Dead engine after crash - need ideas how to get it running !

[reds]

Got knocked off back in October, months of wrangling and now the case is going to court.

As it finally looks like claim will be settled soon, I have started to think about putting nike back on road (it was Cat C - due to damage, but this is really fairinngs / snapped rear foot peg holder - and it pissed out a load of oil!)

am playing with idea of streetfightering it - as salvage value is £80, so seems like a nice cheap project, if / when insurance pays out

main issue is that after the accident (i checkd teh same day, so cant be dead battery) the engie wont turn over - have power to lights etc... but nothing at all off of teh started (have checked kill switch is in right position before anyone asks)

so before i start stripping the bike down, i want to check that its still running - any ideas ???

as i think the camchain /tensioner were on there way out, figured i would do this, along with headgasket, and prob have it skimmed, so i know the engine is all sound - this is a long term project / /no major rush, so figured I woud take the time to make sure it comes out in top condition

also vic test wise, what should i expect ??? is it tough to pass ???

[zimm]

only time i've crashed a bike and it pissed out a load of oil whilst running it killed the big-end bearings ..

similar situation to you really .. waited months to get the all clear before working on it, spent a fortune on panels and paint, coaxed the lump back into life, wondered why it felt like toad, hoped it would clear..

it did about 200 miles before seizing and putting a rod through the block.

[reds]

will have a good look over it, was a low speed crash (10mph pos less) as I was filtering

fairings are all knackered (so much for crash bungs protecting them !

other damage (noticeable from the outset)

1 - cracked radiator mount
2 - rear brake plate (that attached to frame) snapped
3 - metal frame that holds front fairing in position - bent into forks (so cant move / turn wheel)
4 - engine wont turn over

so am hoping that teh enigne should be ok, with new gasket set / cambelt (as i was starting to get rattle a 2k-3k revs)

it was that long ago cant rember if it was oil now, could have been coolant / knackered rad - didnt check it over at teh scence as was take in ambulance to hospital !

[zimm]

well, fingers crossed for you its ok..

judging by your profile you arent too far from me, so feel free to pop over and rummage through my parts bins for anything you may need.

saves me either listing endless small items on ebay, or carting around boxes of tat for the next few decades.

[reds]

thanks zimm, i will give it a look over and get some pics of what i need to see if you have it - got teh letter today to say that costs have been agreed, just need to find out liability spliut now through courts, so can finally start working on it - will post in proper section for some statig info (sorry baz posted this without seeing the starting forum)

[reds]

gave it the once over quickly last night, still oil in the engine to the fill line ( i had only put it through its mot 2 weeks before hand and has given it a full service)

still power to lights, horn a bit week so have put it on charge, no dice off of starter at all, not even a wiring / ticking noise

frame wise - is there a standard test for alignment / damage ? ir is it just a kind of look at it, see if its to cock ?

[RedexRobB]

best way is what they do at the MOT, run some straight lengths of steel against each tyre wall of the back tyre, long enough to go upto the front and measure the gap each side of the front tyre with it pointing straight. If the frame is twisted youll have different measurements in each gap (as the rear wheel is wider compared to the front), if its ok then the gaps will more or less be the same.

[extonyg]

if you wanted to be really sure most bike garages have laser aligners so they can check that the wheels, etc are still straight
as for the non start have you checked all fuses espicially the starter relay one, are all connections for starter relay secure?have you tried bridging the relay just to see if it turns over?

[reds]

thanks rob - will give that a go before i go down the road of getting it put back together - but i suppose that the front wheel could be out of line and/or the front forks and this test would still come back as there being an alignement issue that might not be the frame

checked all of the fuses in the junction box and they are all ok from what i can see

believe the next step is to bypass the starter switch and try to make the starter turn over by connecting directly to the battery ??? is this corrrect ? what is the best way to achieve this ???

[RedexRobB]

another thing that i did once was place a bit of wood, (this has to be the right size) in front of the screen brace and the fork tops. This then fills the 'gap' between the two and should keep the forks from turning while measuring and keep them pointing forward. That should at least tell you if the forks are twisted, you could more or less straighten them out by hand that way, and then check the gap either side.

[reds]

looks to be straight - cant really tell with second method as the metal frame that hold teh fairing go tbent in the accident so not a great datum point !

battery was fully charged last night, no issues with lights / horn sounds powerfull - checked fuses in junction box all OK - checked 30amp fuse in starter relay, looked a bit grubby, but pulled it out and all teh lights etc... went, when i popped it back in everything came on again, so safe to say its not that - so next step is to remove the starter motor and check it with battery ???

if it spins then its an issue with starter switch - if not then likley culprit is starter motor ? is that right ???

[reds]

got it going !!!

was a loose connector (had no voltage running through starter solenoid, so worked back and found loose connection)

turned over no worries battery went for 12.9vish to 14ish when revved - sweet

then it died and i noticed the puddle of oil !!!!

turns out i was right about the oil on the road after the crash, was from the oil cooler - anywho tightened up the bango bolts (think they are massive banjo bolts?) topped up oil and its running like a champ no more leaking of oil either

fairing alls of, so going to check the alignment tomorrow (looks good though) and all being well engine coming out for overhaul - new cam chain / tensioner - head gasket etc.... and complete respray re-build