Westfield starting problems!

[JT71]

My ZX9R engined Westy is not great at starting if it's been left for a few days. It normally starts eventually after many attempts of turning it over, then leaving it for a bit and trying again, however this normally takes half an hour or so, and means an auxillary battery / jump leads every time. Are there any obvious reasons behind this? How can I improve the reliability of it starting?

Cheers!

[tribbles]

Does the starter seem to work okay, but it just doesn't seem to spark, or is the starter a bit slow?

[dern]

Measure the voltage drop across the lead from the battery to the starter and the earth strap. These things can break down which results in them having internal resistance which means the starter motor gets less voltage which means the don't turn the engine quite as quickly. If either (or both) lead has a voltage drop across it then replace it and you should be sorted.

[LocoBlade]

Are you using the choke? As its colder now it will most likely need it to start which it may not have done over the summer in the hotter (slightly!) weather.

If the starter turns over slowly, try putting a jump lead from the engine casing to the negative of the battery. If this helps, you need to check the engine earth strap (if you have one) as they often corrode a bit.

Edited by LocoBlade on Sunday 30th September 21:07

[JT71]

Thanks for the responses - it's a bit of both, the starter motor is slightly slow which improves considerably when using an auxillary battery / jump leads to another car, however it's also the fact that it's just not sparking, although the motor is turning over. Have tried using the choke, and doesn't seem to make any difference at all.

[tribbles]

I'd check the battery, and also the cable from it.

May be worth using half a set of jump leads to give the cable a bit of an extra 'boost' by running it in parallel with the existing cable to the starter as a quick check (if you can). That will check the cable.

As dern said, check the voltage when starting to see if there's too much of a drop.

[anonymous-user]

Reading this it does not sound like a battery problem you are saying it spins, but then does't start, and then runs the battry down. All the Kawasaki's I've had have been difficult to start if you leave them stand with fuel in the cards, especielly the ZX7 I had a few years ago. On my ZX9 I turn of the fuel cock a few streers from home, and always leave the bike standing with no fuel in the carbs, it will then start first time, when I turn the fuel on.