old and had sea foam in it - I’ve been trying since 2020 when it originally stopped on me on the road. For years it’s been working just fine. Very reliable.

When it stopped suddenly at a light, in 2020, I had to give it constant gas to get home.

That winter I took out the carbs and cleaned them. I got ignition coils, new spark plugs, new ignition coil wires, new starter (which didn’t work and the old starter actually was fine). In 2021 and 2022 I dumped the gas and refilled it fresh with sea foam.

But I am opened to any ideas as i probably screwed up somewhere.

So now it will start and run for a few seconds, sometimes a couple of minutes, until it will surge a little and die, or just die.

I love this bike and I don’t want to give up and this has to be the year it gets fixed

So are you saying you've had the carbs full of fuel for 3 years? They're more than likely gummed up again.

[Lechy]

Drain the float bowls and check for water.

[Georgey]

Drain the float bowls and check for water.

Ok - completely drain?

[hillsy v2]

Drain the float bowls and check for water.

Ok - completely drain?

Undo the drain screws and empty the bowls. You should be able to access these without having to remove the carbs.

[Georgey]

Drain the float bowls and check for water.

Ok - completely drain?

Undo the drain screws and empty the bowls. You should be able to access these without having to remove the carbs.

They’re drained and I’m going to clean the petcock but out of carb cleaner - the fuel filter looks ok (just orangey colored).

Hate to take out the carbs - trying to rule everything out first -

What’s the sound of the fuel pump? I did originally buy a cheap replacement. I don’t spend $80 for the one floating around on eBay.

My throttle cable is loose so it wouldn’t surprise me if that has something to do with everything

[Georgey]

Drain the float bowls and check for water.

Ok - completely drain?

Undo the drain screws and empty the bowls. You should be able to access these without having to remove the carbs.

[hillsy v2]

What’s the sound of the fuel pump?

The fuel pump will tick / buzz.

I couldn't find a direct video but in this one at about the one minute marked he fires it up.

[navigator]

My throttle cable is loose so it wouldn’t surprise me if that has something to do with everything

If you mean there is some free play at the grip before the linkage starts to move, that is normal, and necessary.
About 1/8" of free play is needed.

[Georgey]

What’s the sound of the fuel pump?

The fuel pump will tick / buzz.

I couldn't find a direct video but in this one at about the one minute marked he fires it up.

Ok no buzz or ticking but the tank isn’t connected - I was cleaning the petcock

[Georgey]

My throttle cable is loose so it wouldn’t surprise me if that has something to do with everything

If you mean there is some free play at the grip before the linkage starts to move, that is normal, and necessary.
About 1/8" of free play is needed.

Mine is much more loose-

[Georgey]

I have aftermarket ape hangers and so my cable is much longer than stock

[Georgey]

Do I need to connect the tank to the fuel pump to determine if my fuel pump is working? It’s not buzzing/ticking when I try to start it but the tank’s not attached yet

[sgtcall]

Do I need to connect the tank to the fuel pump to determine if my fuel pump is working? It’s not buzzing/ticking when I try to start it but the tank’s not attached yet

Well you are going to need some way of getting fuel to the pump. You could rig up a temporary tank of some sort.