2000 Drifter 800 won't start

[CDNRatMan]

  your going to make us wait five weeks, wow summer will be almost over by then........

[Robbwilson]

Thank you everyone for your tips on spark plugs, boots, and the usefulness of the tool kit.  I jammed the rear spark plug lead into the boot and then installed a new plug into the boot and cranked the engine over and saw spark. I then repeated the same step for the front cylinder and got spark. That verifies that the cylinders are receiving spark voltage from the coils.

But the color of the spark on the front cylinder didn't seem to me to be as blue as the one from the rear cylinder. So before I turn to working on the carburetor, I suppose I should
A) pull the plugs from the cylinders and inspect the color of the electrodes
B) with the plugs out, see if I can perform a compression check to compare the compression values of both cylinders
C) install new, properly gapped plugs, and finally
D) check the resistances on the primary and secondary windings from each coil -- and if they are not very close to each other, replace the weaker coil.

This will have to wait until I return to the garage in 5 weeks. So, with everyone's kind permission, I will put this thread on hold and pick it back up in 5 weeks time.

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to give me their advice and relate their experiences working on the 800 Drifter. Your responses to my questions were very helpful, both psychologically and technically.

'till later then, be well and ride safely.
Robert

[CDNRatMan]

  I have the original tool kit but I just could not get it to come out unless I loosened off the tank to get my fat hands in there.....

[rpoturica]

I have an '04 and the plug can be removed without removing the gas tank with the swiveled plug wrench in the stock tool kit that comes with the bike, if you still have it. also, go with a hotter plug, my rear one kept fouling and this eliminated the issue.

[CDNRatMan]

try ordering from here.....
http://www.ronayersmotorcycles.com/fiche_section_detail.aspsection=394846&category=Motorcycles&make=KAWASAKI&year=1999&fveh=9079

spark plugs on an 800 are fun to deal with, I have yet to be able to remove a rear cylinder plug without loosening off the tank.

[Robbwilson]

Well, I pulled the boots off the plugs, but didn't get further than that today. Ive got a trip coming up and have to prepare for that. When I pulled the spark plug boots, the one under the speedo came out fine, but the one under the seat fell apart as I gently pulled it out: the conductor cable separated from the boot! I expect that kind of spark-plug cable construction on a lawn mower, but not on a motorized vehicle. Perhaps that was why one cylinder wasn't firing? Does anyone know of a quality replacement cable where the cable is properly joined to the boot? Or will I be stuck just ramming the cable back into the boot and hoping for the best? I can't think of a way to verify that current is actually getting to the plug, given how far down the boot goes into the cylinder---and the problem may not even be spark related.

[CDNRatMan]

 now when you are replacing the tank follow the same instructions in reverse, and take a stool with you, becuase if your knees are old like mine they will not be happy being knelt upon. Replacing the speedo cable is going to be a bit of a pain but taking your time and relax and it will match up and you can get a strat then it will go on, then hook up the connectors for the electrical plugs and you are set.

[Robbwilson]

Thanks for the input, everyone! The tip on removing the instrument cluster was a great help. I just reached under and unscrewed the speedo cable and off it came. Now I've got to check for spark.

[Tfrank59]

Welcome aboard. You definitely need to check for spark, but it may be that (once you establish there is good spark in both cylinders) you have a fuel issue. I know to change the setting on my petcock isn't easy; there's like a detent keeping it from moving from one to another position – but it does move.  If it doesn't move for you that would be a prime suspect for your problem – your petcock could be malfunctioning. Let us know what you learn.

[Troll]

First thing to do is check for spark.

[CDNRatMan]

 Tank removal is really not that hard. Seat comes off,
turn fuel to res, disconnect the fuel tap vacuum line,
remove the bottom bolt on the speedo housing, lift it up and reach underneath undo the electrical connectors
unscrew the speedo cable here also,
remove the 2 bolts holding the tank on now one is in the front of the tank under the speedo housing, other is under the seat;
pretty simple really.
Then use the tools in the tool kit to remove the spark plugs and check them.

When you replace the tank and all you need to put the petcock into the "PRI" position to get the fuel started once the bike is started then switch it to on. Also a good idea to add a couple of glugs of SeaFoam to the tank and get it mixed in well to the fuel on your first ride of the year to clean out the carb.

[Robbwilson]

I'm hoping you guys can give me some guidance on the best steps to follow to trouble shoot my 2000 Drifter 800. My story is that in November 2015, one of the cylinder's stopped firing on a short ride from home. I nursed the bike the remaining mile to its garage and put in fresh fuel (thinking maybe I was running out of fuel). It would start and run, but only on one cylinder. I left it in the garage for the winter, after adding fuel stabilizer to the full tank, and figured I'd get to it in the spring.

Well, spring is finally here and I'm ready to ride! I went to see if it would run last week and it wouldn't fire on even one cylinder. I thought maybe the battery wasn't supplying enough voltage (even though I keep the battery on a tender during the winter) so I hooked up a freshly charged car battery to crank it over, but it still wouldn't fire despite repeated cranking. It still has a full tank of treated hi test gasoline from its winter storage.

So, what would be the best way to diagnose the issue? I've never taken the bike apart before. I've obtained a VN 800 service manual, but since it is not a Drifter manual, I'm in the dark on some things. I figured the place to start was to verify spark on both plugs, and change the plugs while I was at it, and then check the coils if I had no spark. So I pulled the seat and started to pull the tank. Problem: Is there any trick to pulling the tank? I can't lift the instrument panel off the tank after having removed the bolt near the seat and the three Allen bolts for the instrument lights sub panel. I've disconnected both wiring harnesses for the instrument panel, and I believe that in order to remove the tank that I'll need to remove the speedo cable from the front wheel and then feed the speedo cable up from under the tank as I lift the instrument panel away from the tank. Is that the correct procedure to gain access to the front bolt that is hidden under the speedometer and secures the tank to the frame there? Any trick to removing the speedo cable from the front wheel -- or just a pair of pliers to loosen the knurled nut and pull it out (but don't move the tire afterwards or feeding the helical gear back in won't be easy)?

Once I have the tank removed, I was going to check for spark on both cylinders, thinking that perhaps one of the spark plugs or one of the coils has failed. Could it possibly be a gummed up carburetor? But then why would one cylinder have fired and not the other? My petcock has never allowed rotation to any of the settings other than "ON." I thought I'd fix the petcock too while I was taking things apart, since I've already disconnected it from the tank. Can anyone recommend a good online source for parts -- or is the Kawasaki dealer the only place to secure parts for these bikes?

Anyway, I've got a million questions but am smart enough to know not to ask them all at the same time. If anyone has a "Try this, and if that doesn't work then try this next ...." approach, I would greatly appreciate hearing about it.