Help: Xciting 500 (carb) won't start

[BettinANDlosing]

Okay, but what could be the problem then?

Did the bike sit all winter? If it did, have you flushed the gas and cleaned the carburetor jets out? This is where I would start. If it died while driving or whatever, I've seen the fuel pumps go bad on the X500. Has the bike ever tipped over? It has a tip over sensor that will not let the bike start, I've disabled one before on a customers bike that he was constantly dropping. These are just a few options. Check for spark first, then go from there.

[guile]

Did the bike sit all winter? If it did, have you flushed the gas and cleaned the carburetor jets out? This is where I would start. If it died while driving or whatever, I've seen the fuel pumps go bad on the X500. Has the bike ever tipped over? It has a tip over sensor that will not let the bike start, I've disabled one before on a customers bike that he was constantly dropping. These are just a few options. Check for spark first, then go from there.

Thanks voor the tips:
Did the bike sit all winter? partly
If it did, have you flushed the gas and cleaned the carburetor jets out? No, but I checked the carb. There's lot's of gas
If it died while driving or whatever, I've seen the fuel pumps go bad on the X500. It only has starting  problems
Has the bike ever tipped over? It has a tip over sensor that will not let the bike start, I've disabled one before on a customers bike that he was constantly dropping. I did turn over the carb itself several times to reach the thingy to tune the CO2. How could this sensor be disabled?
Check for spark first, then go from there. Impossible to reach the spark plug without special tools. I already ruined the sparkplug cable once. I will have to find good tools first

When starting the battery icon on the dashboard lights up after 10 seconds. I read on the manual that this means voltage is below 11 volts. Does this indicate anything significant?

[BettinANDlosing]

Thanks voor the tips:
Did the bike sit all winter? partly
If it did, have you flushed the gas and cleaned the carburetor jets out? No, but I checked the carb. There's lot's of gas
If it died while driving or whatever, I've seen the fuel pumps go bad on the X500. It only has starting  problems
Has the bike ever tipped over? It has a tip over sensor that will not let the bike start, I've disabled one before on a customers bike that he was constantly dropping. I did turn over the carb itself several times to reach the thingy to tune the CO2. How could this sensor be disabled?
Check for spark first, then go from there. Impossible to reach the spark plug without special tools. I already ruined the sparkplug cable once. I will have to find good tools first

When starting the battery icon on the dashboard lights up after 10 seconds. I read on the manual that this means voltage is below 11 volts. Does this indicate anything significant?

The tilt sensor is located in the nose of the scooter, and the ENTIRE bike would need to have tipped over to set it off. If the bike sat for more than a month this winter, I would take the carb totally apart and clean it out. You have to reach the spark plug cap with needle nose pliers, and pull it from the cap body NOT the wire, then use a long extension with a spark plug socket to get it out. Crank the bike over with the spark plug touching the frame and look for spark. The battery voltage will be far below 11v while cranking, this is totally normal. I'm guessing this issue lies with the carb being clogged.

[guile]

Repaired!
It was the sparkplug-cable.
Second time btw. Must have something to do with the fact that the cable is under friction because of the engine block being part of the suspension etc.

[guile]

The story continues 

Still starting problems. I have a feeling it may have something to do with fuel. There is either too much or too little.

When it wouldn't start I loosened the idle screw on the carb and it started right away. What does that mean??

Can anyone tell me the default number of turns of the pilot screw? Is it 2,5?

[houndguy]

I'm having the exact same issue.     

[houndguy]

I played with it somewhat this afternoon thinking it's the fuses.  In playing around with it I noticed one of the battery cables was rubbing against the plastic case the battery sits in.  It started right up with full power when that plastic piece was off....put it on, nothing.  So, I think I just may need a new battery cable...or a better way to hold the battery in place. 

Ideas?

[guile]

Guys, I'm desperate. It's been weeks now that I'm battling this problem that my Xciting 500 (carb) has and I can't rely on it a all. I prefer not to bring it to the repairshop as I'm certain it will cost me an arm and a leg and I will still not be sure if it is the final solution as changing the sparkplugcable by the repairguy was not the solution the last time.

The problem is that it starts very arbitrarily and I can't find a pattern... When it does start it picks up immediately without hesitation. When it won't start I smell gas but it won't fire up. Flooded?

This is what I did so far:
- replaced sparkplug, sparkplugcable and battery.
- took carb out and checked inside for flaws. Put original 118 jet back. Reset mixture screw to 2,5 turns.
- cursing

What can it be? Electric of Carb?
Pro's: please let me know any (serious) ideas you have.
Thanks.

[guile]

Guys, I'm desperate. It's been weeks now that I'm battling this problem that my Xciting 500 (carb) has and I can't rely on it a all. I prefer not to bring it to the repairshop as I'm certain it will cost me an arm and a leg and I will still not be sure if it is the final solution as changing the sparkplugcable by the repairguy was not the solution the last time.

The problem is that it starts very arbitrarily and I can't find a pattern... When it does start it picks up immediately without hesitation. When it won't start I smell gas but it won't fire up. Flooded?

This is what I did so far:
- replaced sparkplug, sparkplugcable and battery.
- took carb out and checked inside for flaws. Put original 118 jet back. Reset mixture screw to 2,5 turns.
- cursing

What can it be? Electric of Carb?
Pro's: please let me know any (serious) ideas you have.
Thanks.

There may be a pattern in the starting problem: when (if) fired up and run for at least an half hour, a couple of hours after or the next day it often won't start.

Any idea is welcome!
Thanks!

[CROSSBOLT]

Sounds like you have an intermittent cause like a wire grounding or opening. This will be very hard to find and it would cost ya big if you have a shop do it because it takes a lot of time. You will be the best tech for this job. You may have to remove a bunch of plastic to do this. Already mentioned the plastic battery clamp, I think, so start there. Take your time and get your mind right and you WILL get this. Keep posting what you find and we will all chime in with ideas.

Karl

My bad. Hound had the battery clamp/cable but start there, anyway!

[xsel777]

Guile, what news re your carb XC500 starting woes?

[xsel777]

This is an interesting topic for me, since my XC500Ri EFI also had major starting issues, now resolved. Mine has no carb, and solution was an electronic device of some kind, not sure what.

I hope you get it sorted soon, Guile

[guile]

This is an interesting topic for me, since my XC500Ri EFI also had major starting issues, now resolved. Mine has no carb, and solution was an electronic device of some kind, not sure what.

I hope you get it sorted soon, Guile

Was it a coil of some sort?

[xsel777]

I will get the exact part name from the shop and let you know.

[xsel777]

For the EFI model,  you can get a modified ECU,  but in my case it was a combination of rectifier, starter motor, solenoid and relay.

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