From:Dave Hennessey e-mail:dave-A-toyhouse.org
Subject:RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Battery & Starting Question Date:Tue Oct 1 22:46:40 2013
Response to:18838

----- ORIGINAL MESSAGE FOLLOWS -----
Also, listen to Dave Hennessey - he is an expert. From what I have read here, he has owned and worked on more lightweights than of us have ever seen.
------------------------------------

WRONG! I have worked on a tremendous amount of junk in my years, and the points on a Hummer-series work just like the points on a 1928 Model A Roadster Pickup or a farm tractor or a 1960's Chevy 283 or 327. Points is points. But I'm really not a lightweight expert. Mutt, Jim Garrett, and a few others are the real experts.

----------
Yay! Got spark. Now it's time to move to the fuel system. Fill the tank, remove the gas line, and turn on the petcock. Gas should come out in a steady stream, making a big puddle on your garage floor. Replace the fuel line.

Now clean it up and drink a beer* while the fumes evaporate.

----------
Every bike has an individual starting procedure, which you have to discover from trial and error. It really helps if you follow the scientific method, change only one variable at a time, and write down what you did and what the results were.

Here's the Factory Starting procedure, compiled from a 1948 and a 1959 Rider's Handbook - the same except they had different petcocks. Slightly abbreviated.

A. Turn on the gasoline supply...

B. Prime the carburator by pressing the carburator priming pin for a few seconds.
[ when gas comes out, wait 1-2 seconds then let go ]

C. The carburator choke is open when the choke lever is all the way down. Moving the choke lever upward, as far as it will go, fully closes the choke. In warm weather, it is not necessary to use the choke at all. In cold weather (near freezing and colder) start cold engine with choke closed. Open choke as engine gets warm.
[ if it's 70 degrees out, push the choke lever down ]

D. Turn on ignition with the ignition light switch.

E. Hold motorcycle in a nearly vertical position with right leg.
[ straddle the bike and lean a little to the right ]

F. Open the throttle about half way by turning the throttle control grip inward.

G. If the transmission is not in neutral...
[ always start in neutral ]

H. Start engine with vigorous strokes of the starter crank.

I. If engine is started with transmission in other than neutral...
[ always start in neutral ]

Dave's Recommendations
----------------------
1) Follow the factory procedure. If it doesn't start after 8-10 kicks, stop. Go drink a beer*.

2) Follow the factory procedure again. If it doesn't start after 8-10 kicks, stop. Go drink a beer*.

3) Follow the factory procedure again. If it doesn't start after 8-10 kicks, stop. Go drink a beer*.

4) Post a message on the Hummer Exchange with your results.

5) Drink the other 3 beers in the 6-pack.

* OK, I'm being a little facetious. If you don't like beer, substitute orange-juice or vodka-tonics or whatever tickles your fancy. The idea is to give both you and the bike a 10 or 15 minute rest so you both can "reset".

After three tries, give up for the night. Whatever you're doing isn't working. Stupidity can be defined as doing the same thing over and over and over but expecting different results.

Call us in the morning...