Hi Folks!

I have a 2000 zx6 (J)
I have been having a hard time getting it to start when warm. Investigations today show it is running on three cyliders at times. We have ruled out plugs and the coil/spark plug caps. The bike is new to me and I have also noticed the kickstand/killswith also does not work (I tried disconnecting the harness to see if this would help - it didn't).

Looking at the bike instruments it is the second cylinder from the left. It seems strange that it is intermitent.
The wiring diagram is showing a direct wire to the igniter box.

Any ideas? It still seems to get up and go, but perhaps not what it should be and idles and starts like crap.

Your assistance is appreciated.

 

wassup cyber, long time no see lol. that really sux we couldn't get ur bike workin properly for ya today. as i said before the people here are very friendly and knowledgable, i hope that someone will be able to think of something. it doesn't seem to be lack of fuel and it is funny because it is intermitent, which kind of pointed us towards the wiring. anyway,welcome aboard cyberfunk, i hope your stay here is as good as mine has been

 

hey man i dont know if this would work but theres a ignition wire tester. there cheap as hell and they plug into your spark and wire and then insert it into head and start the engine and it flashes different ways, each way letting you know if it has cylinder, plug, ignition wire problems etc. youd prolly have to take your fairing off one side so you could see it good with airbox, b.c i wouldnt start it without the airbox on.

[IMG]local://upfiles/4679/1E3DA4175B0A4AFD802D8687A3DD58C3.jpg[/IMG]

 

just had this problem with my bike. clean the carbs and put fresh gas in the tank

 

thanx for the replies fellas, any other ideas just incase?

 

i read sea foam for cleanin carbs, does it work better than carb cleaner? i've never tried it

 

Sound like the carbs need cleaning if you're SURE the plugs or coil isn't the problem. Sometimes the coils can be intermittent. Try swapping the coils to see if the problem follows. The coil can get hot and quit working until it cools off again or vice versa. The igniter would affect 2 cylinders; 2&3 or 1&4. So either the plug, coil, wire connection to the coil or fuel supply to that cylinder. Check the color of the plugs.

 

thanx for the reply speed, he changed the plugs first of all then they switched the coils just to make sure it wasn't a faulty coil. it was the same cylinder not firing. so it MUST be the carbs. i was talkin to cyberfunk yesterday and he said it's runnin really bad now and it wreaks of gas so i'm thinkin the float is stuck and is floodin that cylinder. thanx fellasjust sux, it's his first green machine.

 

Take a compression reading also. Sounds like the carbs alright. I have seen loose main jets at the bottom of the float bowls or just some dirt holding the float valve open. Ckeck the oil levelfor fuel that leaked in past the rings.

 

Thanks for all the help guys.

It was the carbs.
Sea Foam seamed to help but we ripped them down anyways for a proper cleaning. They didn't look too too bad, but what stuck out was the fact the butterfly valves (I think that is what they are called) would not close all the way. Someone had greased them, and the rod and springs were caked in sand making an awful grinding noise when opening and not returning the way they should. That and some syncing of the carbs seemed to do the trick. It idled for about 25 mins straight while syncing (no issues) and nice good starts now.

PS: if your bike burps any of that sea foam up it will eat away the air filter (stock foamy thing recycled from an old pillow from the looks of it).

Thanks again!