TBR7 wont start

Loraphet · 06-21-2023, 11:15 AM

Hi,
My tbr7 was running well and I was enjoying it. It sat acouple weeks while we had a run of crap weather. (new england) wouldn't start. put it on a tender ordered a new battery. YB9A-A 12V 9AH Battery Replacement for Honda ATC 125 M CB9A-A 1985 from amazon. Perfect fit. added a tender connector so I could attach it without pulling plastic. No start and started smoking.... removed tender connection tried again.. same thing. removed new battery put old charged battery back in. no smoking but still won't turn over. cranks though. can't get it to kick start either.
any advice for this newb china rider.

bigdano711 · 06-21-2023, 11:49 AM

Have you done any mods at all to the carb or any part of the bike? I would pull the plug and check for spark. You should also determine the source of the smoke...

Loraphet · 06-21-2023, 01:40 PM

no mods. just put in a new iridium plug and it was running fine. sat acouple weeks and wouldn't start. The smoke was after i put in the new battery and attached the tender quick connect. hasn't done it since putting old battery back in. after a cranking awhile i can smell gas. Kick start isn't working, though i never kick started a bike before.

charging old battery again and will make another attempt. maybe pull plug and see how it looks? its new only rode it twice with new plug

bigdano711 · 06-21-2023, 01:59 PM

Definitely pull the plug and inspect. You can also leave it connected to the wire and put the spark end near the engine cooling fins. Keep an eye on it and turn the bike over and see if a spark arc's to the fins. There are YouTube videos that show how to do this.

**JerryHawk250** · 06-21-2023, 03:46 PM

Make sure you didn't accidently turn on the kill switch. Ask me how i know. lol

Bruces · 06-21-2023, 05:59 PM

Have you checked the fuse ? After letting out the magic smoke you need to fully check all the wiring and electrical components .

Loraphet · 06-22-2023, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruces

Have you checked the fuse ? After letting out the magic smoke you need to fully check all the wiring and electrical components .

I am not good with electrical things. do i need to pull seat? where is the fuse to check? I have a hard time with reading diagrams.

krat · 06-21-2023, 07:53 PM

If it was running fine before it is probably something you did in the course of changing the battery.

Smoke when the motor is not running indicates insulation burning off wiring. You are melting wires or connectors.

I have also seen them smoke on the solenoid wiring if cranked for too long.

Does it smoke as soon as the ignition is switched on or as you are cranking the starter?

The starter circuit is separate from the running circuit on a TBR7 due to the dirt bike heritage. The starter was added after the design was put into service.

One thing you need to remember on the TBR is that it is a classic old school bike and it has a start up procedure. Check the petcock, set the choke, check the kill switch, turn on the ignition, press the start button.

It is easy to forget one of those steps if in a panic or pondering frantically on why the bike won't start.

To kick start the bike do all the start procedure up to pressing the start button and kick the lever instead. It usually take two or three kicks on a cold bike.

Then there is the possibility that you had crap gas in the tank and it sat for two weeks and jelled in the jets, and now you are smoking the starter trying to do the impossible.

Loraphet · 06-22-2023, 11:47 AM

it was smoking when i was cranking it. looked like from a a ground towards the bottom of the bike. I disconnected the tender quick connect thinking I some how connected it wrong. still wouldn't start. put old battery back in with a charge still won't start. I checked the start procedure and am following it.
it cranks and when i apply alittle gas it makes a pop.sputtering noise like it wants to turn over. I don't apply gas it is a dryer sounding crank.

buzz · 06-22-2023, 09:50 PM

put the old spark plug back in,worth trying.Do you have spark? Have seen new plugs not working. I don't like NGK plugs. If you have spark,try starting fluid a little shot into carburetor. If it starts a little you have fuel problems, but 1st see if spark plus is sparking.

krat · 06-23-2023, 01:22 AM

Air, fuel, spark.

If it is popping it is trying to run so you have spark, and if you did not mess with the airbox you should have air.

This is probably a fueling problem as you indicated in the OP that you let it sit for 2 weeks, it was fine when you parked it and now won't run.

You have some crap gas in there that sit in your carb and jelled in the jets. You are going to need to pull the carb and run a fine wire through those jets and the emulsifier to clear the blockage.

There are hundreds of videos on you-tube showing the steps so do a search over there for instructions.

I had to do the same thing a few weeks back when we had a warm snap, I went out riding, it snowed, and 3 weeks latter I had a clogged carb.

Loraphet · 06-23-2023, 12:41 PM

will look into the carb soon. Just had a family passing so it may end up taking a week or so to dig into. Would it gel that fast? I run 93 octane with seafoam and stabil in it.

krat · 06-24-2023, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loraphet

will look into the carb soon. Just had a family passing so it may end up taking a week or so to dig into. Would it gel that fast? I run 93 octane with seafoam and stabil in it.

Did you realize that if you pull up to a pump to get 93 octane and the last guy bought e-85 regular, you have to run almost a gallon out of the hose before you start getting the 93 octane?

That is half a tank of E-85 on a TBR.

Are you really running Stabil and Seafoam at the same time? I often wear a belt and suspenders together due to Noassatall syndrome but SF and Stabil at the same time is a stretch.

BTW, my bike had Stabil in the tank and it still messed up. Ran OK, then would not start after sitting a month, then started after I cleaned the jets.

The rest of my bikes all ran fine on the same fuel with no disruptions. There is no accounting for the picky nature of some setups.

The only real answer I have found is to run the bike daily to keep it cleared. I am certain the fuel in Cambodia, Indonesia, Bolivia, Malli, Gambia and El Salvidor, sold in dirty plastic jugs, where these engines are basic transportation is lesser quality than what we get and they seem to last forever in those areas.

I have seen Itchy Boots put stuff in her CRF Hondas that I would not use to start a fire!

bigdano711 · 06-24-2023, 05:38 PM

Since I am a total noob, what is the procedure for "cleaning the jets"? I'm guessing the carb has to be taken off, and the jets as well? Or do you shoot some cleaner through it?

06-21-2023, 11:15 AM	#1
Loraphet Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 25	TBR7 wont start Hi, My tbr7 was running well and I was enjoying it. It sat acouple weeks while we had a run of crap weather. (new england) wouldn't start. put it on a tender ordered a new battery. YB9A-A 12V 9AH Battery Replacement for Honda ATC 125 M CB9A-A 1985 from amazon. Perfect fit. added a tender connector so I could attach it without pulling plastic. No start and started smoking.... removed tender connection tried again.. same thing. removed new battery put old charged battery back in. no smoking but still won't turn over. cranks though. can't get it to kick start either. any advice for this newb china rider.
	0

06-21-2023, 03:46 PM	#5
JerryHawk250 Moderator Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 11,561	Make sure you didn't accidently turn on the kill switch. Ask me how i know. lol __________________ 2023 Lifan Lycan 250 Chopper 2023 Venom Evader 2022 Lifan KPX250 2020 Kawasaki Vulcan S 2004 Honda ST 1300 2016 Black Hawk 250 (sold) Keihin PE30 carb,125 main,38 slow.Pod filter,ported & decked head 10:1 CR,Direct Ignition Coil,15/40Sprockets,NGK DPR8EIX-9,De-Cat,Dual Oil Cooler,Digital Cluster 2016 Cazador180 XL 2014 Coolster150 JerryHawk250.com My YouTube Channel
	0

06-21-2023, 07:53 PM	#8
krat Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: KY Posts: 260	If it was running fine before it is probably something you did in the course of changing the battery. Smoke when the motor is not running indicates insulation burning off wiring. You are melting wires or connectors. I have also seen them smoke on the solenoid wiring if cranked for too long. Does it smoke as soon as the ignition is switched on or as you are cranking the starter? The starter circuit is separate from the running circuit on a TBR7 due to the dirt bike heritage. The starter was added after the design was put into service. One thing you need to remember on the TBR is that it is a classic old school bike and it has a start up procedure. Check the petcock, set the choke, check the kill switch, turn on the ignition, press the start button. It is easy to forget one of those steps if in a panic or pondering frantically on why the bike won't start. To kick start the bike do all the start procedure up to pressing the start button and kick the lever instead. It usually take two or three kicks on a cold bike. Then there is the possibility that you had crap gas in the tank and it sat for two weeks and jelled in the jets, and now you are smoking the starter trying to do the impossible. __________________ %90 of the Chinese motorbikes ever made are still on the road. The other %10 made it back home.
	0

06-23-2023, 01:22 AM	#11
krat Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: KY Posts: 260	Air, fuel, spark. If it is popping it is trying to run so you have spark, and if you did not mess with the airbox you should have air. This is probably a fueling problem as you indicated in the OP that you let it sit for 2 weeks, it was fine when you parked it and now won't run. You have some crap gas in there that sit in your carb and jelled in the jets. You are going to need to pull the carb and run a fine wire through those jets and the emulsifier to clear the blockage. There are hundreds of videos on you-tube showing the steps so do a search over there for instructions. I had to do the same thing a few weeks back when we had a warm snap, I went out riding, it snowed, and 3 weeks latter I had a clogged carb. __________________ %90 of the Chinese motorbikes ever made are still on the road. The other %10 made it back home.
	1

06-21-2023, 11:49 AM	#2
bigdano711 Join Date: Jun 2023 Location: Big Piney, WY Posts: 423	Have you done any mods at all to the carb or any part of the bike? I would pull the plug and check for spark. You should also determine the source of the smoke...
	0

06-21-2023, 01:40 PM	#3
Loraphet Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 25	no mods. just put in a new iridium plug and it was running fine. sat acouple weeks and wouldn't start. The smoke was after i put in the new battery and attached the tender quick connect. hasn't done it since putting old battery back in. after a cranking awhile i can smell gas. Kick start isn't working, though i never kick started a bike before. charging old battery again and will make another attempt. maybe pull plug and see how it looks? its new only rode it twice with new plug
	0

06-21-2023, 01:59 PM	#4
bigdano711 Join Date: Jun 2023 Location: Big Piney, WY Posts: 423	Definitely pull the plug and inspect. You can also leave it connected to the wire and put the spark end near the engine cooling fins. Keep an eye on it and turn the bike over and see if a spark arc's to the fins. There are YouTube videos that show how to do this.
	0

06-21-2023, 05:59 PM	#6
Bruces Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 1,579	Have you checked the fuse ? After letting out the magic smoke you need to fully check all the wiring and electrical components .
	1

06-22-2023, 11:47 AM	#9
Loraphet Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 25	it was smoking when i was cranking it. looked like from a a ground towards the bottom of the bike. I disconnected the tender quick connect thinking I some how connected it wrong. still wouldn't start. put old battery back in with a charge still won't start. I checked the start procedure and am following it. it cranks and when i apply alittle gas it makes a pop.sputtering noise like it wants to turn over. I don't apply gas it is a dryer sounding crank.
	0

06-22-2023, 09:50 PM	#10
buzz Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: Dayton Pa. Posts: 862	put the old spark plug back in,worth trying.Do you have spark? Have seen new plugs not working. I don't like NGK plugs. If you have spark,try starting fluid a little shot into carburetor. If it starts a little you have fuel problems, but 1st see if spark plus is sparking.
	0

06-23-2023, 12:41 PM	#12
Loraphet Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 25	will look into the carb soon. Just had a family passing so it may end up taking a week or so to dig into. Would it gel that fast? I run 93 octane with seafoam and stabil in it.
	0

06-24-2023, 05:38 PM	#14
bigdano711 Join Date: Jun 2023 Location: Big Piney, WY Posts: 423	Since I am a total noob, what is the procedure for "cleaning the jets"? I'm guessing the carb has to be taken off, and the jets as well? Or do you shoot some cleaner through it?
	0