So I purchased an 08' zx6r 2 weeks ago.. when I bought it from this small shop dealer I rode it in the parking lot. It seemed fine, he started it up in front of me (but I don't know for sure if theres issues as he was prepared for my arrival)
I put the bike in my garage for a week or so as I was busy and didn't have time to go DMV.
Finally registered the bike last week and got insurance. Then I go home and can't fire up the bike. It makes a firing sound but it just won't fire up. It's not like a dry clicking or stuttering sound. I already changed the battery (autozone duralast CTX9-bs) and took out the one that was in there, some china made YTX9-Bs.
I filled the electrolyte. I sealed the battery with the pop-in strip and let it sit 3 hours. Then i plugged in my battery tender and charged up for a day. Light was green. (Unfortunately I don't have any volt meter tester)
Installed my battery.
Still won't fire up. I'm a noob i have only been riding for 2 years and I would appreciate any help.
Often a bike that sits for some period of time will be hesitant to start. That's typically due to a few things.....
1) depleted battery -- seems like you've taken care of that.
2) stale gas -- shouldn't have gone 'off' from sitting for a week after you bought it. No idea how long the fuel had been in it before that....
3) bike not in tune -- if you don't have documentation that it's had the valves adjusted, new plugs, new filters, fresh oil..... presume it hasn't been done and plan accordingly. Best to know where you are starting from. While you're at it, check the tire pressure, brake fluid (just go ahead and replace it all), make sure the chain is properly lubricated....
Regardless of the possibilities, there's a good chance the bike will start with some encouragement. The next time you try and start it, put slight pressure on the throttle to open it up just a tiny smidge. A little extra fuel may be all it needs.
I did try starting it while giving it some throttle but nothing. I also did clutch in and that immediately kills it where theres no more firing sounds.
What I haven't done is add some fresh gas or sea foam. I do have sea foam. I think I will walk to gas station and get a gallon of gas and see if that helps. I've heard of water getting into tank problems but since it was covered and in my garage I don't think thats the issue, especially since I rode it a bit the day I bought it.
Another possibility is that since I had to load it into uHaul to take home that day, maybe I didn't tie it down as good as I thought and it rattled or jarred something loose? (like a kickstand or idle switch?) I'm a beginner so I really dont know but I will try the gas thing, and if fails I will just save up money and tow it to my shop.
Not saying the shop was shady, BUT his being prepared could be a concern.
Before the bike was started, did you go over the bike including touching the engine. Was it cold.
Last thing first, no on upload of a video. Files to big, youtube and post link.
Don't keep trying to turn the bike over, could burn out starter.
After putting bike back on tender, pull tank and pull plugs.
If not new, replace them. I like using Iridium's. Confirm your getting spark. If you are then good chance you have a fueling issue.
Great time to check air filter.
Might also pull fuel and put in your car, get fresh premium.
I couldn't help but let him be prepared because he wanted to know what time i would arrive so he would be there or have his dealer partner be there to off hand me the bike. They run a little office in a storage warehouse.
I did touch the engine that day and it was cold.. so that was encouraging to me. I rode it for a few minutes around the lot.
I think it could be a stator/r/r issue at this point but I just don't have the personal experience to diagnose it, and I dont have a volt meter tester and I wouldn't know how to install those parts. I know how to lift the tank but then I would have to youtube vids for changing plugs.
I don't mind the work and im not lazy.. but at this point I think i might just save money and get it towed to my shop (I love my shop, they were saviors for my past bike) and I feel it might overall be worth it going this route since I wanted the shop to help me thoroughly look over the bike anyway. I just wanted to ride it in instead of having to pay tow though
I'm going to try putting some fresh premium fuel in and see if it works.
Another thing you can to that is very cheap, and might offer some info..... what is the mfg date, on the battery? If it's the OEM unit from '08 (or possibly '07), it's almost certainly done. May be time for a new battery.
The way the idiot switches work on a bike:
If the bike is in gear, it will NOT start with the clutch out, and the side stand down.
If the bike is in gear, it WILL start, if the clutch is pulled, and the side stand is up.
If the bike is in neutral, it should start whether the side stand is up or down, and the clutch should not matter either.
Best base line for you is to try and start the bike in neutral only. That should also reduce some of the work the motor has to do while it is trying to start.
Purchase a multimeter. You can find them for less than $20. Before you start buying parts, you need to know what is going on. Electrical problems are difficult to work through, without the right tools. The meter is the solution to many of these issues.
There will be a troubleshooting matrix within the manual for 'not starting' or something similar. Start there.
Exactly the same issue here on a ZX6R 2006 .Granted mine was off for more than a week.
I have done some work on it, and caught up with my job, the bike was left a bit in the rear mirror.
I took the full exhaust off, cleaned it, put new seals, crush washers on the manifold heads and all. Assembled everything together and now the bike won't start. Dash lights up, tries to fire but doesn't.
There is a FI light one, but that was there before, having to do with the exhaust valve just before the muffler. I run stock cause I'm cool like that :smile .Relating to it, whenever I was turning the key ON, the exhaust servo motor was moving a bit trying to see if it can engage that valve. Now that doesn't happen anymore. Battery is fairly new and charged to ~12.8V
I still have some fairings off so not all the lights are attached but I doubt that will make it not start.
Slowly I am running out of ideas. I'll let you know if I manage to find something, and hopefully I can get some bits of info too that will get me closer to wake the sleeping beauty.
Pretty much what Indy and RJ said. You already did the gas. I would start with the plugs. Pull them and hook them up to a tester. My OCD ass would just throw new spark plugs in and confirm spark with a tester just so I know they are new and im getting spark in my mind. After that, and while I'm there I would go right for the air filter. Spark, gas, air. If you are sparking, and you have clean air going to the engine then you are left with gas. From the tank through the lines to the injectors. If the bike has been sitting a pretty damn long time that ethanol gas *COULD have clogged your injectors.
Thanks a lot for everyone's help, I appreciate it!
I finally got it started. Luckily for me I met some dude at my gym and I started telling him about my bike.He came by to take a look which was awesome I couldn't help thanking him. I know some of yall are from certain areas in the country where this might be common, but in NYC this isn't common at all lol. And then it made sense because I found out he's from Wisconsin (close to Chicago).
Anyway the problem was so noobish I feel embarrassed to even say it now.
But here it goes.. if anyone gets injured face palming themselves don't blame me! It was the fuel switch. I really didn't know this bike had a fuel switch like this.. my old 99 gsxr 600 Srad didn't have it like this, if it did I never touched it or knew about it. So somehow t he dealer who sold me it switched my fuel switch to off while we were loading into my uHaul. I called him to ask him why he didn't mention that when I asked him for suggestions the past week and he said he didnt think i would actually not know about that LOL. I can't blame him.
Luckily I was only laughed at by the dealer, and this gym dude and didn't waste money towing it to a shop to get laughed at by the shop .
You guys can laugh tho yall earned the right to since I wasted some of your time here.
Joe, I'm glad you sorted it out. But go ahead and do a coolant flush, new brake fluid and new air filter. They could still be the originals from 2008, you never know.
Your comment on the people of NYC is spot on. I grew up in Queens and lived there until I was 25 years of age.
yeah am going to do a flush , oil change, and filter soon. Maybe this wkend. I see the brake fluid looks good tho but maybe i'll top off with some new. Brake f luid doesn't need to be emptied or flushed right?
lol no not the kill .. that would make me retarded lol. The fuel switch.. for my bike its the left side of the bike between the frame and my left foot peg/shift area. Its a small knob that says on, off and res. Its a bit towards the inside of the bike. Still I can't believe I didn't see it w hen I was looking over my bike smh.
But yeah thanks RJ / Indy.. just glad its started and I can proceed to other noob stuff now :BigGrin
Ok I checked the manual (Thanks RJ!) , it does mention my fuel reserve switch.
16-117 is where it shows it.
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