SO YOUR BIKE WON'T START EH!!

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Jan 4th, '06, 21:31

georgie_d wrote:all the parts are on the way andrew really knows his stuff hope he sorts it owe him a few beers i can tell you :cheers

He can bloody drink too

Funky · Post by **Funky** » Jan 4th, '06, 21:56

I should have read this thread earlier. My bike is booked in on friday for an electrical diagnostic, though i think it is the Sollenoid as this was apparently 'fixed' last year.....

Andrew you sound like a mechanical/electrical genius, bravo!

Cheggers · Post by **Cheggers** » Jan 4th, '06, 22:03

Glad to hear your gonna be back on the road!

Looks like i've still got to get rid of that engine then

aidybest · Post by **aidybest** » Jan 4th, '06, 22:35

andrew

thanks for the advice, Ive got a new starter and solinoid from ebay (cheap as chips) I will start swapping the solinoid (get the easiest bit over first!! before I dismantel the belly pan ,drain all the fluids and disconnect the hoses, "what a perlava just to fit a starter motor"

I live in Bristol which is a bit of a trek from Plymouth, but once I get the thing going again id love to get involved in a few rideouts.

I work around your area (well Exeter Bodmin Redruth Plymouth Bristol Bath Oxford Reading amoungst other places dotted around the countryside)

I have tried to get a Company Bike rather than a company car to get about "just a triumph Triple or GSXR or an R1 or even better a Company harley" but the closest I can get to a bike for work is the "Think Bike" Sticker I placed in the rear window of the mondeo they chucked at me. !!! Having a bike to visit our digging teams would definately make work more enjoyable

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Jan 5th, '06, 12:30

funkalicous i can't deny it i am a Genius..............and modest too

i'm not a qualified mechanic but am not afraid to take on any task however i am a qualified electronics engineer and i'm always willing to lend a hand. Most problems people have can be easily and cheaply fixed.

aidy i don't think you should have to drain any fluid or disconnect any hoses in order to change the starter motor i can't remember exactly where they are on the GPX but i would expect them to be on the top of the engine behind the cylinder head. Just remove the Tank airbox and side fairings and it should be help on with two long bolts and should slide out sideways from the engine.

Also if it is the starter motor then it could be worth taking it apart as it might just need new brushes or even just have a dodgy connection.

Btw i use to have a gpx400r all the gpxs are good bikes but I would recommend disconnecting the ESCS on the front forks and adding more oil and some preload spacers to make it handle better.

aidybest · Post by **aidybest** » Jan 5th, '06, 13:44

Had to take the bottom fairing off, the starter is near enough adjacent to the engine sprocket, quite low down really. There is a whopping great coolant hose and another hose obstructing any reasonable attempt to remove the motor in an easy swoop. bit of a bugger really. should be straight forward, "says he" not being mechanically minded and all that!! I will let you know if Im kicking the starter motor and the rest of the tools around the garage later. Sometimes these haynes manuals arent that straight forward either (mind you I have never been one for reading the instructions)

chris_1127 · Post by **chris_1127** » Jan 9th, '06, 10:23

just caught up with this thread here, unlucky on the extra damage georgie but nice one andy for doing a top end rebuild for you, what a star!! Any ideas why the valves bent?

georgie_d · Post by **georgie_d** » Jan 9th, '06, 14:37

chris_1127 wrote: Any ideas why the valves bent?

could of been me giving it a bit to much while it warmed up

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Jan 9th, '06, 15:22

chris_1127 wrote:just caught up with this thread here, unlucky on the extra damage georgie but nice one andy for doing a top end rebuild for you, what a star!! Any ideas why the valves bent?

well to be fair to georgie d i think it was probably a combination of over revving when cold and the bike being overdue a service.

Luckily there doesn't appear to be any damage to the pistons and no noticeable slack in the bottom end so fingers crossed

georgie_d · Post by **georgie_d** » Jan 30th, '06, 22:17

well good news, the engine went back in the bike sunday, andrew brought the thing of beauty over, he has spend most of his january and some of his christmas working on, we spent most sunday putting it back, ok i made cups of t held the lead light you know the real important stuff, while andrew put it back. Its almost there, a few hours more next sunday. from a seized engine which could of cost me alot to repair he has done a fantastic job. We sort of done a quick test and the heart of my biking body once again beated..... first time start with not an ounce of a splutter or a very long time on the ignition button..man, my life is restoring once again. Andrew deserves a knighthood in my eyes, cheers mate well pleased

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Jan 30th, '06, 22:20

Excellent news matey

Andrew you are a top man

aidybest · Post by **aidybest** » Jan 30th, '06, 22:33

Still pi$$ing about with the fault diagnosis from my earlier thread. Had the battery checked out by "bike care" in Bristol these boys are good as gold. No problems there. bought a new starter from ebay for 15 sheets tested that and that is ok. Got the old one out and swapped it over. still nothing. Next stop is teh solinoid, which I should have done before doing the starter (brand new surplus stock on ebay for £ 6. (if it doesnt start this time, I will throw the bike over to the bike repair wolves!! ) I am now seriously getting withdrawel symptoms as I am starting to see more bikes getting out on the road - een to the point that I am starting to get ratty and biting her indoors's head off as my only release is parked up.

I will let you all know if the solinoid does the trick - any other advice let us know

cheers

aidy

georgie_d · Post by **georgie_d** » Jan 30th, '06, 22:40

ahh mate i know the feeling, hope you get it sorted, i am sure someone on here would give you some advice b4 you do take it to the bike mecanic savages. we had a problem on sunday it just would not start and we was there for about 1/2 hours pulling fuses out and all sorts and it was because the neutrel light cable had broken off, wierd how these bikes work sometimes

aidybest · Post by **aidybest** » Jan 31st, '06, 00:23

frustrating isnt it, the misses is ranting on saying I havent been out on the bike for a while so what a waste of money!! (duh it doesnt start dear). The next thing it is a money pit (a whole £ 21). cant wait to get it back on the road again to get a bit of "solis". I do give the bike a good old pat on the tank with the promise that we will be out to play real soon !!! reminds me I have to adjust the chain too before we go out

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Jan 31st, '06, 10:18

have to say gerogie-d has helped as much as he could and has been more than generous in feeding my alcohol habit

aidy - to save u spending any more money I would suggest testing the solenoid with a multimeter.

If u don't know how to use the meter tho then try and change the starter solenoid with one u know that works - if that still doesn't work let me know and i'll come up with some more ideas. Also i will try and have a look at my GPX manual tonight and see if I can spot anything else in the wiring diagram that could be at fault.

South West Bikers | Motorcycle Forum

SO YOUR BIKE WON'T START EH!!

starter GPX