sick connie,bike wont start

[gslothower]

Tuesday, I rode my connie to lunch.After eating I went to start it.The engin turned over like always but then there was a bang,it sounded like metal on metal.I thought I was hearing things and tried again, didnt even turn over.So I tried again, the same thing.It wanted to start but once again bang,the same as the first time.It wasnt a backfire.The bike is a 2001 with 19,ooo miles.I have always kept the connie in the best shape possible.Does anyone have and ideas?I had the shop pick her up, but wonder what possibly could it be?? Thanks Glenn

 

[Sparkie]

From what you're describing it sounds like the dreaded hydrolock. I hope I'm wrong for your sake. Good luck, Mark '06' Concours

 

[turbojoe78]

How much did it turn over before it stopped? Usually with hydrolock you don't even get a full turn out of it before it stops. Joe 1968 Honda 160 Scrambler, Sold / 1979 Kawasaki SR 650, Traded in for next one, 1978 Kawasaki KZ 1000 Z1R Turbo / 1986 Kawasaki ZX 1000R Ninja / 1999 Kawasaki Concours COG memb# 8645

 

[gslothower]

Hi Joe, it turned over a couple of times.What is hydrolock?Never heard of that before.I hope to hear from the shop today.I was wanting to ride today, oh well, thanks Glenn

 

[tom_epp_NC]

glenn, hydrolock is when one or more cylinders fill up with fuel do to a float valve not closing or petcock or both. usually it won't turn over, kinda acts like a dead battery but the starter will engage but it can't compress all that fuel. when i was working in a repair shop many moons ago we had a corvette come in on the rollback, the guy drove through a deep puddle and sucked enough water into the intake to stop the motor. i don't remember how many rods and pistons he needed but it was several. i hope yours isn't catastrophic like that. i dodged a bullet with mine when i first got it. after spending about 4hrs on the trailer for the ride home, i get it there, unload and tried to fire it up for my friend to hear and realized that the PO left the petcock on prime from that morning when he first started it. so it was on prime ALL DAY. i was able to let it sit for about an hour and she fired up. i guess i got lucky from what i've read on here about it. i hope the repair shop goes easy on ya. HTH good luck, tom

 

[Brett0769]

There was a good Concourier article about the dreaded hydrolock a few issues back. Had some grisly photos of the most disturbing sort, still having nightmares over them.

 

[smithr]

Thanks Brett but I was not trying to scare you but make everyone realize that this issue CAN take an engine out. Well Glenn my guess is you have a float valve in a carb not sealing. If the petcock was also leaking it would have hydro locked on first turn but still could be both. With a float valve not sealing gas was only poring in when the bike was running and popping is either the cylinder being almost full of gas but not enough to lock or the excess gas firing off and exploding all the way out into the exhaust system. another thing to check might be the cam chain if no fuel issues. You need to check your bike for bent rods now even if it runs. Photos[/url]

 

[colinp386]

I'm not 100% convinced this bike has hydrolocked. It may also be a dropped valve, or a couple of other issues. Pretty easy way to find out is to remove the tank and plugs, and turn the engine over with the bike in 1st or second or by removing the LHS timing cover and turn it over with the center socket head bolt not the big nut so that the 1&4 then 2&3 pistons are at TDC (Top Dead Center). Use a dowel or better still a vernier caliper to measure the relative heights of 1&4 and 2&3 if a rod is bent one of the measurements will be significantly different. Also if the rod is VERY bent the skirt of the piston with hit the crankshaft and cause a big "clank". However any such clank will also happen if you have a dropped valve. If you do have a bent rod, hope its #2 or #3 as they are significantly easier to replace. Colin Prior COG IT Director Lake Forest Park WA COG#7767 AMA#1081764 ROK#20000617

 

[gslothower]

thanks for all your help.The shop called and you were right.I somehow left the primmer on,causing the engine to flood.The shop removed the plugs, and unstuck the carb needle?, and it started and runs just fine.There was no gas in the bottem end of the bike,but I had the oil changed anyway.I am relieved thats all it was. Stupid on my part.Thanks Glenn

 

[Sparkie]

That sounds like good news for you,,,but,,,You said that you heard a loud clunk like metal on metal, twice. I think I would look a little further into this. As others here mentioned, it might be wise to check the piston height of all cylinders in order not to miss a bent rod. Mark '06' Concours

 

[zorlac]

it started and runs just fine. That's all I'd need to know. Glad you dodged the bullet!

 

[colinp386]

it started and runs just fine

However that does not mean there is not a bent rod in the engine. As long as its not badly bent it will run pretty happily. I suspect there a number of bikes out there with bent slightly bent rods, that are still running with the owner blissfully ignorant of the fact. Here is a rod with a medium amount of bend, I have one way worse than this that's bent in both planes, and one that is so slightly bent you can hardly see its bent. It may well be you dogged the bullet. If it's only slightly bent you will loose a bit of compression, and the bike will probably vibrate a touch more. Colin Prior COG IT Director Lake Forest Park WA COG#7767 AMA#1081764 ROK#20000617

 

[Zedi42]

As long as its not badly bent it will run pretty happily. I suspect there a number of bikes out there with bent slightly bent rods, that are still running with the owner blissfully ignorant of the fact. I had a similar experience in that I went to start the bike and it made a loud Crack and started next try. Probably should not have tried it the second time but I was in a hurry and was not thinking. Anywho, it runs fine, but I think it may have a slightly bent rod since it is slightly slower than before. My question if I find a bent rod next valve check should I just run it till something happens, or go ahead and fix it now. As a follow up, I have a complete parts bike that just needs the plastic and a radiator that ran fine till I hit the deer. Everything but the plastic and radiator seem fine. Aside from having to use a rebuilt title, Would it be easier to swap the plastics and radiator, and if necessary front fork, or to do an engine swap? Thanks

 

[smithr]

It might be just me but with up to 7.sumthin gallons of gas sitting right next to your engine I would want to know that the chance of parts flying out are low. I know that most times it breaks the casing in lower front but still a busted engine is not good. I would replace the rod if you know it's bent. Photos[/url]

 

[colinp386]

Would it be easier to swap the plastics and radiator, and if necessary front fork, or to do an engine swap?

Umm "how long is a piece of string" as my mother used to say.... Time wise there is not much in it. Swapping the engine out is not "That" hard the whole power plant comes out in one piece. However you have to pull the swinging arm and the carbs drain oil and coolant etc. If it were me and it was me I would see if the piston height was less that 2mm different from the others I would probably just let it go. Those rods are somewhat over engineered, and as long as you are not wringing the engines neck it probably won't let go. HOWEVER that's just my opinion of what I would do. You need to make your own call, If the piston height was more than 2mm different and it was its the #2 or #3 rod that was bent I would drop the oil pan, pull the head and replace the rod all that can be done with the engine in the frame. If it was #1 or #4 I would swap the engine and then rebuild the old engine as a 1052 with the ZX10B ZRX11 Rod/Piston combo. Colin Colin Prior COG IT Director Lake Forest Park WA COG#7767 AMA#1081764 ROK#20000617

 

[gslothower]

Well, I picked up my connie friday,and was very happy to hear it run,and sound as good as it always does.After a ride home I didnt hear any strange noises and the bike runs as good as it always does.Guess I got lucky this time.It cost me $200 that could of paid for a new windshield.No more using the primmer for me.Thanks for everyones advice, Glenn S

 

[Ranger Jim]

There's not reason to NOT use the Prime position on the petcock; just don't leave it on Prime after the engine starts. I use the Prime position on mine whenever the bike has been sitting for a time (3-5 days) as the fuel will evaporate from the float bowls and it takes a lot of "cranking" to get suffficient vacumn to re-fill them. Starting drill is: 1. Petcock on "Prime." 2. Enrichener full ON. 3. Ignition switch ON. 4. Start engine. 5. When engine is running smoothly, move Petcock to RUN position. 6. Enrichener OFF (I may run it partially on for a mile or so if the temps are cool). You may also find it handy to switch to Prime before you go to Reserve (should you need to) but again, don't leave it on Prime.