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Engine won’t turn over. Rear wheel won’t spin when in gear.

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by IndyJ, Mar 16, 2021.

  1. IndyJ

    IndyJ New Member

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    Hey everyone. Thanks in advance for any advice I’m given.

    So I’m trying to get this 81 750 Seca going. I’ve replaced the starter solenoid and taken apart the starter and cleaned and greased everything. It honestly didn’t look bad at all and the brushes were at 11.5mm.

    I’ve got it up on the center stand. The gas tank is removed right now. I’m just trying to make sure it will even attempt to turn over before I start replacing spark plugs and rebuilding carbs and spending more money on anything else.

    First off when I try to start it I just get the clicking sound part of the time and part of the time the starter starts to spin but doesn’t sound like it’s engaging. I watched a couple videos online and tried to essentially push start it while on the center stand by spinning the rear wheel. The rear wheel wouldn’t spin while in gear even with the clutch lever pulled. It will only spin when in neutral. Is that normal ? I’m starting to think the clutch plates are stuck from sitting for 20+ years. Clutch plates being stuck wouldn’t keep the bike from turning over would it ? Would I be able to shift in and out Neutral with the clutch plates stuck ?

    I’ve had a couple people say that it could be the starter clutch. Everything I’ve read said that is highly unlikely especially with only 6,000 miles on the bike. Whatever is going on is the reason it was parked in the barn I pulled it out of and stopped being ridden. It was in my Uncle who is now passed away a barn. My cousin had taken the ignition cover off because he said that they thought it was not starting due to an inline fuse that was blown and he was trying to find it. I’ve replaced the glass tube fuse box with a blade fuse box and fuses. Both of my manuals are saying the 750’s do have an inline fuse in an inline fuse holder in the tail light circuit but I can’t find it anywhere. It’s not shown in the wiring diagrams that I can see either. Would that fuse being blown be keeping it from turning over. I doubt it but I’m just trying every possible cheap scenario first.

    My second thought is maybe the engine is a bit seized from sitting for so long but not necessarily completely blown locked up. Should I open the crank case and see if I can manually get the engine to turn with a wrench ? What should I do with an engine that has sit for so long in a barn ?

    I really just want to make sure the bike will turn over before I drop any more money on it.


    Thanks
     
  2. Yammaat

    Yammaat Active Member

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    To get the clutch free you could put the bike on its wheels, in third gear, pull the clutch and rock the bike forwards and back.It should come free that way.
    If nothing happens, clutch does not come free, it could be a seized engine indeed.
    Before you do this it could be wise to squirt some oil through the sparkplugholes and let it be for a day.
    Then try again.
     
  3. Franz

    Franz Well-Known Member

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    Was there any gear selection problems before the bike was stored? Put it in neutral remove the plugs and left side crankcase cover and try and turn the engine over anticlockwise with a spanner.
    What is your battery voltage that can prevent the starter clutch spinning the engine if it is too low. You want to test it with a multimeter under load. Use a car battery and jump leads if bike battery is not charged property. You want at least 10 volts when you are trying to start the engine. Check your oil too to make sure you have no fuel in it. That can be caused by a faulty petcock l am staying this because you don't want to run the engine if you have fuel in the engine oil.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2021
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  4. IndyJ

    IndyJ New Member

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    Not that I’m aware of no.
     
  5. Franz

    Franz Well-Known Member

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    Before you look at the clutch check the cable is adjusted correctly. The plates may be stuck or the lever may not be separating the plates enough.

    But make sure you can turn the crankshaft with a spanner first and proceed from there.
     
  6. IndyJ

    IndyJ New Member

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    Ok, I took out the spark plugs and put a tiny bit of mystery oil in the spark plug holes. I put some mystery oil in the crank case as well. I put it in fourth gear and held the clutch lever in and slowly rocked the rear wheel back and forth as much as I could and it finally broke loose. Now to drain all the oil and change the oil filter and see if I can get it to attempt to turn over. Not having the gas tank hooked up shouldn’t keep it from attempting to turn over would it ? I’m just trying to make sure that the starter clutch isn’t out before I start replacing spark plugs and rebuilding the carbs.
     
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  7. Huntchuks

    Huntchuks Well-Known Member

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    A lack of gas tank has no effect on engine turnover. If you wanted it to actually run without the tank you would need to rig up another source of fuel.
     
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  8. IndyJ

    IndyJ New Member

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    I figured that was the case just wasn’t sure if not having the electrical connection from the tank hooked up would possibly keep it from turning over. Just trying to cover all my bases so I can figure this thing out and get it running.
     
  9. Huntchuks

    Huntchuks Well-Known Member

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    Good question then. The low fuel sensor has no effect on turning over or running. You will need to set up an alternate delivery system when you get to the point of tuning your carbs with the tank off, so keep that in mind.
     
  10. IndyJ

    IndyJ New Member

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    Ive still gotta rebuild the carbs and everything. Just want to make sure I can get it to attempt to turn over before I start dropping more money on it. Thanks for the tip.
     
  11. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Get some acetate (paint thinner) and that mystery oil or Automatic trans fluid....mix them half and half. Put that into the cylinders and don't be shy about it. Let them sit while are working on the carbs and anything else you can work on. Let it sit for about a week and then see if you can far the bike and get the pistons to move. Leave the plugs out until the cylinders move, if that does not do it, you might have to remove the heads to break the engine free. It could be more of an issue to that too, but lets hope it is just frozen rings on your pistons.

    Good luck.
     
  12. IndyJ

    IndyJ New Member

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    I got the cylinders to move they finally broke free. I’m going to change the filter and add some oil and see if I can get it to attempt to turn over by starting it. I don’t want to dump money and time into it if it’s the starter clutch. I’ll honestly probably just part it out if that’s the case.
     
  13. tabaka45

    tabaka45 Well-Known Member

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    I would still soak it with Marvel Mystery oil for a week or so. If it was seized the rings are probably stuck also. I would try to rotate the engine at least a couple of times to spread the Mystery oil and lubricate the cylinder walls. Personally, I would probably make sure I had a free turning engine before I did any other work. You can use a car battery as a jumper to see if you can get it to turn over with the starter.
     
  14. Jetfixer

    Jetfixer Well-Known Member

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    Don't give up a little patience and trouble shooting . Carbs are not hard to remove , but be careful removing a wooden hammer handle is ideal tool to pry carbs out of intake boots, if you still have stock airbox ( recommend) spray boots with silicone spray and push into airbox , pull the 10mm bolt at top of airbox this will give enough space to pull cans...oh yea disconnect choke cable and throttle cable and if your carbs still has the clutch cable bracket remove it. This weekend I'm doing a set of carbs taking them to church of clean full tear down butterfly seals etc.
     
  15. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    He'll need Acetone.
    Acetate is a plastic.
     
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