[emmanoss]

Hellow everyone! Few months ago, I bought a Zr-7 2003 mod. The bike (56K khms) starts IMMEDIALY aftet the button is pushed.
Once, after no more than 15min (still warm) refused to start. Engine was rotaring 100% as battery is OK, all lights looked alive and the impression I had was that there was plenty of electric supply.Despite that, no fireworks. In order to save the battery, I tryied to roll down the street and push-start it, but .. nothing.
After a few minutes of dissapointment, pushed the button and ...worked, as nothing ever happened!!!
Since then, a few times (less than 5-6) the same thing. All that looks like needs to be done, is to take the key out and put it back. Then,... as normal as it should be, it is starting ..immediately...
Anyone, has any idea of what is going on with my magic bike???
Have a nice day.

 

[Ozninjaguy]

Check the connectors to your ignition switch and make sure they are clean, dry and connect firmly. Won't hurt to disconnect the ignition switch terminal and spray both connectors with some contact cleaner, let dry and reassemble.

 

[emmanoss]

Check the connectors to your ignition switch and make sure they are clean, dry and connect firmly. Won't hurt to disconnect the ignition switch terminal and spray both connectors with some contact cleaner, let dry and reassemble.

Thank you for the advice! Do you think these terminals wear out after some years?
If they need to be replaced what signs of wear do they show?

 

[Hugo Delgadillo]

...when you say it won't start...is this cranking but not catching, or nothing at all??

 

[Ozninjaguy]

Thank you for the advice! Do you think these terminals wear out after some years?
If they need to be replaced what signs of wear do they show?

They don't wear out per se, they can rattle loose in the connector blocks over time and create an intermittent connection. If they are the typical spade type, it's easy enough to remove the female connector from the terminal connector block and carefully crimp down each side a little to make sure that the male spade is held firmly in place.

I'm not saying that this is your issue, but often it is a whole process of elimination before a problem is resolved.

 

[emmanoss]

...when you say it won't start...is this cranking but not catching, or nothing at all??

Sorry but my English do not help...
YES it is cranking (engine rotates because of battery push) but not catching..
(catching I guess is rotating because it ... operates with gass and spark plugs)

 

[Hugo Delgadillo]

"Catching" means engine running on its own. If it cranks, but does not run on its own.....then fuel, air, spark or combination is missing. The bike is 20 years old. Yes, connectors could be corroded, but I also wonder about other things that should have required attention in all this time....like

valve clearance check, carburator cleaning and tuning (fuel level, synchronization)...fuel petcock (fuel filters, vacuum leaks), air filter, coils, spark plugs and wires..... We simply do not know what has been done on this bike (or not done) by you or someone else in 20 years. How old is the battery?? Sometimes batteries are good enough to crank, but marginal providing energy for spark.

.......when won't start...could you tried putting the petcock on 'Prime" see if it makes any difference???

 

[Ozninjaguy]

Since then, a few times (less than 5-6) the same thing. All that looks like needs to be done, is to take the key out and put it back. Then,... as normal as it should be, it is starting ..immediately...

.....also, probably wouldn't hurt to put a squirt of WD40/RP7 in the ignition switch just in case one of the tumblers is getting stuck.

 

[emmanoss]

"Catching" means engine running on its own. If it cranks, but does not run on its own.....then fuel, air, spark or combination is missing. The bike is 20 years old. Yes, connectors could be corroded, but I also wonder about other things that should have required attention in all this time....like

valve clearance check, carburator cleaning and tuning (fuel level, synchronization)...fuel petcock (fuel filters, vacuum leaks), air filter, coils, spark plugs and wires..... We simply do not know what has been done on this bike (or not done) by you or someone else in 20 years. How old is the battery?? Sometimes batteries are good enough to crank, but marginal providing energy for spark.

.......when won't start...could you tried putting the petcock on 'Prime" see if it makes any difference???

Thanks for the replay once more...
Well, now that I got the language , I think -and hope- this should be a kind of "contact matter" I mean, from my point of view, it doesn't make sence to have an engine caching right after you push the starter 90 of the 100 times and once to crank and crank and nothing happening, unless you take off the key, put it back and thats it!!!
The bike by the way,is used once-twice per week and the battery feels like its fully powered.With the first chance, I will disconnect the ignition switch terminal,hopping the magic cranking will become a memory!

 

[txhogcowboy]

.....also, probably wouldn't hurt to put a squirt of WD40/RP7 in the ignition switch just in case one of the tumblers is getting stuck.

RP7 may be okay but nix the WD40 unless it's the 3 in 1 dry lube type by WD40 or any other lock specific type with graphite seen in the following link.

WD-40 Company 120077 Lock Lubricant, Clear, 2.5-oz. Aerosol - Quantity 1: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

WD-40 Company 120077 Lock Lubricant, Clear, 2.5-oz. Aerosol - Quantity 1: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

The WD40 will make locks sticky in time. It will work great to start with but in time you'll worse problems. So stay away from WD40 in lock mechanisms. I really don't know anything about RP7 but a quick look doesn't suggest it's really for locks.

 

[anilv]

When was the last valve clearance check done? One issue with these bikes is the valve clearances close up and when warm the valve/s do not seat (due heat expansion). This usually results in having problems starting when hot.

To eliminate this as the cause you need to do a compression test when the engine is hot.. a bit difficult as potentially the motor could cool down by the time you take the reading. The valve clearance needs to be checked every 10,000kms but i've done up to 30,000kms check and they weren't far off. If you don't know when the valve clearances were last checked its worth doing it as running with too small clearances will burn up your valve seats.

Anilv

 

[emmanoss]

When was the last valve clearance check done? One issue with these bikes is the valve clearances close up and when warm the valve/s do not seat (due heat expansion). This usually results in having problems starting when hot.

To eliminate this as the cause you need to do a compression test when the engine is hot.. a bit difficult as potentially the motor could cool down by the time you take the reading. The valve clearance needs to be checked every 10,000kms but i've done up to 30,000kms check and they weren't far off. If you don't know when the valve clearances were last checked its worth doing it as running with too small clearances will burn up your valve seats.

Anilv

I would definitely agree with you Anilv.
My only wonder is that whenever this occurres, the engine fires IMMEDIATELY when you take off the key and simply put it back. If there would be an issue with the valves clearence, wouldn't it still remain? Or at least start ....with some kind of hesitation???