It's Dead!

[steeld]

I've had it since August 03 and it has always started. Except last Friday. I had not run the bike for a week or so after it had been outside and lashed by heavy rain and high winds. I went to start the bike, it fired up as normal, ran for about a second and then died. The starter continued to turn the engine over but it just didn't want to fire. I wasn't sure whether the battery was a bit low so I fully charged the battery yesterday and tried again. The starter motor spun quicker but still the bike refused to fire. There was a loud bang at one point which I assume was a backfire through one of the exhausts but, other than that, it showed no other signs of wanting to fire up. This bike has lived on my driveway for three and a bit years and never before failed to start within a second of second of thumbing the starter button.

I don't have any more time to fiddle with it so I'll be calling my dealer tomorrow (Tuesday) - they are closed on a Monday. :angry2: I'm also glad that the dealer is 1/4 mile away unlike the BMW dealers I've been courting who are over 30 miles away.

 

[Warchild]

Sounds like the classic "won't fire up after it's been sitting a while" syndrome that affects many FJRs, particularly when the bike has been sitting around during the winter months.

There are a number of threads on this phenomena.... here's the quick search results on FJR that "won't start"

Happened to me once on my original FJR (2004 ABS) after about 2 1/2 weeks of inactivity due to heavy snow accumulation.

Sure is an irritating aspect about this platform, I'll say that much.... :angry:

 

[cota95]

This also happened to me on my 04'. In that case a new battery did the trick. Even though it seemed to be cranking good, she would not start without a jump.

 

[chornbe]

Sounds like the classic "won't fire up after it's been sitting a while" syndrome that affects many FJRs, particularly when the bike has been sitting around during the winter months.
There are a number of threads on this phenomena.... here's the quick search results on FJR that "won't start"

Happened to me once on my original FJR (2004 ABS) after about 2 1/2 weeks of inactivity due to heavy snow accumulation.

Sure is an irritating aspect about this platform, I'll say that much.... :angry:

So what was the fix in your case?

 

[conwest]

yep...sure does sound familiar. Here is something everybody might want to try. Go to yer local auto supplier and pick up an oil pan heater. This is a 250 watt pad (about 3 1/2" X 5") and affix it to a piece of aluminum (larger than pad). Before you intend to start the bike after a layoff, slip that baby between the pipes and the oil pan...u might have to prop it up with something so that it is right against the pan. Make sure there is nothing flammable around...this thing gets hot! Do this the night before and plug her in. Now my theory is this: as the heat rises to the top of the engine, the sensors will read the heat and will prevent a large load of fuel being dumped into the cylinders at startup, snuffing out the spark/flame. I haven`t actually tried it yet, as I`ve just got the stuff together, waiting at bay. I am determined not to go through another miserable spring startup and all that cranking...too damn hard on the starter motor I`m sure. As soon as I have the results...probobly March, I will inform the board(s). I do believe, my thinking is sound on this one...anyone else? :clapping:

 

[wheatonFJR]

yep...sure does sound familiar. Here is something everybody might want to try. Go to yer local auto supplier and pick up an oil pan heater. This is a 250 watt pad (about 3 1/2" X 5") and affix it to a piece of aluminum (larger than pad). Before you intend to start the bike after a layoff, slip that baby between the pipes and the oil pan...u might have to prop it up with something so that it is right against the pan. Make sure there is nothing flammable around...this thing gets hot! Do this the night before and plug her in. Now my theory is this: as the heat rises to the top of the engine, the sensors will read the heat and will prevent a large load of fuel being dumped into the cylinders at startup, snuffing out the spark/flame. I haven`t actually tried it yet, as I`ve just got the stuff together, waiting at bay. I am determined not to go through another miserable spring startup and all that cranking...too damn hard on the starter motor I`m sure. As soon as I have the results...probobly March, I will inform the board(s). I do believe, my thinking is sound on this one...anyone else? :clapping:

:blink: :dribble:

Cure maybe worse than the disease?

Is your garage attached to your house?

 

[Cdogman]

Man, I dont need that!

Mine is in my warehouse, it was ZERO degrees this morning. If that sucker hits 38 I am goin out. Got my helment and stuff in there too waiting (tapping foot)

 

[Charlie Hoss]

I've had it since August 03 and it has always started. Except last Friday. I had not run the bike for a week or so after it had been outside and lashed by heavy rain and high winds. I went to start the bike, it fired up as normal, ran for about a second and then died. The starter continued to turn the engine over but it just didn't want to fire. I wasn't sure whether the battery was a bit low so I fully charged the battery yesterday and tried again. The starter motor spun quicker but still the bike refused to fire. There was a loud bang at one point which I assume was a backfire through one of the exhausts but, other than that, it showed no other signs of wanting to fire up. This bike has lived on my driveway for three and a bit years and never before failed to start within a second of second of thumbing the starter button.
I don't have any more time to fiddle with it so I'll be calling my dealer tomorrow (Tuesday) - they are closed on a Monday. :angry2: I'm also glad that the dealer is 1/4 mile away unlike the BMW dealers I've been courting who are over 30 miles away.

Yep...sure sounds familiar. Just hold the throttle wide open and keep trying. Give the starter a rest after several seconds of cranking. It WILL start. Will run like nothing ever happened.

TIPS: Don't turn key on unnecessarily, fuel pump runs each time you do, floods engine. If starting engine, allow to warm up completely before shutting off.

 

[slapnpop]

TIPS: Don't turn key on unnecessarily, fuel pump runs each time you do, floods engine.

This shouldn't have any effect on the amount of gas in the cylinder. The fuel pump pressurizes the fuel rail, and has a dump valve for any excess fuel to go back to the tank. Only way to flood out the engine this way would be for injectors to be leaking, or otherwise allowing too much gas in.

 

[tripletango]

TIPS: Don't turn key on unnecessarily, fuel pump runs each time you do, floods engine.

This shouldn't have any effect on the amount of gas in the cylinder. The fuel pump pressurizes the fuel rail, and has a dump valve for any excess fuel to go back to the tank. Only way to flood out the engine this way would be for injectors to be leaking, or otherwise allowing too much gas in.

I still think it is due to condensation!

 

[Geezer]

TIPS: Don't turn key on unnecessarily, fuel pump runs each time you do, floods engine.

This shouldn't have any effect on the amount of gas in the cylinder. The fuel pump pressurizes the fuel rail, and has a dump valve for any excess fuel to go back to the tank. Only way to flood out the engine this way would be for injectors to be leaking, or otherwise allowing too much gas in.

+1 Whenever my FJR sits unused for a week or more I switch the key on and wait for the fuel pump to stop running, then cycle it off and back on to run the pump again before trying to start the bike. It always starts for me after doing this even after a couple of months of sitting during the winter.

 

[dcarver]

Thought I read on the forum that 06's and later don't return fuel to the tank?

 

[slapnpop]

Thought I read on the forum that 06's and later don't return fuel to the tank?

You are correct.

The bike in question is an '05.

 

[steeld]

Thanks for your feedback. It seems that this is not an uncommon problem and nobody has a definitive answer as to what causes it. There are lots of ideas floating around (though I tried the holding the throttle open last night and it didn't work). The bike has had nothing fitted to it recently and is treated no differently to how it has been treated over the past 3 years. Up until now it has always been a reliable starter. This has dented my confidence in the FJR design - this shouldn't happen with a modern bike and if it did, there should be a lot more information out there as to what causes it, how to prevent it, and how to fix it.

 

[SkooterG]

Are there any error codes displayed?

How old is the battery?

Try the "crank with the throttle wide open" a few more times.

You mentioned it was outside in "heavy rain and high winds" - is it possible that water got inside the fuel tank?

Let's see, you have had your FJR for 3 years and 5 months with nary a problem, and now it won't start for the first time and your confidence in the design of the FJR is dented? Let's be realistic here. I would say you have had pretty darn good reliability. And since you still have not determined what the problem is, it's entirely possible that it has nothing to do with the inherent design of the FJR.

I realize it truly sucks when one's bike doesn't start, but keep an open mind and keep plugging.

 

[Charlie Hoss]

TIPS: Don't turn key on unnecessarily, fuel pump runs each time you do, floods engine.

This shouldn't have any effect on the amount of gas in the cylinder. The fuel pump pressurizes the fuel rail, and has a dump valve for any excess fuel to go back to the tank. Only way to flood out the engine this way would be for injectors to be leaking, or otherwise allowing too much gas in.

Exactly my point. How else to explain the extreme smell of gasoline when it won't start.

 

[slapnpop]

Exactly my point. How else to explain the extreme smell of gasoline when it won't start.

If the engine is cranking, but not getting electrical ignition, you'd smell the gas being pushed out the exhaust.

Granted, if there's too much gas, you'd get the same situation.

 

[HaulinAshe]

Just try to find a wheelbarrow that you can leave outside for three years and it still work!

Water over time, goes places that cannot always be prevented. Dump the tank. Install a new set of spark plugs (bet you are overdue for them anyway), hold the throttle WFO and attempt a 15-second start. If no start, hold the throttle just barely open beyond idle. Try another 15-second start. Turn off the ignition, wait 10 minutes. Try a third 15-second start with the throttle at idle.

If none of the above works and you still have no faith in Yamahas. Put it on a trailer and trade it in for a Honda. Just remember to buy a cover and park it inside the garage!

 

[Grumpy]

Rad had an explination that seemed to be correct......don't have the means currently to do a search. In my experience....has happened to me twice....having a fully charged battery is very important! If this happens again, do not turn off the key, but rather go to full throttle and crank it hard for 15 seconds or so. At that time, it should start and act as if nothing has happened. Very strange, but seems to be low voltage to the ECU sensitive!

jim