Won't start after deployment.

[Ciccone1234]

My bike has been problem after problem. I bought it salvaged and had to replace three gears and piston rocker blocks. Not after deploying and coming home my bike won't start. It was giving me problems before I left but I could usually get it to crank or jump start it. Now nothing. I checked the stator and ohms were all good and pulled the starter and cranked it and the starter turned. Battery is good but I feel upgrading the wires couldn't hurt. But I still don't know where to go with it. I'm debating pulling off the stator to look at it or trying to jumper the starter with a car battery.

Any insight please let me know

[Shores]

The only thing that has happened since it ran good last time was that you let it sit so I would suspect that the gas has just turned to gel and the battery is failing. unless you tested the battery under load, you don't really know the condition. You need to clean the entire fuel system, install fresh gas along with some techron concentrate plus injector/carburetor cleaner or sea foam. Test the voltage of the battery as your attempting to crank it. Disassemble the starter and clean all the crap out of it.

[Ciccone1234]

I did put additive in the fuel and I had a friend tart it up a few time but about 3 months left and he said it would not start. I got home and treated the fuel again but did not clean it all out. As I was cranking it with a load on it does drastically (8-9vdc). I will start with cleaning the starter and fuels system and let you know. Thank you for the response.

[Shores]

I did put additive in the fuel and I had a friend tart it up a few time but about 3 months left and he said it would not start. I got home and treated the fuel again but did not clean it all out. As I was cranking it with a load on it does drastically (8-9vdc). I will start with cleaning the starter and fuels system and let you know. Thank you for the response.

With that cranking voltage I would say your battery is toast! Once you get it going, don't start it unless you are going to ride it for a significant distance. the battery never has a chance to recharge if you're just starting it for a few minutes every month or so.

[Bikerron]

What’s up with the picture of the lifter just laying there propped up in the cam chest?

Looks trashed.

[Ciccone1234]

Yea, as I said I bought the bike with a salvaged title. It ran but didn't have any pick me up I tore the bike apart and found that. No fragments.... Ended up having to change 3 gears as well that were rounded out. So yea didn't know solid metal lifters could chip and crack like that.

[Ciccone1234]

Sorry about the delay been traveling alot with work but I finally had a week to work on the bike. So I had went through the whole fuel and starter system the bike had new spark plugs, cleaned the injectors and added new fuel with techron. I checked the starter and ignition system with no luck. When I turn the bike on and try to start it all it does it try to crank over with no luck. I ran the pump off the old dying battery and it worked and there was no cracks or leaks. I checked all the fuses and relays and even changed the starter relay. It had been a process. They only thing I didn't check was the esu and I am not sure how to do that but it seems like it wants to turn over it just won't. The last time I tried to turn it over I held the start switch for a good while and the wires started to smoke. Not sure if I was just sending to much for a period of time or if the battery wires need to be changed. Any suggestions would be a great help before I bring it to a big box shop to waste my money...

[Lug Nut]

Would be way too costly to have a mechanic or shop work on your bike. You have an old salvage title metric bike which has virtually no value resale. You would be much much better off parting out what you have and buying a nice running bike for $3000 to $5000.

[EnergyGuy]

well, you can push the button it cranks.

There's so much to unpack here, it's hard to give you a solid direction. You've obviously been into the internals, so there's variables we can't account for in your workmanship.

So I don't want to sound like I'm talking below your pay grade, but you're here asking, so I will ask you a couple of questions

1. You have new plugs. Have you pulled at least 1 plug, or grounded each wire and verified spark?

2. You cleaned the injectors (how? just additive, or did you pull them and actually clean/test them?). Have you verified fuel to the rail?

Gas, air, and fire at the end of the line. No different than any other motor.

Do you think you jacked up the timing when you replaced the lifter? Was that recent work or before work?

[Shores]

Did you install a new battery? Did you get the push rods mixed up? they are different lengths.

[Ciccone1234]

So push rods and all that was fixed prior to any of this happening. The bike ran last year before I left.

When I just dug into it:

I changed the battery
Took the injectors out and clean tested them (I did not verify after reinstalling)

I did not check spark on the plugs as I can hopefully do this tomorrow

I removed the starter and cleaned it ( although it was not that dirty)

I did not take the stator off (maybe there is a different way to check if it works?)

[davej]

will it crank over with the sparkplugs removed?

[Ciccone1234]

It was when I had the starter out and did it. I have not tried it with the plugs out but I will try that tomorrow. I don't see what it wouldn't.

[davej]

If the cylinders are hydro locked with gas they wouldn't turn over with the plugs in.

[davej]

With they way you have explained the issue I can't tell if you mean the engine is spinning over or not. If it is, have you tried to spray a little starting fluid into the intake? That would tell if it is a fuel issue or a spark issue real quick.

[Ciccone1234]

I have spark on plugs out of and it cranks I put them back and still nothin. When I turned it over no fluid came out of spark plug outlets and they looked clean. I don't think hydrolock is it for this.

[EnergyGuy]

Did you verify they fire when you crank the engine - AKA getting spark to the cylinder?

[Ciccone1234]

Yes still nothin. I want to say when I turned the bike on last year I would get the pump humming noise and now I do not hear that. I could be making that up but does it usually hummmm upon turning the key?

[Brad_G]

It should pump when the key is turned on until it builds pressure. Is there a bowl drain you could see if there is any gas in the carb. As davej said above, shoot a little carb cleaner or starting fluid in the air intake and see if it trys to start/run. Then you'll know it's a fuel issue.

[Ciccone1234]

08 is fuel injected only place I can spray is air intake or in the fuel line. Just not sure which one. Also I did not hear the fuel pump build up. I didn't hear anything

[Brad_G]

Sorry missed the part where it was a FI model. Still, if you spray into the air intake it will fire if you're getting spark. My '08 runs the pump initially when key is turned on. I'm not 100% certain, but if the kill switch is off it may not run the pump. But then it won't try and turn the engine over either.

[EnergyGuy]

my pump doesn't prime with the kill switch off on my '12.

if you're not hearing the pump prime, I would start there. maybe it's just the fuse.

In my experience, fuel issues are much easier to troubleshoot and repair than fire issues. gas in the lines doesn't just disappear. an intermittent electrical short can ruin a month of Sundays

[Ciccone1234]

I sprayed the carb cleaner in air I take and it ROARED!!! I just don't k ow why the fuel pump still isn't working.. maybe a relay or something. For when I hook it to the battery before I assembled the tank it worked off the battery.

[Brad_G]

Well that's progress. You know it's got spark. Now to why there is no fuel. Do you have a service manual? There are some troubleshooting sections in there that may give some things to check.

[Ciccone1234]

I do have the service manual but the troubleshooting section I feel is missing. There is a very general description of what it could be and then a wore diagram. Little frustrating

[Hannathebarbarian]

I'm not an expert on the fuel system. AT ALL. And I know you've probably thought of this, but I would check the connections under the left side engine cover and see if you have anything loose or a wire grounded out. That's where the fuel pump connects to the system. I have had problems in the past with some plugs not making good contact when reassembled and then working again when pulled and plugged back in. Go figure.