2007 FJR Starter Issues
- Thread starter Azuqui
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road runner
Well-known member
Is it spinning the engine, and not starting?
Or is it just clicking when you hit the start button?
RossKean
Well-known member
Battery is weak, I would guess. Try jumping it using a known good battery (or from your car - engine not running).
Possibly flooded and wide-open-throttle could help. Possible it is the starter but battery is more likely.
I don't know what the thumping noise is...
Possibly flooded and wide-open-throttle could help. Possible it is the starter but battery is more likely.
I don't know what the thumping noise is...
road runner
Well-known member
Oh. just saw video.
It is trying to start. Try holding it wide open throttle, like some have said earlier. It may be flooded and by holding it WOT you will give it more air to help clear it out. Crank it for like 5 seconds at a time and give it a few minutes in between so you don't overheat the starter, and keep the battery charged up. Just be ready to back off so you don't over rev it after it starts.
It is trying to start. Try holding it wide open throttle, like some have said earlier. It may be flooded and by holding it WOT you will give it more air to help clear it out. Crank it for like 5 seconds at a time and give it a few minutes in between so you don't overheat the starter, and keep the battery charged up. Just be ready to back off so you don't over rev it after it starts.
1911
Well-known member
I can’t hear the snaps, can’t even see the video
road runner
Well-known member
It sounds like a cylinder firing.
Go WOT while cranking. That will clear it out and allow it to start. It may take several attempts and that's ok just make sure it is WOT while cranking.
When you put it to WOT it not only gives it max air but also when the ECM sees WOT with engine not running it turns off the injectors.
Go WOT while cranking. That will clear it out and allow it to start. It may take several attempts and that's ok just make sure it is WOT while cranking.
When you put it to WOT it not only gives it max air but also when the ECM sees WOT with engine not running it turns off the injectors.
MotoMike
Well-known member
The starter is not turning as fast as it should, suggesting low battery voltage. Try jumping the battery with a known good battery. If your starter turns faster with the known good battery attached, you probably need a new battery. The bike may still not start, even with the starter turning faster. In that case, you may also have a flooded engine. To clear the flooded engine, hold the throttle wide open (WOT=Wide Open Throttle), while pushing the start button. Don't run the starter for more than about 5 seconds so as to prevent over-heating the starter. If the bike still doesn't start, wait about a minute to let the starter cool down, then try again to start with a WOT. It may take 3 or 4 tries. When the bike starts, since you are holding the throttle wide open the bike will rev extremely quickly; immediately back off on the throttle to around 3,000 rpm. Hold that for around 10 seconds, then back off the throttle to idle. Let the bike idle while you get dressed in your riding gear. Go for a ride.
RossKean
Well-known member
^^^ +1
Although bursts longer than 5 seconds may be needed. I think 15 seconds is probably OK but let it cool in between.
Although bursts longer than 5 seconds may be needed. I think 15 seconds is probably OK but let it cool in between.
1911
Well-known member
I just found the video. That snapping sure sounds mechanical to me. How many miles on this bike? CCT updated?
Mihalis fjr
Well-known member
In the video sounds like a metal hit another metal.Also sounds like,that the engine is out of time.I would suggest you to remove the valve cover and timing cover to check the timing.Don't try to start the engine.If the engine is out of timing due to a defective CCT perhaps,you will destroy your engine..Not sure about it,only a thought..
road runner
Well-known member
Yeah, it's hard to tell when listening to video if the noise is a cylinder firing like when flooded or a metal-to-metal noise. Although it sounds more like a flooded engine to me.
A little more history would help. Like when it was last run did it run good/normal?
Did you just buy bike and have no history?
Was it running ok and then it just stalled?
Was it running bad?
etc. etc.
Or was it running fine last time it ran and when you went to start it recently it did this? Maybe it started, ran for a second then stalled?
A little more history would help. Like when it was last run did it run good/normal?
Did you just buy bike and have no history?
Was it running ok and then it just stalled?
Was it running bad?
etc. etc.
Or was it running fine last time it ran and when you went to start it recently it did this? Maybe it started, ran for a second then stalled?
Last edited:
Azuqui
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I'm the original owner with 21,570 miles on it. It was running fine, one day, bam! this issue pops up. and now, I have people tell me to hold the throttle wide open, and as if it was on queue, now the I can't even move the throttle a little bit. Almost feels as it if it had a lock to it. I mean, can't even move it at all.! This is starting to feel as a curse of some sort.......geez! I can't even try the tips offered here now......WTF
RossKean
Well-known member
A couple of things...
The throttle being "stuck" has nothing to do with the other problem. Mechanical but might require taking stuff apart to see if something is jammed or cable broken etc. Airbox might have to come off to get to the throttle bodies or it might just be at the grip...? You won't know until you get into it.
Sometimes a sound recording picks up stuff that you don't generally hear "in person". I can't really tell what is going on here. At first, I was thinking it was flooded in combination with a weak battery. In that case, fully charging the battery (and/or a jump) in combination with WOT would be the appropriate solution. (Seems most likely)
BUT...
As I mentioned (as others have as well), there is some sort of mechanical "THUMP" noise that doesn't seem entirely normal. Might not be anything, however there is a possibility that the cam chain has skipped a couple of teeth. This would be a BAD thing and needs to be checked out. Some Gen I and early Gen II bikes had an issue with the cam chain tensioner not always engaging properly which enabled the cam chain to skip and basically wreck the motor because pistons and valves tried to occupy the same space. If your 2007 still has the original CCT (cam chain tensioner), you can't ignore the possibility. Common symptom of a CCT that is not working properly is a "can of marbles" rattling sound from the right hand side of the engine when starting the bike. (May happen for some weeks before actual failure.) Noise goes away after it is warmed up a bit. Unfortunately, you might not have that warning...
At this point, I would lift the tank and pull the sparkplugs. I would remove the oil pump cover which hides the lower crank and cam chain and have a look inside. I would CAREFULLY rotate the engine using a socket wrench on the crank bolt and see if you run into excessive resistance at any point. Unfortunately, if it is severely out of time, the damage may have been done already. If you don't encounter anything, it may be safe to reassemble and try the WOT with a freshly charged good battery... (after dealing with the throttle linkage issue)
Note: With the sparkplugs out, examination of the tops of the pistons using a borescope might tell you if bad stuff has happened. If there is debris in the cylinders or the piston tops have been marked by the valves, it is likely already too late...
Next would be to drain coolant, remove coolant pipe and cam cover and check cam timing using the marks on the cam gears. If you aren't sure about what to do, STOP and get some assistance. Your bike is close to needing a valve clearance check anyway and this might be a good time to do that. In any case, if the CCT is the original, I would definitely replace it!
How comfortable are you with this stuff? Do you know anyone (or a dealer) that you trust for mechanical diagnosis and repair? Where are you located? I would definitely recommend getting an experienced set of eyes (and ears) on your problems.
Good luck!
Azuqui
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Hey RossKean, Thank you for your input. Everything you said kinda makes sense to me. I tinker a lot on my Road Star, but I wouldn't feel confortable breaking the feejer down. I'm in SW Florida, Cape Coral area near Ft. Myers.
Gotta find a dealership, or someone who works on them. The dealership closest to me, that sells them, won't work on any bike older than 10 years . That's frigging crazy!
Gotta find a dealership, or someone who works on them. The dealership closest to me, that sells them, won't work on any bike older than 10 years . That's frigging crazy!
Mihalis fjr
Well-known member
Diablo1
Well-known member
With mechanical problems, it’s usually just one problem at a time. Since you can’t move the throttle now, I’ll guess that’s causing your no-start issue. Remove the tank and find out why your throttle doesn’t work. Maybe the throttle plates are stuck wide open? Check the cables, cam and linkage.
Changing is not to difficult just takes time to remove the stuff in your way.
RossKean
Well-known member
Have you made any progress on this?
Hopefully, you can find an independent mechanic who can help since the Yamaha dealer seems to be unwilling to do so. The FJR is really not that hard to work on although more complicated than the Road Star (I had a 2004 Road Star for a couple of years).
