click but no start

[chaz82801]

About a month ago, the bike had trouble starting and acted like it was flooded. A newb mistake, i left the bike sit over the winter with the gas turned on and the tank drained intio the airbox, soaking my air filter and leaking into the transmission. After cleaning the airbox, it started right up, but after we drained the transmission fluid, and replaced it (with two quarts. Too much?), it wouldnt even turn. it just clicked. all the lights are coming on, but i dont know if i messed something up when i took the cover off the transmission. Also, looked at the starter and it doesnt turn when cranked. Any ideas, or am i gonna have to pay for my rookie mistakes?

[music man]

About a month ago, the bike had trouble starting and acted like it was flooded. A newb mistake, i left the bike sit over the winter with the gas turned on and the tank drained intio the airbox, soaking my air filter and leaking into the transmission. After cleaning the airbox, it started right up, but after we drained the transmission fluid, and replaced it (with two quarts. Too much?), it wouldnt even turn. it just clicked. all the lights are coming on, but i dont know if i messed something up when i took the cover off the transmission. Also, looked at the starter and it doesnt turn when cranked. Any ideas, or am i gonna have to pay for my rookie mistakes?


Well first of all, I hope that you didn't put transmission fluid in it, because the engine and the transmission on the GZ is all lubed by the engine oil, Secondly, yes two full quarts is too much, it says on the side of the crankcase how much oil to put in it, 1300ml if I remember correctly (I no longer own a GZ or I would just go look). Last but not least, why did you take the "transmission cover" off. We need to know all that before we go too far, and what else did you mess with when you took the "transmission cover" off.

[Edit] I just went back and read your post, when you cleaned the airbox and started it up, how long did you run it? This is all sounding very bad for you my friend.

[Water Warrior 2]

Yup, newbie stuff. Glad you came to us for some tutoring. Gotta drain the oil out and start over with the proper amount. 1300 cc's as Music Man mentioned. There is an oil window on the right hand side of the engine. Down low. Bike must be upright(not leaning on the sidestand)when you check it. Engine oil lubes the engine and tranny. 10-40 will do the job nicely, just make sure it is not an energy conserving oil. There is a circle on the back of the bottle. If it say energy conserving in the circle do not use it in the bike.
And you probably should have a new air filter too if it was soaked for so long. Stand by for more helpful hints.

[music man]

I am just scared that he ran his engine with gasoline in the crankcase and locked his engine up. That is why I said all that and didn't offer any real advice til' he gets back to us and lets us know more information.

[blaine]

Yup, newbie stuff. Glad you came to us for some tutoring. Gotta drain the oil out and start over with the proper amount. 1300 cc's as Music Man mentioned. There is an oil window on the right hand side of the engine. Down low. Bike must be upright(not leaning on the sidestand)when you check it. Engine oil lubes the engine and tranny. 10-40 will do the job nicely, just make sure it is not an energy conserving oil. There is a circle on the back of the bottle. If it say energy conserving in the circle do not use it in the bike.
And you probably should have a new air filter too if it was soaked for so long. Stand by for more helpful hints.

Also sounds like the engine is locked up from fuel vapors,take out spark plug and turn engine over a few times to get rid of vapors than reinstall plug.

[Easy Rider]

Any ideas, or am i gonna have to pay for my rookie mistakes?

Yes probably....as others have said.....so STOP that. :roll:
Look it up or ask, don't just take a wild guess at what should be done.
It sounds like your knowledge of how engines work is somewhat limited; be honest with yourself about your own limitations.

HOWEVER...... Mr. Murphy suggests that it is POSSIBLE that your battery picked this confusing time to fail, all on it's own, not due to anything you did. So, the first thing to do is charge the battery and try again.....or charge it and get it tested.

P.S. Unless you left the petcock turned to PRIme, it is likely that the "damage" is not as severe as you imagine because there are TWO shutoffs in the fuel path when turned to ON; one in the petcock itself (which is vacume operated) and another in the carb. It is not impossible that BOTH of those failed but HIGHLY unlikely.

Unless you mucked something up while working on it, the "fix" might be as simple as a new battery........and getting the right oil in it.

[chaz82801]

wow, i feel retarded. Thanks for the help.
music man- took the cover off to make sure there wasnt any damage (which is ironic if its now damaged). i didnt pull anything, just looked at it to make sure no gears were sheered. also, only ran it for a second, then shut it off.

that said, if the lights and sirens are all on, shouldn't the starter still trun regardless of the engine being siezed?
again thanks for all the help; and yes my engine knowledge is limited, especially on bikes

[music man]

wow, i feel retarded. Thanks for the help.
music man- took the cover off to make sure there wasnt any damage (which is ironic if its now damaged). i didnt pull anything, just looked at it to make sure no gears were sheered. also, only ran it for a second, then shut it off.

that said, if the lights and sirens are all on, shouldn't the starter still trun regardless of the engine being siezed?
again thanks for all the help; and yes my engine knowledge is limited, especially on bikes


No need to feel retarded, you just got in a little over your head. You still didn't answer the question of what kind of fluid you put in it, and the starter turns the engine over, so if the engine is seized, then no the starter probably won't turn. If you only ran it for a second, then it is unlikely that you did any engine damage, its also unlikely (but possible) that you mucked something up so bad by pulling off the side cover that it won't even turn over.

So I am going to go with Easy Rider on this one, maybe your battery had just enough juice to crank it up that once, and now it just has enough to turn on the lights.

[chaz82801]

gear fluid, E-90 or something. i thought it was a truck so i filled to the eye hole on the side ( the inner cap of the transmission). i really hope it just the battery but im gonna drain the gear fluid and put 10-40 in, before i try to start it. thanks again, ill keep you posted

[blaine]

gear fluid, E-90 or something. i thought it was a truck so i filled to the eye hole on the side ( the inner cap of the transmission). i really hope it just the battery but im gonna drain the gear fluid and put 10-40 in, before i try to start it. thanks again, ill keep you posted


The gear oil you put in is to thick for the engine to turn over.Once you drain it out and put in 10-40 it should turn over providing you put cover on properly.Good luck!

[Water Warrior 2]

gear fluid, E-90 or something. i thought it was a truck so i filled to the eye hole on the side ( the inner cap of the transmission). i really hope it just the battery but im gonna drain the gear fluid and put 10-40 in, before i try to start it. thanks again, ill keep you posted
Not sure what you mean by eye hole. There is the rubber looking filler plug on the right hand side of the engine(right hand side when you are sitting on the bike)where you pour in the oil. Below that a bit is a sight glass/little round window to check the level. There are full and add marks on the sight glass to guide you. Check the level with the bike upright. Do not overfill the engine b/c it will not be happy and probably eventually die. You might want to search for how to change the oil filter and change that too.

[Easy Rider]

The gear oil you put in is to thick for the engine to turn over.

That's a common misconception. Engine oil and gear oil use different "rating" scales.....and a 90W gear oil is about the same basic thickness as 50W engine oil. That, in itself, should NOT prevent it from turning over. NOW......if he filled it up to the window with the bike resting on the side stand, then it will be WAY overfilled.......but I don't think even that should stop it from turning over.

If anybody EVER needed to get and read an owners manual it certainly is Chaz !!! :roll:

[Easy Rider]

So I am going to go with Easy Rider on this one, maybe your battery had just enough juice to crank it up that once, and now it just has enough to turn on the lights.

I don't think "retarded" is quite the right word either but situations like this make me VERY nervous. I can't help but wonder what ELSE he might have forgotten to tell us. :cry:

[Water Warrior 2]

I would think(uneducated wild ass guess)the gear oil's rating is primarily for shear characteristics.

[music man]

I think he means he filled it up to the cap, in which case would definitely cause some serious problems.

[Water Warrior 2]

Hmm, that would seriously upset the GZ's sense of humor. :lol:

[chaz82801]

I love how helpful the people on this site are. Yes, i overfilled the oil, i thought it took both engine oil and trani fluid like a car. Finally found the problem, and its again my fault. When i ttok the crankcase off the gasket was worn so i replaced it with liquid gasket maker. the loss of the 1/16 inch space caused the case to put pressure on the starter gear, and thus not start. ordered the part and will be in in three days. thanks again to everyone, and yes i started reading the manual.

[Water Warrior 2]

Good catch. I never would have thought of that. 1/16 of an inch and a totally dead bike. You have just added a very interesting bit of knowledge to the forum. Thank you.