1993 honda shadow has spark and getting gas wont start please help?

Question

1993 honda shadow has spark and getting gas wont start please help?

Answer 1

Most common problem is dirty carbs.

The jets get clogged with bad gas.

Clean the carbs.

Answer 2

First things first.  You have the kill switch in the Run position? And the petcock is turned ON? You have gas in the tank, that came recently from the pump? You have the Choke pulled all the way out?  And you have ascertained that the choke is connected and apparently moving something back and forth? When you have all those conditions, ready and tested, CRANK it for 30 seconds.

Smell near the carbs and see if there is a smell of fresh gas vapor from the exhaust.  If you smell gas, you can check that part off.

So, how do you know you have a spark?  And how do you know the gas is flowing? Have you checked the air passage from the air box and air filter, down to the carbs? Is the air filter clean? and have rats built a nest in your airbox? Are the carbs in place on the intake manifolds? How long have you had the spark plugs in the engine?  It it's been a long time or you don't now, think about replacing them, at least verify the spark gap is correct for this engine. If they are new clean and properly gapped, try to crank it again for about 30 seconds.  If you smell gas, you have succeeded in part 2, the Search For GAS.

Disconnect the spark plug cable from the spark plug, and remove the spark plug from the engine.  Connect it to the end of the cable, and hold the spark plug carefully near the engine block by the insulator and reconnect the cable, and crank it again. A spark should jump to the engine block. If it does, then you may put the plug back in place. (Some times a spark will jump to the block but it is not enough to get through the garbage on the plug, where it sits in the chamber. If that is the case here, you are in for long night.)  So now we turn our attention to the carburetor.

If at either time when you cranked it, you smelled gas, we can verify gas is being delivered. If the area REEKS OF GAS, push the choke in, and crank it for 30 seconds, to clear passages of raw gasoline. Do not touch the throttle. Pull the choke back to the original position.

If you did not smell gas, we need to see why.

See if you are getting gas out of the gas tank. If you have a vacuum operated petcock valve, it will be difficult, if have a long hose that fits the gas fitting on the tank, fit it on and see if the vacuum hose is connected. Put a small length of the hose in place on the vacuum petcock and SUCK and see if sucking on the vaccuum hose makes the gas flow. If it does not flow, see if you can see why not?  is there an obstruction?  Is the petcock filter clear of rust and crud?  

If you cant get it to flow that would be you problem. You may not be getting gas into the chamber to meet your spark. If you do,  and did smell gas,and it is still smelling strongly of gasoline, it may be flooded. Push the choke k**b halfway in. Crank it. Let the smell of gas clear, and when it is evaporated, try again. If you ARE smelling gas,  you DO have gas in the chamber,  you can suspect the carbs. Have you been doing something to the carbs?

By this time you know whether in fact you are getting spark, and whether you are getting fuel.  (Lets assume you are getting air.)

If it sparked to the block, and you were getting gas to the carburetor, supect the coil  is weak. Come back and see if anyone has a way of testing this. If it sparked to the block and YOU DID NOT SMELL gasoline, then is is in the fuel delivery, no gas in the tank, obstruction,

petcock failure or something.

What were you doing BEFORE, it wouldn't start?  That is did you just get gas?  Did you just change the battery, did you just coat the air filter with plastic spray? What?

Come back and explain what you have done and not done.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Pull a plug, put a THIMBLE full of gas into the hole, be careful not to knock dirt in.

Try to start and if it fires you are NOT getting gas.