ZXR250A - Trouble starting

[SuperDave]

I've been having some trouble starting my ZXR250A since yesterday when cold. I tried again tonight and the starter sounded a bit weak, so I took the battery out and gave it a decent charge, it was putting out 13.5V after the charge so according the manual the battery is fine and does not need to be replaced if it has 12.5V or more after a charge.

So I shoved the battery back in but the bike still won't start. The starter turns over much better now and you can smell petrol out of the exhaust when you try to fire it up. It has plenty of fuel and I've tried the reserve tap setting as well to see if the one might be a bit blocked - neither setting gets it running.

My neighbour mentioned to me a couple of days ago that he thought it was running a bit rich, could this have something to do with this? Perhaps the plugs are fouled?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Dave

[John]

a) What sound does it make when you try turn it over, is it normal? not a "click" type sound.

b) Are you using the choke? its pretty much impossible to start the ZXRers with 96 and no choke on 91 sometimes you struck it lucky.

[SuperDave]

a) What sound does it make when you try turn it over, is it normal? not a "click" type sound.

b) Are you using the choke? its pretty much impossible to start the ZXRers with 96 and no choke on 91 sometimes you struck it lucky.


I have tried using the choke with varying degrees from off to fully on. No abnormal sounds at all, there just doesn't seem to be any combustion at all. So that why I am thinking its possibly some kind of plug problem.

If it was making a 'click' sound what does that mean?

[aff-man]

could be a host of things. Take out the spark plugs and if they are black look a bit damp and are smelly you have probably fouled them.....

IMHO you might want to get the compression checked on the cylinders.....




p.s. well if it was "pretty much impossible" to start them without choke I am a biking god.

p.p.s. the plugs are a bitch to get to copared to the 400.

[qldzxr250a]

I had similar problems with mine a while back.

would kick over fine to the point where it sounded like it was about to start but seemed it just would get there. heres the link to it. http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=13754

question can u clutch start it? if it clutch starts its nothing to do with plugs or fuel or choke settigs.

my problem turned out to be the electrical regulator replaced with aftermarket one for about $160 for memory,

can be done yourself it u handy and know way around bike.
if u want pics i can take some of my reg as my bike in bits atm

I clutched mine and managed to get it o mechanics but BE WARNED you cant get far as the bike wont be charging your battery so BE CAREFUL.

dont try jump it or anything silly like that i did it and it cost me a new starter motor :argh:

MSN me if u like kris_mckenna@hotmail.com

[John]

p.s. well if it was "pretty much impossible" to start them without choke I am a biking god.

pitty you cant ride :whistle: , It could have been a host of PROBLEMS with your bike that allowed it to start easier you may have run easy det fuel, or crap compression - or a bazillion things - it will only require choke for the first start on the frosty morning never need choke any other point in the day - remebering that this is on a perfect sealed / compressed engine with the smoke still in all the wires.

If You hear a "click" sound and your smelling fuel rather strongly, you would have indeed hydrofucked it, if that been the case, take out the plugs - and turn it over on the startor, making sure that the fuel tank is off at this point, change the oil shove the plugs back in (after a clean) and fix the taps, our taps and most vacum tapes are whore bitches - if they ever are left without anything in the tank for a period of time then you find the diaphram/seals that open close based on vacum provided by the engine fucks itself and dries out and is useless, only solution is to go ex-crapan - and dont anyone screw on about floats or I will kill them.

Or your startor could be fucked/locked or maybe the charge is fucked, or you have a fucked earth...

Do you smell fuel when you stand around your bike? if you do you have a fuxed fuel tap. although this doesnt seem to be the problem.

do as above he summed it up, if you really cant do it PM me and i will detail it to you, but I am alittle busy atm.

[Devil]

If you're still having trouble this afternoon let me know, i'll give you a hand. You're not too far from me are you? (im in glenfield).

[k14]

Try crash starting it. I'd say you fouled the plugs from the battery being too flat so now they won't create a good enough spark. Happened a few times on my cbr250. Push start always fixed it.

[Devil]

Yeah, im definately thinking crash start, then use multimeter to check charge once going.

[SuperDave]

I think.

Dad and myself managed to start the bike this afternoon and using a multimeter we had a look at the voltage and how much the bike drains from the battery. The charging system appears to be perfectly fine as the battery sits at around 13.5V when running but after each unsuccessful use of the starter the voltage drops drastically and takes a long time of waiting to come back high enough to try and restart. The bike just can't get started when the voltage is too low as others have pointed out earlier in the thread.

I'll be going to get a new battery tomorrow sometime - all going well this is the solution to the problem. Thanks to everyone offering help. Appreciate it.

Dave

[zeRax]

just got my brand new third party regulator for my new acquired zxr 250a
was so annoying not knowing the problem, gunned it down thou and hoora :D
celebrated with a little burnout and caught the smoke in a giant bag and inhaled - jk

was a joyess moment anyway :D just gotta get new chain and sprockets before this chain flys into the air killing someone or killing casing

[qldzxr250a]

chain and sprokets eh????

could u keep me informed as to how much u get urs done 4..planning to get mine done once she back on road.

TA.

[zeRax]

ok, will post back here within a week

[SuperDave]

New battery fitted. All starting problems have been solved. And $45 for a new battery aint to bad I reckon. Thanks for all the advice guys. Now all I need is some decent weather and a chance to get out and really ride the beast.