Awesoime!!! Engine isn't stuck
 

Not so awesome....damn bike wont crank. Now I have to get all electrical.
Electrical gremlins suck.
My zx has always had a history of finicky starting...especially after its been sitting.

Hit the starter button...nothing. No crank...just a click from the ignition box.
After shaking fists and shaken baby syndrome on all reachable wires and handle bars..it would start up. It would only do this if it were sitting more than a couple of weeks. I started it up last year for shits and giggles and discovered that if I hold the starter button while turning the key it would start every time. Weak battery...strong battery. didn't matter. It would at least crank. That was last year

Once I got the CBR, the ninja was parked in the garage with fresh fluids all topped off unregistered...unisinsured and ignored. "I'll eventually get around to cleaning it up and selling it".

Well I want to clean it up and make room in my garage.
And of course....nothing.
Got a cup of coffee
Took the tank off
Battery out
fuel pump out and a what the fuck is with all these wires?
I got this bike in 21rst century.
The asshole who had this in the 20th century apparently liked to things
1. Wheelies with no oil in the bike
2. covering up shitty splice jobs with electrical tape

for the first time ever.
I'm looking at the "electrical" section of the shop manual.

this sucks
and its cold out
and I have to track down some buffalo wings
and replace the leaky fuel valve (this going to be messy)


just venting

maybe begging for help soon.

It sounds like a loose ground to me. I'd start checking all of the plugs for good connection and pay special attention to the ground on the frame and engine.

Might as well keep track of work in this thread.
Sunday 2/5
Removed following
1. Tank
2. Airbox
3. Battery
4. Fuel pump
5. Spark plugs
6. breather hose...fuel drainage hoses
Screws kept in clear container with brown lid
Noticed oil on #2 and #4 spark plugs (already have SP well seals..will replace at later date)
Tossed rags in carb inlets.
Tossed it in second gear and rolled it back and forth to make sure everything moves freely.
Checked ground wire from battery, starter, starter solenoid and all the other wires in the vicinity under the seat. All passed wiggle wiggle test (carefully eyeballed multimeter on shelf...did not touch because its super bowl sunday and I'm not ready for all that electrical testin business)
Located disconnected sidestand switch and pulled off decades old grime encrusted electrical tape. Noted. identified wire to neutral switch and cleaned off connector.
Partially wiped down area around starter. More wiggle wiggle tests.
Focus on fuel tank.
Filled with old fuel but need to change out petcock. Swapped out for new one I had lying around but never got around to installing and replaced the line going to pump....but not actually going to the pump since I broke the fuel filter trying to get the line off. good thing I still have an old filter from years ago that I replaced for the fuck of it. Will take care of all on a warmer day when I strip the bike down more.

Put plugs back in and will continue next weeked.


Accomplishment today:
Replaced fuel petcock
replaced fuel line
broke fuel filter
Broke mount tab in tail section while trying to spin rear wheel. Will fix when body work is all off.

Looks like I'm going to be building some valuable experience.
I have just about zero experience troubleshooting electrical problems.
Just bought my first multimeter yesterday.
At least I have service manuals for the bike.

I've been thinking about this further.

Be sure you check the starter relay too. Those have a tendency to act as you've described when they are *going out*.

Good call.

Intermittent bastards are intermittent. Reasonably cheap item to swap out, if "testin stuff" isn't your bag.

Corroded switch contacts will also cause problems.

JC

And the shopping list begins

Figure out what exactly is clicking when you thumb the starter. It sounds like the starter relay. If it's clicking without engaging the starter, a quick and dirty test is to just jump the relay with a couple of screw drivers.

It actually sounds like the ignition box ( VH powerpak) but it could I need to double check

Definitely agree on the corroded contacts.

If there are a lot of crappy, electrical tape covered splices in the cables, though, my bet is more than one of them are just twisted wires with tape on them. I think that I'd start with some good auto grade heat shrink and a soldering iron, by redoing every one of those splices. Even if they aren't solder free, you can just bet that some are cold joints that have likely let go, by now.