Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Hey guys, I have K1 GSXR as a track bike... I normally run it for a few mins every few weekends since I have not been getting the chance to get out (another child on the way, and havent got money for tires)...

4 weekends ago I went to start it, as I usually do... It usually starts fine, but this time no go...
I am guessing it is a fuel problem, since it does not fire at all... but it sounds like it wants to...
I figured, No worries, lift up the tank, pull the hose out and see if fuel comes out...
I wasnt expecting this (see pic below)... There is some sort of alien technology attached to the bottom of my fuel tank...
Anyone know how I can test fuel flow taking into account said alien device? (it has a very solid hose that comes out, it appears I may be able to unattach it, but I am guessing that the thing on the bottom of the tank is some sort of suction device and the engine would need to be running to pump it?)

thats the fuel pump. you need to disconnect the 'other' end of the fuel hose, turn on the key, and see if any fuel gets pumped out .

BTW - starting a bike every few weeks and letting it run for a few minutes, is a guaranteed way of fucking your battery. If you do start it, then run it for at least 10 minutes until it gets right up to temp, and run it over 3000rpm a number of times so that the charging system has a chance to get some charge back into the battery....

Or do you have a battery tender hooked up ? In which case, ignore all the above advice !

regulator rectifyer shat itself a long time ago... I charge the battery manually (have a charger with float function)... It still charges the battery somewhat but not enough to bother leaving it running...

Thanks, Ill try disconnecting the other end.... Stupid hose has "easy" connectors that are impossible to get your fingers to! easy on.... not so easy off

I don't know about your machine, but most Kawasaki's will only pump fuel for about 1/3 of a second when you turn on the key and don't resume pumping until you crank it over or it is running. So do not expect a solid flow of fuel with just the ignition on. You also stated that your bike has been sitting for awhile, the problem could be bad fuel. If your going to let any gasoline powered vehicle sit more than 3 or four weeks you need to put a fuel stabilizer in the gasoline, otherwise it turns to shit. If that is the case you will need to drain your tank and put in fresh fuel with some kind of injection cleaning additive. The smell of the gasoline will tell the tale. If it smells like varnish it's gone bad. You could also pull a plug after cranking and see if it's wet and at the same time check for spark. Go to the thread "zx2r cold starting problem" to see how to check for spark.

Yup, its bad fuel....
I just managed to get the fuel line off... turn the key and pumped out about 3 seconds of fuel.... Smells like a truck full of dirty socks mixed in with terps
I will drain what is left... How do I get rid of the stuff that is already in the engine? Is that even possible?

I was thinking of putting more fuel in with some sta-bil... and then running it... You reckon that will do the trick?

Stereo wrote:.....I will drain what is left... How do I get rid of the stuff that is already in the engine? Is that even possible?

I was thinking of putting more fuel in with some sta-bil... and then running it... You reckon that will do the trick?

The best stuff to throw in the tank Stereo - when you fill the tank with new juice - is a bottle of injector cleaner (Wynns etc), and take if for a strop at the track. The old petrol 'in' the motor will last all of about 5 seconds once you get mobile.....

What Gosling1 said. The bad fuel has probably not caused any major problems but a good injector cleaner would be in order. That and a shot of Jim Beam, however don't get them mixed up as injector cleaner will do in a pinch but doesn't taste as good as Jim Beam.

its not turning over doenst even sound like it is trying, I guess I gotta check to see if the plugs are fouled...

There trackies are a pain in the arse eh? I would be cleaning the plugs, but also drowning the carbs in carb cleaner just in case.

If you can, try and put a multimeter across the battery terminals while you are trying to start the bike. If the voltage reads anything under 12v......then the bike is unlikely to start. You need a good cranking voltage of at least 12.5v or more *under load* ie when the starter motor is being cranked.....

I was checking a bike out today for a mate, same basic issue.......and the cranking voltage was down to 10.4 !! On a f.i bike with a fuel pump - this voltage is just far too low to get a spark.

Gotta luv a good ol piston ported two stroke , or maybe a new fangled one with reeds .

Gosling1 wrote:I was checking a bike out today for a mate, same basic issue.......and the cranking voltage was down to 10.4 !! On a f.i bike with a fuel pump - this voltage is just far too low to get a spark.

Before i got the battery replaced the lowest cranking voltage i got on the gsx that JUST managed to start her was 8v. HTF it kicked over beyond giving a wet fart i do NOT know. Didn't repeat it's party trick the next time and was well and truely ratshit when i gave it a go the nest day or so.

the kid wrote:....Gotta luv a good ol piston ported two stroke , or maybe a new fangled one with reeds . ....

fucking oath.

2 truths in this world....

1. Real men's bikes have the bars below the top clamp, and

2. Real engines have no camshafts.

Gosling1 wrote:

the kid wrote:....Gotta luv a good ol piston ported two stroke , or maybe a new fangled one with reeds . ....

fucking oath.

2 truths in this world....

1. Real men's bikes have the bars below the top clamp, and

2. Real engines have no camshafts.

3. Valves are for toilets .

Ok, so I have taken all the fuel out of the tank, put new fuel in with the stuff that allows you to store it, loaded up the battery a bunch of times and it still wont start...

I took the spark plugs out and cleaned them, still wont start

am I still getting crap fuel in there? because when I turn it over it still smells like bad fuel...