Bike totally dead!

jamieblade · Post by **jamieblade** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:31 pm

Hi again!!

Sorted out the fuel pipe problem earlier (see below somewhere!!)

Anyway, everything running fine, started bike up no problem, let it run for few minutes and turned it off.

Few minutes later went to start it up for work and its dead. Clock lights come on but no oil warning, neutral etc.

When i push the starter theres nothing. Unless i pull the clutch in when there is a click noise (like a relay) this happens when bike is in gear or neutral. Checked all the fuses etc. there fine.

All lights work, headlight indicators etc.

Any ideas people!

Thanks in advance,

Jamie

Post by **jake** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:56 pm

im a bit crap when it comes to electrical problems...but i would make sure no leads got trapped or pulled when you took put the tank back on, might just be a loose conection somewhere?.
mmm, no power getting to starter motor, and no dash lights, sure the clicking aint the fuel pump?
all i can think of is whip the tank off, and check and follow all leads and conectors..., a knacked starter would'nt effect dash lights?? i dunno...

RedexRobB · Post by **RedexRobB** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:31 pm

The clicking noise is the starter relay, soundss like your battery might be mostly flat. Where its been standing while you work on it the battery has probably lost its charge, then when you started it to run it it you musta taken that last bit of strenght out of the battery. Try bump starting it and take it out for a long run up the motorway to re-charge the battery.

Ive had it, as has verious other people on this forum when the lights come on but you get the clicking sound when you push that starter.

Interesting you say that it clicks when you pull in the clutch lever, thinking of it, check the connection of the side stand switch and give it a clean.

Actually thinking a bit more and reading back, is it in gear? Might explain the neutral light and it definately wont turn over when its in gear with the side stand down.

Hope these thoughts help

jamieblade · Post by **jamieblade** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 12:02 am

Thanks for your comments guys,

Just got in from work and have put the battery on charge, really don't think it's that but the process of elimination has to start at the beggining i guess!

The thing that is worrying me is the dash lights. I mean i am getting a pretty stron headlight beam off the battery and everything else-clock lights, indicators horn etc. working fine but no oil lights. If the battery on my blade runs really low and needs a bump start, i always get dash lights even if there a little dim.

Just got a feeling its the ecu or something.

Oh well, will give it a try tomorrow on a fully charged battery and let you know what happens. In the meantime if anyone else has any suggestions they would be most appreciated!

Thanks for the help!

Hey Rob, your not far from me, i at greenhithe, well stone village to be exact! you ever go over to the oakdene cafe m8?

Jamie

Post by **masterofinsanity** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:00 am

as robB said check your side stand switch, also check your neutral wire hasn't come off.

superfly108 · Post by **superfly108** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:56 am

sounds to me like you've pulled you're wires off neutral and oil sensor easyily done as in most zxr's they've been tapped together, the neutral point is a earthing point it self (shown by when you piull clutch in it clicks), i think both them wire's will trail down under the sproket cover, theres a few 8mm bolts that hold the sproket cover on, some on the cover and some inside the little holes, an easy job really, give that a check over make sure there all connected and report back

jamieblade · Post by **jamieblade** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:20 am

Well, just went out to the bike and put battery back on. Turned key and nothing, so like Robb the next place was side stand. Flicked the stand up to wheel her outside to give it a good squirt with wd40and dash lights came on briefly, like a quick flash. Anyway flick stand up and down and sorted lights are on and bike starts. phew!

Anyway, i am still confused. If its the side stand switch how comes its stopping the bike starting when it's not in gear and how comes it's stopping the dash lights coming on?

surely all the switch is going to do is either be open or closed-i.e if bikes in gear dont start, if its in neutral then start?

Had my side stand switch play up once on my blade-(just needed a clean) and i am sure it didnt give me any of these symptons?

Many thanks for your replies aand i will check out what you have suggested superfly108

Jamie

jamieblade · Post by **jamieblade** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:38 am

superfly108 wrote:sounds to me like you've pulled you're wires off neutral and oil sensor easyily done as in most zxr's they've been tapped together, the neutral point is a earthing point it self (shown by when you piull clutch in it clicks), i think both them wire's will trail down under the sproket cover, theres a few 8mm bolts that hold the sproket cover on, some on the cover and some inside the little holes, an easy job really, give that a check over make sure there all connected and report back

Cheers mate, just after my last post i went out to her again and dead agin. messed around with side stand and nothing. So waggled gear lever about and got the dash lights but just clicking and not starting again.

Anyway took off the sproket cover and found a taped bundle of wires (4 in total) 2 going to side stand switch, 1 going to engine sensor and 1 going off towards front of the bike through a metal bracket. Gave the wires a shake and its started. the wire that goes to the front of the bike is blue and red. Would this be the neutral wire you talk about? where does this go, you mention earth? does this simply need an earth? problem is now i cant get the fault to re-appear, and i not happy, dont want this going again when i go out!

Thanks for your help mate, would never have thought to have looked there!

RedexRobB · Post by **RedexRobB** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 12:01 pm

Defo sounds like wiring thats causing some problems. I think theres a connector block down there somewhere might be worth giving that a spray with some contact cleaner.

Have to remember the blade is a different bike so same stuff might not happen. On the ZXR, if the bike is in gear with the side stand down and you go to pull away the engine will cut out, its a safety feature so you dont ride off with ya stand down. If theres crap in the side stand switch such as oil cos it gets covered in the stuff, then it can cause problems. It may even be that the switch is getting stuck, so when you flick the stand up the button is still pushed in. Best thing would be to take it off and give it a proper clean with some de-greaser.

Yeah i go up Oakdene quite often, over the summer anyway

Have to meet up sometime when the weather is better, hopefully my ZXR will be painted and back on the road by easter. Was gonna have it painted in the new year but ive just quit my job to concentrate on my degree more so might not be able to aford it! But failing that ill be on my ZX7

Go up to the Merry Chest every now and then too.

http://www.ragit.com Im a member here and lot of me mates use this forum to arrange ride outs and meets. You'll be wanting the bikers room

RedexRobB · Post by **RedexRobB** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 12:05 pm

jamieblade wrote:
superfly108 wrote:sounds to me like you've pulled you're wires off neutral and oil sensor easyily done as in most zxr's they've been tapped together, the neutral point is a earthing point it self (shown by when you piull clutch in it clicks), i think both them wire's will trail down under the sproket cover, theres a few 8mm bolts that hold the sproket cover on, some on the cover and some inside the little holes, an easy job really, give that a check over make sure there all connected and report back
Cheers mate, just after my last post i went out to her again and dead agin. messed around with side stand and nothing. So waggled gear lever about and got the dash lights but just clicking and not starting again.

Anyway took off the sproket cover and found a taped bundle of wires (4 in total) 2 going to side stand switch, 1 going to engine sensor and 1 going off towards front of the bike through a metal bracket. Gave the wires a shake and its started. the wire that goes to the front of the bike is blue and red. Would this be the neutral wire you talk about? where does this go, you mention earth? does this simply need an earth? problem is now i cant get the fault to re-appear, and i not happy, dont want this going again when i go out!

Thanks for your help mate, would never have thought to have looked there!

Nice one! Shows how long i take to type something!

The neural wire is bright green, i think the red and blue wire is the oil pressure, they should all go through one main block connector, see if that cacked up in crap. Failing that the wires have come loose from where ever they connect to.

jamieblade · Post by **jamieblade** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 12:25 pm

Yes mate, will have to meet up sometime and the merrychest is just round the corner!

Got a pic here, if you wouldn't mind taking a look:

The only green wire goes to the lump and connects to some kind of sensor the other 2 wires going down go to the side stand swith, but have you any idea what the red and blue one is going off towards the front of the bike in the picture? Is this the neutral?

Cheers mate!

jamieblade · Post by **jamieblade** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:02 pm

Ok, forget my last post!

The red/blue wire is the oil sensor
The green one is the neutral. (thanks robb!)

Now i getting really really confused!

Ok, the fault was something to do with this bunch of wires as when i waggled them about it sorted the problem. Have disconnected all of them:

Side stand switch
oil wire
Neutral wire

Right, this gives me no dash lights which is one of the symptons i was getting, but the bike will still start with clutch in.

So even though it seemed to be a loose connection on one of these wires, even with them disconnected it still does not replicate the fault (and you cant get much looser than that!!)

Anyone?

jamieblade · Post by **jamieblade** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:26 pm

Just realised the bike will pull away with sidestand down.

Think i will just disconnect the switch for now and see how it goes.

Post by **masterofinsanity** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 2:29 pm

could be faulty side stand switch or loose neutral switch, these are the 2 most common faults with the zxr400 not starting.

jamieblade · Post by **jamieblade** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:29 pm

masterofinsanity wrote:could be faulty side stand switch or loose neutral switch, these are the 2 most common faults with the zxr400 not starting.

But surely disconnecting all these wires and the bike starting would disprove this? as in its not showing the symptons i have experienced?