A month ago I posted an entry in which I included a short YouTube video of me starting the engine. This proved three things:

1. My wiring was OK and all the safety checks had been passed by the ECU so it allowed the engine to start.

2. Fuel and power were getting to the engine and it was generating oil pressure.

3. The engine (an un-known quantity) works.

Since then I have tidied up the wiring, added in some cable ducks (which I think was a mistake) and also re-wired the power to the dashboard and lights to make them fused in the correct way. But I have essentially not touched any of the wiring to the engine other than adding the battery cut-off switch to the main feed.

And yet, something has changed as the engine does not work now!

I tried to spark it to check it was all ok last week but it would not start. At first I thought it was the battery so I charged it up but still no joy.

The sound it makes is different, like the starting is freely spinning or not engaging at all and there is no oil pressure being shown on the dash, which makes sense as I don't think the engine is turning over at all.

Last night, I took out one of the spark plugs and tried it to see if I was getting a spark, again there was nothing.

So, to me that suggests that it is an electrical problem but then why does the starter sound different. What the hell have I broken?

I have now checked all my wiring and can not see anything that has changed or is wrong but something must be. I think I will have to leave this up to the experts at MAC#1 as diagnosing an engine fault definitely falls on the wrong side of my current skill set.

Any thoughts or things I can check would be great.

Cheers
Liam
www.kit-car-build.com

[Edited on 28/5/08 by liamb]

[Edited on 28/5/08 by liamb]

If theres no sparks then it will spin over faster , allthough that wont explain the lack of oil pressure - is it an electric oil pressure switch ?

Broken starter solenoid?? You should be able to see if the engine is turning over at the pulley end easy enough??

Last time you started it the starter dog may have stuck in. place a piece of wood on to the starter housing and strike with a hammer it may free off. if not place the car in gear (ignition off) and push the car back and forth this may disengae the starter

Cheers,

Will look in to the starter. Should have mentioned that it is a Fireblade 954 bike engine so there is not much to see in the way of pulleys etc.

I did wonder whether there was a starter solenoid but I really know nothing about bike engines. I will try thumping it, you never know!

Liam

If you try to crank it over with the spark plugs out, you should be able to feel pressure generated by the moving pistons at the plug holes. This should confirm whether the starter is turning the crankshaft!

Don't forget to disable the fuel pump and ignition whilst doing it and of course remember to enable systems again afterwards!

Martyn

Liam

The technique you are refering to is never to be referred to again as thumping it.

This is an abuse of you powers as owner of such a special vehicle.

The technique be refered to forevermore as "gentle persuasion".

There are varying degrees of gentle persuasion begining with a rubber mallet and ending in a hulking great sledge hammer.

Once you have mastered this first course of gentle persuasion you will be well on your way to mastering the technique which is excellent news as you will need to revert to the technique on a number of occasions, no doubt, in the future.

If in doubt, give it a clout....