• From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Topic: It went bang, now it wont crank

Last year i started rebuilding a 2000 Kawasaki ZX9R someone drug behind a trailer for a few miles, tore apart, let it sit for 2 years, then didn't want to put it together.

After 2 months of bike parts taking up my living room, i finally had it running. On my first trip out, just as i got on the highway, it sputtered and stalled. After towing it home, I remembered it needed more than a half gallon gas in order to run. A week later, I put more gas in and when I pushed the starter it made about 1 revolution then went bang. Heart broken.

That was last August.

Tonight, I felt like opening it up. To my surprise there were no metal bits in the oil. When I pulled the oil pan off an looked at the crank, everything looks OK. the rods are in one piece, the end caps are on, but the engine is still seized.

Any ideas / suggestions?

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Dallas Tejas
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 527

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

Cam drive not driving, interference motor...

El Capitan de los Bastardos De Lemons
1993 Linco Mark Ate
1957 Renault Dauphine
Driver with LemonSpeed's V6 Mustang
  • From: Hayward, CA
  • Registered: 2010-03-23
  • Posts: 1,762

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

This does not make sense.

Engines going bang usually imply that something has broken. That does not necessarily mean they won't turn.

When you say Seized, that implies that the pistons have rusted into their bores, the rod or main bearings were over heated and welded themselves to the crank. That usually happens when the engine is running, not just turns over for a few seconds.

So what it probably sounds like is you did break something which is jamming up the crankshaft or the cam shafts. So strip the engine down and find out what broke. repair it and then the engine should run.

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?Everyone who has ever built anywhere a 'new heaven' first found the power thereto in his own hell- Frederick Nietzsche
  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

I didn't think to look in the cams, probably because all the other times engines blew on me, it was a rod going through the wall.

I'll pull the valve cover tonight.

When I say seized, I mean it will not turn, not necessarily that the pistons fused with the cylinder wall.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • RichVS
  • RichVS
  • Lemons 9th Circuit Justice
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  • From: Arvada CO
  • Registered: 2009-05-10
  • Posts: 628

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

Cam chain tensioner/cam sprocket kind of issue, or maybe a starter mechanism problem.  Can you rock the motor back in forth with it in gear?  I bet pulling the cover will reveal your problem.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

RichVS's Website

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

With it in gear, the rear wheel is locked. It will not roll.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

7 Reply by Doug I (edited by Doug I 2010-04-22 10:58 AM)

  • Registered: 2010-02-14
  • Posts: 577

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

Sounds like something in the gearbox/clutch/starter has fallen apart.

Does the clutch disengage?
Does it change gear?
If you can get it in neutral does it roll?

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

It will change gears. It rolls in neutral. It rolls in gear with the clutch depressed.

The clutch was actually the first thing I inspected. It is the easiest to access, and it was the last thing I fixed. (Origionally I got the engine running, but the clutch disks were stuck together from not having any oil on them for some time)

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

this is impossible.
I pulled the cover off the timing chain crank gear and it was ok.
I pulled the valve cover and the cams are ok.

http://racing.lmwrealty.com/cams.jpg

Maybe I overlooked something in the crank. Too bad I already put the oil pan back on.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

is it possible for a valve to be stuck open and bent, preventing a piston from moving upward?

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • Registered: 2010-02-14
  • Posts: 577

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

That's entirely possible.  It's also possible that a gear broke a tooth and it's jamming the cam chain.  It sounds like a mechanical lock/jam somewhere within the rotating assembly.

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

This is not making any sense probably because I haven't had my beer vitamins yet.
ok break down:
in gear, no clutch it will not roll
in gear with clutch it will roll
(this tells me the problem is in the rotational bits between the cams and the clutch)

I pulled the cover off of the starter, put it in neutral, put a 14mm on the crank, and it turns. I even hear the pistons compressing, and valves closing.

http://racing.lmwrealty.com/starter.jpg


it still won't roll in gear.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

maybe i'll put it all back together, charge the battery and see if it starts. in theory, it should run in neutral, if I can now turn the crank, right?

ugh. frustrated.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Los Fucking Angeles
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,032

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

Have you tried kicking it?

"This is the scene where I get shot," Bronson said. "I have these little squibs that explode to make it look like bullets are hitting." "Fascinating," said Bergman. "I never knew how they did that." "You mean," asked Bronson, "you don't use machine guns in your movies?"
  • ronman
  • ronman
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
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  • From: Orlando, FL
  • Registered: 2009-09-15
  • Posts: 1,842

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

I recommend a bigger hammer.
I do not recommend performing a GIS for "big hammer."

Official photographer/Team Police Brutality|Speedycop & the Gang
Lackey-mechanic-whatever/NSF Racing
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  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

Johnny, next time you are in Texas, it can be your official lemony pace bike.

...If I ever get it going again.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Dallas Tejas
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 527

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

Lemonade Time Racing wrote:

This is not making any sense probably because I haven't had my beer vitamins yet.
ok break down:
in gear, no clutch it will not roll
in gear with clutch it will roll
(this tells me the problem is in the rotational bits between the cams and the clutch)

I pulled the cover off of the starter, put it in neutral, put a 14mm on the crank, and it turns. I even hear the pistons compressing, and valves closing.

http://racing.lmwrealty.com/starter.jpg


it still won't roll in gear.

Does this bike have the clutch on the crankshaft or the trans input shart?

You said it doesn't want to crank with the starter, did you try cranking with the clutch in?

OK, you can turn the crank with a wrench, does it turn with the clutch out?

How about clutch out and in gear?

El Capitan de los Bastardos De Lemons
1993 Linco Mark Ate
1957 Renault Dauphine
Driver with LemonSpeed's V6 Mustang
  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

I must have made the right offerings to the gods of speed because it now cranks.

I put all the engine covers on. Put the oil pan on. Replaced the new oil filter I accidentally crushed. Added a gallon of 10-W30. Hooked up the jumper cables, and it turns over.

It's not starting because it has been sitting for a year. I hope the 24 hour Wal-Mart has carb start. I don't want to wait til tomorrow night to get this thing running.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

It runs! unfortunately, as soon as I disconnect the jumper cables, it stalls out. So, I can not thoroughly test the gearbox. That is one dead battery.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: It went bang, now it wont crank

It rode fine last night.
Did an accidental wheelie, too

I guess the engine fairies fixed it for me.

thanks for all your advice everyone.

Maybe I'll ride it to Caint Get next weekend

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website