Newbie bike mechanic

[Speed_Kills96]

Hi I'm Jacob. I have been working on motorcycles, for a while now. I've got a 80 xs400 that won't start. Used a circuit tester and pumped 12v into battery connections. Lights come on, but bike will not run, unless I put 12v to the coil hot wires. I'm thinking its the igniter box under the battery housing, but I honestly don't know for sure. Does anyone know what it could be that is causing this problem?

 

[Scorpio1963]

Put this in the garage section your liable to get more answers there.

 

[Lou Ranger]

Hi I'm Jacob ... I've got a 80 xs400 that won't start ... Does anyone know what it could be that is causing this problem?

Hi and welcome to the Forum. It is almost always carbs.
After you have been a member for a while, you will see a constant parade of new members who have carbs, think they are clean, clean them again and then can't quite believe the stories of older members who boiled their carbs 3, 4, 5 times before they were just made of metal again.
But, since their bikes won't run otherwise, they eventually join the ranks of the old time carb story tellers and buy an in-line fuel filter (after cleaning their carbs of course).

 

[Scorpio1963]

My bad for not welcoming you Like Lou saaid most problems with our bikes are from carb issues or combo of both carb and electrical.Check the simple things first then work your way up to things that maybe more complicated if you havent found a salution for your bikes problems.Also move your thread into garge section thats where the technical section is.