Arrrgh! Kawasaki ZZR 600, wont start after being dropped!

[bikecruiser.co.uk]

Hi guys,

All help will be very VERY much appreciated on this one

I came off my bike 2 days ago. Absoloutely gutted!

The problem is, after i got up and tried to start the bike again, it was just clicking! Hmmmm, so i got the bike recovered, and took a look at it the next morning.

I've had the left hand side of the engine off and checked the starter motor.. It's not turning!! when i take the gear joining the starter motor to the engine it spins fine.

So just out of curiosity, i put it all back together and tried to bump start it to no avail.. The back wheel just locks up!

When i came off i thought that the front wheel hit one of them stupid white lines, but now im thinking that it's possible something has happened inside the engine making my back wheel lock up and throwing me off.


Does anyone have any idea what could be stopping the starter motor turning the engine over? and if you have an idea, how would i go about rectifying the problem?

I'm really in a bind like, coz i've got a charity ride on the 18th of march and it's still screwed!

Any information would help me try and figure it out

Thanks in advance.

Dave Stewart
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[Scotsman37]

Have you checked the connections with a multimeter to make sure power is getting to starter motor ? Also have you checked your fuses too as you may have blown one or two of them or to make sure the kill switch is off ?

[bikecruiser.co.uk]

Yep, that was the first port of call.we thought we'd check that we were getting voltage and current over to the motor.

Another point which may help in diagnosing the problem is that i cant bump start it, the back wheel locks up completely and no matter how much we've tried to move the back wheel it just has no effect..

Cheers mate

Dave
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[G]

Just to check... I presume the bike does go into neutral ok?

I would be bump starting a 600 in second... and try and wait for a relaticely non wet day. If possible get someone to sit on the bike while being pushed (or jump on while running if you're feeling energetic ). Try and stand up then drop down on the bike.
However if there is something bad seized, then this could cause further damage.

As for the seized bits, are there any damaged engine covers etc?

Does it still lock if you try and bum it in 6th gear?)
If you can push the bike in neutral, but it won't move at all when in gear, then you can presume it's something the other side of the gear box that's causing the problems.

Other stuff you can check:
Sparks plugs out and look at the bore with a torch.
Get the engine covers off and check the generator/clutch.

[bikecruiser.co.uk]

Hi G,

It locks up in all gears when trying to bump it m8..

It's fine to move in neutral but the second it goes into gear there's jus no chance!

There's not too much damage to the engine covers, just the left hand side is a bit scuffed but not cracked or anythin.
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[G]

Can you push it with the clutch in while in gear?

[Scotsman37]

You may have a a possible bent/broken gear selector or maybe even a damaged gear cog(s).

[bikecruiser.co.uk]

[Scotsman37]

[G]

As Scotsman said, you can damage the gear selectors if the selector rod touches down. However this is unlikley on the ZZR which has rear-set levers, so the actual lever isn't directly conneceted to the rod as it is on some bikes.

Possible that something has jammed and mashed some gears, however I would be worrying about the main engine seizing.
Have you checked the oil level?

[bikecruiser.co.uk]

[G]

Have a look in the drained oil for bits of engine .

Might be worth putting a small filter of some kind between the oil and the catching device... as it's usually quite hard to find bits of anything in used engine oil.


If you can get to the spark plugs easily, checking the bore might be a good start... though may not be that easy on the ZZR.

[Tarmacsurfer]

Given no motion of the wheel in 6th, that's sounding like a seize to me . Was the engine running at all while on it's side? Unsure about the ZZR600 but the 1100 is notorious for the oilways in pot 3 giving out and locking the piston up.
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I'm immortal. Well, so far.

[stinkwheel]

Take the little plastic cover off the middle of the left hand crankcase cover, get a 1/2" drive socket (17mm usually) with extension bar on the end of the crank and see if you can turn it by hand.

If it turns, you are looking at a starter system/electrical problem (such as a flat battery), if it doesn't the engine is seized for one reason or another.

Next step would be to try it with the sparkplugs out, if it turns over with the plugs out but not in, it has fluid locked (oil or fuel would come out of the plug holes). If it still doesn't turn over, something more fundamental has gone wrong with either the engine itself or the primary drive area. I would probably lift the rocker cover first and look for a dropped valve then drain down the oil and take the primary drive cover off to see if anything there has gotten tangled.

See how you do anyway.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Robby]

If its clicking and the starter motor turns when you disengage it from the engine, my moneys on flat/dead battery.

[Guest]

But if it's locked up, the starter will show ok on the bench (which he has) but won't have a chance of turning the engine over.

I'm with Stinkwheel - take the plugs out and turn the crank from the end with a socket. If it won't turn then it's a strip - either the engine's locked through revving on it's side (no oil) or the gearbox has locked which may have caused the prang in the first place.

[Hex]

[Guest]

Just a thought - you've had one of the engine covers off? Have you put the screws back in correctly? Often they are of a different length, I don't know the ZZR specifically.

I once had a Honda 90 lock-up solid after a routine service - I'd put a screw in the points cover that was about 6mm too long and it had gone into the slot in the flywheel, stopping the engine turning over completely .

Could be summat daft (with luck)

[stinkwheel]

[Guest]

I suppose the only real way to isolate what is actually locked is to take the clutch drum off - then you'd know if it was the box or the crank siezed up. Either way it's engine out and full strip to repair.


But I'd make damn sure it wasn't something daft before going to that trouble - chain off, side covers off, cam cover off and a good look while trying to turn the crank.

[bikecruiser.co.uk]

WELL! What a bitch!!

FINALLY got the engine out, which was a lot harder than i expected! because there's a spacer on the bottom right hand side at the back of the engine, WHICH i didnt have an allen key to fit.. Hammer and chisel done it tho!

So, anyways, gets the engine to bits today, and i take a look at my pistons and barrel... Fine, everythin was gr8..

So, went further down and checked the crank.. Looked good.. Gear box... Sound!

Hmmmmmm, so, i turned the engine the right way up (after it being upside down.. I'm looking at it, and what do i see?? The plastic runner that the cam chain runs down.. Only 1 bolt holding it in..

Quickly turned the engine back over, and there it was jamming up the crank.. NO DAMAGE anywhere.. which is a good thing!

Took that bolt out, and everythin is fine agen now! all that's needed is a bit of a clean and a new gasket set!! Made Up!! hehe

Cheers for everyone's help

So, anyone up for UK in a day then??? It's in the outings n excursions forum if ya avent seen it!

Cheers agen

Deejwah!
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