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'08 ZX10 would only start with the charger hooked up, and now wont run at all.

2K views 19 replies 8 participants last post by  tasos 
#1 ·
My '08 ZX10 had been sitting around for quite a few months with just the occasional burp once in a while to make sure she's still alive. The last time I went out the battery was dead as a door nail so I put it on a charger for a while and it came back, but the bike would only start with the charger on, and would die within 5-20 seconds of pulling the charger off.

I have another ok battery laying around so I put that in and now it won't start at all - even with the charger. It cranks over plenty fast, just the usual oil/FI lights on the dash as it's cranking, but now she just won't start.

The battery on it's own is showing 12.54v

I've unplugged all peripheral gizmos such as the power commander to see if that made any difference, but nada.

Suggestions?
 
#2 ·
Have the battery load tested. A battery in good condition should be able to handle 1/2 its CCA for 15 sec before dropping out of proper voltage range. Take it to any mechanic shop or maybe even a local auto parts store and have them checked... But they have to be fully charged to be tested (unless you know someone with those high tech digital testers that can test a battery down to 1 volt.
 
#4 ·
Whats the output of the charger? If the battery is stone dead and the charger is only putting out a 2amp charge that means the starter is only getting 2amp of power to turn over. Now if your charger has a higher setting like a jump start setting that would be enough to turn it over, but check how many amps that is bc those are usually designed for cars and by introducing to high of a jolt to these bikes can cause major problems to the electrical systems.

Also if you tried to jump start it with a car you prob have issues now too. (not saying you did, but just letting you know that's not good to do)
 
#5 ·
The battery is for sure toast, but being labor day it's hard to find a new one and I was hoping to trouble shoot this for my trackday on Thursday. I went to Kragen and Sears but the don't have the slim style of battery this takes.

I've been trying to use the battery out of XRL as it still had some life in it although a bit weak, but I'll try the stock battery again.

The charger is 10 amps, and I have not tried jump starting it from a car.
 
#6 ·
I know on cars, this will happen if the alternator/generator is fried. Got stranded a few times.
Also when I got my bike ('08 ZX10) the guy had to replace the voltage regulator because it went bad. When it did, it would only run off of the battery until the battery died. He said he had to call around to a few dealerships here to find one as i think at the time they were on back order.
 
#8 ·
Well, the basic things you need for an engine to run are: compression, fuel and spark (i'm bypassing a possible 4th, timing for now)
Without these three things an engine will not run.
So check and make sure you have these. If you don't have one of the three do some diagnosing and see why.
 
#15 ·
:+1:
Im not just saying, is the fuel pump running. Is the fuel actually getting to each cylinder? Turn it over then check the plugs to see if they are wet? Maybe a plugged line, I would say check the fuel filter but I think it may be integrated into the pump, as i don't see one on the microfiche.
Is the vent line on your tank actually venting, or is it plugged?
As you were saying every now and then it burps, that might be the only little amount of fuel actually getting to the cylinders.
 
#13 ·
Weird, You could have fried the ecu somehow by leaving the charger on. Maybe you accidently touched a ground when hooking it up? Oh CHECK ALL FUSES. I learned that the hard way lol
 
#14 ·
Actually I'm ruling out the ECU at this point because it does seem alive with the key - exhaust servo does it's thing, the fuel pump primes, etc. I've disconnected all of the switches, and bridged the switches and still nada.

I've checked all of the fuses - twice. Are there any fuses other than what's under the seat area?

What's odd is every so often it will give a faint burp. Arrg.
 
#16 · (Edited)
The fuel pump is priming when the key is turned on, and there's a lot of pressure on the fuel line when I removed the tank to rinse it out again/fresh gas. I did not see any way to clean a filter if it was on the fuel pump though - that thing looks like a city of parts onto it's own.

Edit: Lots of fuel/pressure all the way to the injectors - I damn near inadvertently just sprayed the cat with fuel from the line.
 
#17 ·
Lots of fuel/pressure all the way to the injectors - I damn near inadvertently just sprayed the cat with fuel from the line.
:lol:
ok well you have pressure up to the injectors then, is the fuel gettin into the cylinder? If not you might have plugged injectors. Where abouts are you from? I ask this because if you don't ride the bike year round and have to store it for the winter (like me), if you don't add fuel stabilizer the the fuel, or empty out the tank, lines and injectors, the old fuel can gum up and turn to varnish very quickly. Since it's so late in the year, I'm thinking a piece may have came off in the line and clogged up the injector if there is no fuel gettin to the cylinders.
If there is fuel gettin to each cylinder, have you got spark going to each cylinder? I have seen spark plugs that came straight out of a box be faulty. When you test them out in the open they spark magnificently, but when they are screwed in and under pressure they don't fire consistently worth s**t. I had this problem with my Yamaha Apex snowmobile last year (it has the fuel injected R1 motor in it, if you don't know sleds). Two of the spark plugs had VERY fine cracks in the insulator part that I could only see under a magnifying glass. Im just goin through the same order with you, as I went through with it, trying to diagnose its problem.
 
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