Still wont start!

[diztroy]

2 quick questions for you:

1. Have you checked for +12V at the coils? (red/white wires I think)

2. With that R1 front, what are you using for a main switch; is it the stock FZR in a different location?

[mrfreeze5]

2 quick questions for you:

1. Have you checked for +12V at the coils? (red/white wires I think)

2. With that R1 front, what are you using for a main switch; is it the stock FZR in a different location?

Yes 12v at the red/white. That was the first thing I checked.

Im using a FZR main switch right now. It will fit on the R1 triple with some spacers and long bolts but its not attached atm.

[cad600]

It really does sound like the stator. Are you running a V&H CDI? If so, they say don't swap to different coils.

[megaloxana]

It really does sound like the stator. Are you running a V&H CDI? If so, they say don't swap to different coils.

I thought you could start w/o a stator?(ie. total loss) The pick-up coil is a different story.

[mrfreeze5]

Stock CDI. I havent been able to track down a V&H that worked otherwise Id have one already.

[diztroy]

Thanks for answering the questions, that elimates a few things I was thinking might be the problem.

I've reread what you wrote before a few times. I'm not sure fully understand what is or isn't working with the kickstand switch. It should start with the starter in two ways, first is with the bike in neutral, second is with the clutch lever pulled AND the kickstand up. So do you mean it will start with the kickstand up, but the bike in gear and the clutch not pulled?

Have you checked for spark with the clutch lever pulled and the kickstand up?

Also do you have the R1 cluster wired up? It seems like I remember reading you do. I'm wondering if your maybe holding the ignition signial low and not allowing the coil to fire. However that should only effect one coil. But could you try disconnecting the gauges and rechecking for spark?

Also I didn't see you mention it, is the fuel pump turning on like it should?

[mrfreeze5]

The kickstand switch would actually keep the bike from cranking in N with the stand down at first(maybe 2 tries) when I first started trying to start it. I was having some issues getting it to crank(due to funky starter connection). I loosened the nut on the starter and got it to start cranking. Then I was testing the different switches and connections on the harness. I had the bike in N and the kickstand switch unbolted but plugged in held in my hand. I could push the switch in and it would crank, let go and it would stop. So i moved on to the other switches, cleaned the starter connection(obviously did no good) and retightened the nut. Tried to start again and fried the starter relay within a matter of seconds and made a nasty whining noise. The positive wire jumped about an inch on its own and nearly caught on fire. After that it wouldnt even crank, the relay would just whine slightly. So I grabbed some spare pieces from my other 2 harnesses. I replaced the relay and positive cable. I also noticed the ground connection coming from the kickstand switch was frayed so I repaired that. I unloosened the starter nut and tried starting again and it would crank again but still no start. But from that point on the kickstand switch has no functionality at all whether its plugged in, unplugged, or just wired directly together. In gear, in N, clutch, no clutch. Since then Ive also replaced the CDI. I dont think mine was bad previously, but the case was cracked and there was evidence of excess heat in the resin over the circuit board so it needed replacing anyway and that was the one thing I couldnt test and everything else tested OK. After the relay went out, I checked all the other components in the system again for damage. All fuses were ok and all the other relays seemed ok, but I had spares of all of them and tried swapping them out just to be sure. the only other thing I noticed later is that i forgot to fasten down the ground at the VR. I got excited thinking I made a dumb mistake and this would cure it and it would fire right up. I even tested continuity to a good ground since it was fastened to the R1 aluminum subframe with its black finish(not sure what it is, powdercoat, oxide, paint, dunno) and the ground was good. Tried starting, no change. Still no spark.


How important is the carburetor setting to initial start? Theyve been rebuilt and rejetted but not tuned or synched yet. But I would think i would get something out of it even if they werent right, but it doesnt fire at all that I can tell.

One mroe thing, and to this day Im not sure if i just imagined it or not. When I first started trying to start it that first day, on one of the first few attempts(paint flakes and rust were still blowing out of the header hehe) I swear I thought I heard a whoop sound. Like one cylinder fired and that was it. It was like a quiet backfire, but no loud pop, but louder than the compression sound from the piston movement.

[diztroy]

Just to be clear, when you say "Still no spark" do you mean that you check the spark plugs and they aren't sparking or do you mean that the motor isn't firing? There are only a few things that will cause plugs not to spark, but there are a lot of things that will cause the motor not to fire.

At a guess I'd say that with fresh paint on everything your getting some weird ground problems. The starter can be the most effected by this because it takes so much current to get it going. If the starter doesn't have a good ground to the battery (through the engine and then ground cable on the engine) then it will try to use other circuits to ground through.....this is very bad. These other circuits weren't designed to carry that much current and the wires can get melted and/or other components will get fried. This could also happen if the starter is shorting internally and is causing it to draw more current then it normally would.

Can you check for contunuity between the engine and starter, the engine and battery (ground), the starter and battery (ground)?

Also I dont mean to scare you, but the fact that the sidestand switch doesn't do anything anymore says one of two things, the first is that your starting ciruit cutoff relay is bad (if you didn't know there's a few proceedures in the ignition and starting section of the FSM to test if the relay is bad) , the second is that you have some bad wires in your harness.