REALLY need a mechanic!!!

[sjonesuk]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anybody could help me out... I NEED a mechanic in the Lancashire/Manchester area that doesn't have a two/three week waiting list!

I use my bike every day to get to work and back, and anywhere else I need to go, and I'm sick to death of catching the bus everywhere!


The problem: One day (this is no fairy tale) I ran out of fuel and broke down, I then got fuel but the bike would start. Since then I have emptied the tank as best I could, as the reserve is blocked, and refilled wit fresh fuel. Also tried cleaning the spark plugs which didn't do anything, then decided to replace them tonight (and the air filter, cause it was dirty) but still nothing at all. It just won't catch. As it's turning over, fumes are coming out of the exhaust, so I know there's some petrol in the system, so a lack of fuel flow isn't my problem... What may be causing it though is that I've accidentally on purpose been running the bike with the choke on, as it struggled to fire and ride most times with the choke off. Sucks, eh?


Anyway, my point is, I don't want to try anything more on it myself. I just want a speedy recovery and the bike back on the road... Can anybody suggest anything?

I've even considered calling a couple of local garages back up and asking if I can pay them off to bump the queue - wrong as that may be!

[tobomoto]

what sort of condition is the battery in? try giving that a good charge and see if it helps.

[sjonesuk]

Thanks,

I had it hooked up to a car when I was trying to start it up. I'm only guessing that should make a big difference?

Not sure that the battery is in a great condition anyway though... It has died on me a few times, but I keep assuming that it's only cause I've left my lights on or something. (tool alert)

Y'know when you just wish you knew everything there was to know!?

[ZX4R-F3]

Hi Scott,

When you say Manchester where about's ( if you don't wish to put it on here for any reason send me a PM ).

I am in Ashton Under Lyne and my mate owns and runs his own bike shop in Droylsden just outside Manchester.

Andy

[sjonesuk]

Hey, thanks.

I'm in Skelmersdale and work in Wigan, which is why I said both areas. Haha. My biggest concern is that I'm paying someone to take it to wherever it needs to go and that will obviously increase with distance!

Cheers.

[banner001]

you say it wont catch, so...
1. does the starter motor sound like it is turning the engine over?
2. does your fuel pump work (i.e. pump fuel) when you depress the starter button?
3. have you checked for a spark? remove each spark plug from the engine, connect it back to the HT lead, place the "screw-edge" part of the spark plug, near to the spark plug contact on top of your engine block and press the starter button, you should see if it is sparking. Check all 4 spark plugs.

if you have YES to everything then for engine to turn over (in the simplest sense) you need the "fire triangle", air - which as long as your carbs aren't blocked will be fine, fuel - as long as the pump works some should be getting through, and a source of ignition. the starter motor tries to move the pistons up and down, once you add fuel and a spark the power produced by that keeps the engine "ticking over".

I would be concerned about you needing to have choke on all the time. sounds like your engine is running very lean - not good, can cause all sorts of problems (overheating, can knacker your pistons etc...), does your bike have any aftermarket exhaust bits on it? if so you might need to get it run on a dyno, might need different fuel needles.

[sjonesuk]

1. Yes.
2. I wouldn't know how to answer that, because I don't know what it looks like, where it is, or how it sounds...?
3. They're brand new spark plugs, but I suppose you're suggesting that something on the electrical side may be causing them not to spark?

To be honest, I just really want someone to fix it for me now. I'm fed up.

[Tirpitz]

.3. They're brand new spark plugs, but I suppose you're suggesting that something on the electrical side may be causing them not to spark?

.

I presume you have gapped them correctly and not just stuck them in straight out of the packet?

If you haven't, and don't know what I'm on about or how to do this simple job, then it probably is best that you find a mechanic.

You will find that generally speaking it is no-where near like as easy to get a bike repaired for you as it is a car nowadays, that's why the majority of bikers who use the bike for work are reasonably competent with the spanners. Bike workshops are few and far between, have long waiting lists and are less likely to turn a job around in 24 hours than a car garage. If you can't spanner for yourself then owning a bike nowadays (apart from maybe a point and squirt scoot) is not practical get-to-work transport. You really need to either get a car or learn how to work on your bike.

[banner001]

2. I wouldn't know how to answer that, because I don't know what it looks like, where it is, or how it sounds...?
if you take off the fuel tank you will have had to pull the fuel line away from the "res/On/off" switch...the fuel line connects to the fuel filter, which connects to the fuel pump. the fuel pump sends a line to the carbs, if you disconnect that and thumb the starter fuel should flow...note dont do this over a hot engine, dispense it into a cup/bowl etc...

3. They're brand new spark plugs, but I suppose you're suggesting that something on the electrical side may be causing them not to spark?
yes - just because they are new does not mean that something else has gone wrong/shorted etc...


and one more thing...your bike WILL break down, the stresses on a bike are much more than that on a car...it will break down and will need fixing fairly regularly...even modern bikes are not immune to this...better, but still not like a modern car in terms of reliability.

[MARKZXR]

Here we have a classic case of someone who refuses to help himself


Fuel pump..........................the very name tells you
what it is
what it does
and where it is


It's a little pump with a pipe connected to the battery and it pumps electricity to the high pressure coils via a high pressure pipe this is what makes the sparks at the spark plugs

OR

It's a little pump that is connected to the FUEL tank and it pumps fuel to the carbs

Have I explained it in simple enough terms or would you like ZXRPROJECT to do a little sketch with his new crayons

And here we have a classic case of someone offering no help but jumping in to take the mick and generally be unpleasant, pathetic.

[Gemini]

im with you markzxr

cargo wtf? i havent been posting on here for ages but i remain an avid forum user and also remain baz's best mate (in the real world) and i hate seeing what this forum is turning into. what seems a stupid question or request for help to an experienced biker/mechanic seems completely the opposite to the novice person in need asking.

im thinking too many mods on here on a power trip?

gem

[cargo]

your both correct................I have deleted my comments

[sjonesuk]

Thanks for your help guys - and cargo, thanks for your humility, it's really appreciated.

I've managed to get myself booked in to a garage on Monday after a lot of asking around between my biker pals. I'll ask a few questions and learn a few things about what's gone wrong whilst I'm there.

I'd love to know what I'm doing one day, but for now I'll just keep learning and try not to break something!


I'll let you all know how I go on.

[tobomoto]

at some point weve all been in a position where wew know bugger all about a bike, whether you are 8 or 36. when i got my zxr i was at college and earnt £70 a week from my part time job so garages werent really an option so i had to do it all myself. i started by taking the seats off one weekend and then the next weekend seats off and seat panels off, next weekend seats off, seat panels off undo some other bits. just do a small bit at a time so it doesnt seem so daunting. after a while getting stuff off became second nature but it will take time and tools to do. once i left college, got a full time job and got a car i was a bit more confident about taking it apart as i knew i could always run the part into a bike shop if it went a bit bandy. just use lots of wd40 and even more patience with it and eventually it will fall into place.

[MARKZXR]

at some point weve all been in a position where wew know bugger all about a bike, whether you are 8 or 36. when i got my zxr i was at college and earnt £70 a week from my part time job so garages werent really an option so i had to do it all myself. i started by taking the seats off one weekend and then the next weekend seats off and seat panels off, next weekend seats off, seat panels off undo some other bits. just do a small bit at a time so it doesnt seem so daunting. after a while getting stuff off became second nature but it will take time and tools to do. once i left college, got a full time job and got a car i was a bit more confident about taking it apart as i knew i could always run the part into a bike shop if it went a bit bandy. just use lots of wd40 and even more patience with it and eventually it will fall into place.

Well i'm 50 (of course I only look 36!) and I still find that there are jobs that I haven't done before, life is a learning curve!, good luck at the garage Scott, hope they get you sorted quickly, as time goes by you will pick up mechanical knowledge and be able to tackle various jobs yourself (if you want to of course), I find working on my bike/cars fun but not everyone is as sad as me

PS, Cargo, good to see someone able to reconsider as you did.