FabSwingers.com forum: Any Bike Mechanics on here

By *ave 42 OP Man
over a year ago

pontefract

Just looking for a bit of advice or a point in right direction

Got a Kawasaki VN900 been garaged over winter but struggling to get it started.Charged the battery fitted it to bike plenty of clicking but nothing else so just bought a new battery had it on charge for 24 hrs but still won’t turn engine over.Cant see anything amiss loose wires or any fuses blown anywhere got me baffled.

Any advice would be much appreciated

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By *edonistsatplayCouple
over a year ago

Portsmouth, North Brittany, France

Greetings!

The initial 'clicking' would suggest that the battery didn't have enough uuumph to turn the engine over, although the starter solenoid also 'clicks' sometimes when it has a problem.

Don't wish to sound patronising here but I would ask how you charged the battery?

Nearly all modern bikes have gel batteries which do not take kindly to a normal car type battery chargers (some cases the battery has actually exploded!

)

If you have used a full on charger on the new battery, you could have cooked that too. Generally, new ones are dry charged so don't need any further charging.

Stick a volt meter over the battery and see what charge it is holding, if its less than 12 then that could suggest the battery. If its fully charged my next route would be to check the connections and earth on the starter motor.

BTW If you lay a bike up, it's worth investing in a trickle charger which just keeps it topped up.

If all that fails a big hammer works well. It won't actually cure the problem but you will feel much better!

Good luck!

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By *asher11Man
over a year ago

market harborough

Check the oil level sounds silly but if the vn is on carbs fuel can leak by whilst its standing and fill the engine up then it wont turn over or if it does can cause alot of damage

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By *omcpl78Couple
over a year ago

wells

What year is the bike if it’s an older vn that’s carb and not injection may need to clean the carb if fuel has been sat in over the winter drain the tank, clean the carb fresh fuel and check spark. Newer fuel injection, new fuel and check spark for a starting point

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By *ave 42 OP Man
over a year ago

pontefract

Thanks for the replies it’s a 2015 model and the battery was trickle charged

It was showing 13.8 volt when I fitted it to the bike

Will try the other options and get back to you

Thanks again

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By *oldswarriorMan
over a year ago

Falkirk

If fuel has leaked into the cylinder it could be hydraulic lock.

Remove the spark plugs (if you can) and crank it over.

If it does crank it will expel whatever is in the cylinder out through the plug hole.

If it doesn't crank, again as others have said it could be a battery issue.

If the bike has been sitting for a while look for furry or green corrosion around the starter connections or the the leads to the battery.

Starter needs as much amps as possible to cold crank, loose connections will also reduce the crank amperage.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Try bump start it see off that gets anything moving

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Starter solenoid could be at fault. Try bridging it. Or tap it.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Starter solenoid could be at fault. Try bridging it. Or tap it. "

Pop multimeter on battery and see if voltage is going below 10 when attempting to start... Basicly your doing a load test on battery. If voltage is above 10 your either hydraulic locked or starter solenoid is not powering windings on starter

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By *amtheman555Man
over a year ago

weston-super-mare

Might be the starting motor pal

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By *j321Man
over a year ago

Huddersfield

Sounds like starter selnoid or starter jammed give it a tap

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By *ribsaMan
over a year ago

A box at end of your bed

"If fuel has leaked into the cylinder it could be hydraulic lock.

Remove the spark plugs (if you can) and crank it over.

If it does crank it will expel whatever is in the cylinder out through the plug hole.

Also at this point check the oil level and petrol level in tank. If it uses a vacuum petrol tap they can sometimes leak fuel down into cylinders and then down into crankcase filling it full of oily petrol mix which will hydraulic lock the whole engine.

My bike does this over the winter as it has vacuum tap and a sticky float needle valve.

If this is the case you need to empty the old oil and change for new this should fix your problem.

Good luck

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By *ave 42 OP Man
over a year ago

pontefract

Thanks for all the advice will have a look at the bike over the weekend when I’m on my days off

Once again thanks for all the help

Stay safe

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Take the plugs out put it in 5th gear turn the engine over by turning the rear wheel.other stuff is common sense really.

I would drain the oil and check it / smell it.if it smells of petrol the cyls will have petrol in them so leave the plugs out for it to evaporate.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Could be an immobilizer, check to see if the bike has one

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By *lem-H-FandangoMan
over a year ago

salisbury

Any luck? Sounded like starter if battery was fine?

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By *adboyandgirlCouple
over a year ago

Louth/M1

I'm no mechanic as such but know many who are... this might be a red herring for your bike.... but I'm told most starters not doing as they should.. new batteries etc and still clicking... is down to a poor earth...

Check its earthing properly, beyond that I'd try a bike forum... but beware the phantom mechanics...

Good luck xx

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By *oldswarriorMan
over a year ago

Falkirk

"I'm no mechanic as such but know many who are... this might be a red herring for your bike.... but I'm told most starters not doing as they should.. new batteries etc and still clicking... is down to a poor earth...

Check its earthing properly, beyond that I'd try a bike forum... but beware the phantom mechanics...

Good luck xx"

Way to call all the advice previously given just shit

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By *ob_nwMan
over a year ago

Cumbria

easy to check if it's any of the above mentioned

with bike turned on, try shorting out the 2 big terminals on the starter relay.if it turns over starter is ok

but to be safe, i would remove spark plugs in case it has leaked fuel.

to check if it a poor engine earth, use a set of jump leads from another battery, put the positive to the bike as normal, but put the negative to the engine. or if bike battery is good, put a jump lead from the negative terminal to the engine

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I just bumped mine job done

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

You can always short the terminals in the solenoid and see if it turns over then

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By *ave 42 OP Man
over a year ago

pontefract

Finally got bike started it was the datatool S4 alarm/ immobiliser

If anyone else as one fitted and they have trouble starting their bikes if you message me I can give you the info how to bypass it to start your bike.the info was direct from datatool

But thanks for all the advice given it was much appreciated

Hopefully we can all get out on our bikes once this lockdown is over and done with

Keep safe everyone and thanks again

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By *entralscotscpl7Couple
over a year ago

Falkirk

Ah well done. A least you got it sorted.

I had similar system on one of my bikes and had it removed.

The bike would run for about 10 mins then stop. I had to disconnect the power to battery to reset the immobiliser.

This would happen every time the ignition was turned to the off position.

Made for interesting fuel stops

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