So first off the bike was running fine. I got it about a month ago. Cold started fine there. Ran fine. Got back, the battery was dead on it, started fine with a jump start. So while I waited for the new battery I drove the bike, just had to use a portable jump starter every time I rode it. Fill up the tank, and put stabil in it, ran the bike (actually drove it) several times after that so it circulated. Noticed some whirring in the clutch, took the clutch apart, and found out it needed replacing. The triumph dealership made a serious fuck up with ordering the steel plates, and the bike sat for two weeks (no oil was in it, don't know if that's important). While I was waiting, I did a valve check, all valves were within spec. I also replaced the spark plugs (put iridium plugs in). The old ones looked fine, just used. Finally got the steels in the mail today, put it all together, put fresh oil in, put a fresh filter in, new Yuasa battery (been sitting on a tender this whole time). Clutch actuates fine and everything. Won't start. Put the old plugs in, won't start. It turns over and starts for a second, then dies right away. Other times it doesn't start up and makes a bit of a clunk from the cylinder area. After the initial "won't start" I immediately thought of spark plugs, when I took one of them out and looked down into the cylinder, there was smoke in there - notes on that, could've been oil that got in there while I was poking around with the valves. I do not think it is a head gasket (coolant) as the coolant level hasn't changed and wouldn't this have shown up somewhere before?? (when I first got the bike back it sat for a few days - didn't have this issue when I went to jump it then). On subsequent "won't start" and removing the plugs, there was no smoke in the cylinder. I have pushed the spark plug connectors all the way down and you can feel it grip the plug some. Fairly certain I have the ordering down (it's a 3-cylinder). The only cable on the left side of the bike was labeled 1, so that one obviously went on the left cylinder, the two cables on the right side were labeled 2 and 3 so I put 2 in the middle and 3 on the right. Old tigers occasionally have sprag clutch issues. Do not think this is it as it's turning over and starting - it just dies right away. Things to test, additional info, shoot, I have all day to look at it, just not sure what to test.
There is a helpful check list on this technical help page at the top, 5 messages down. Do you have a choke? Is it stuck? Do you have a vacuum fuel tap? If so set it to prime and press lever inwards for a couple of seconds, this fills the carbs. Check battery voltage. Should show around 12.6 v then turn on ignition and try to start. If it drops below 12v battery is low. Check terminals are tight. You said it turns over so I assume the neutral and clutch switches should be OK and engine cut out is not on.
