Think my engine is seized!

[Guest]

Riding around today, I got caught in traffic. Not sure if it got too hot, but when I shut it down, it did not fire back up. At first, I thought it was the battery because it was trying to turn but sounded like there was not enough juice. I replaced the battery with a new one from Advance, no good. Now the solenoid clicks, but the starter won't spin. I tried bypassing the solenoid, but no crank. I put the bike up on the center stand, put it in gear, the back wheel does not spin!

Not sure if this has any relevance, before I hit traffic today, I noticed a whirring sound when I gave it throttle. It almost sounded like an electric motor spinning. It started light, but right before the traffic, I noticed it also rattled a bit, felt it on the pegs.

I was hoping to get through the year, before bringing it to my neighbor's buddy, who was going to rebuild the carbs for me. Looks like my first bike might be dead!

DAMN!

[hikermikem]

Pull the plugs and the ignition cover, try turning the crank it by hand (clockwise) using a socket wrench on the larger nut at the end of the crank (19mm I think).

[blowerbike]

19mm and yes pull the plugs or you can damage the advance unit.

[gordinho80]

Well, it is not seized. I managed to bump start it, and it ran fine.

[chuck hahn]

For some reason it sounds like it overheated..once cooled down the pistons were let loose again. How was ( is ) the oil level? What oil are you using Have you done any scheduled maintenance to the vavles, checked the timing, is your petcock working properly and not leaking? What bike are we talking about??

[chuck hahn]

Whens the last time the oil filter was changed???

[chuck hahn]

Bump started but no reaction with the starter itself..was whirring sound just before it went down....see that the starter button hasnt stuck or shorted and made the starter motor stay engaged and burn it up. Does the selinoid even click with the pressing of the button???

[gordinho80]

Oil and filter changed since I bought it 3 weeks ago with 10w-40 penzoil. Whirring is not LOUD, and only under a bit of load. Starter button doesn't appear to be stuck. Whirring started yesterday... Solenoid clicks when you hit button. Even after bump start and drive around the block, starter button still not working to start it.

[chuck hahn]

Pennzoil is $hit oil in ANY engine. Ask any car mechanic what an engine running the crap looks like inside!! Its so loaded with parafin that it literally coats the inside of engines with a milky white sludge. Get some Rottella T diesel oil in there.

Sounds like the starter motor is stuck or wasted. remove the cover and check the connection where the hot wire hooks up. Tap on it with a hammer as your hitting the button to see if it at least tries to do anything.

[chuck hahn]

Not to mention the same oil is gonna be coating your clutch fibers and plates. Aint no way anyone could pay me enough to use pennzoil in so much as a lawn mower.

[dorkburger]

That stinks.....Gordinho, I just got your message.....Do as the good folks here suggest and go thru it slowly and systematically. Hopefully its not a full catastrophe. Good luck.

[cowboyup3371]

10w-40 Pennzoil as in the kind you stick in the car? If so, flush that out and put in either diesel oil (Rotella is the forum favorite) or other motorcycle oil that has the JASO-MA certificate on it. Basically the bike needs the minerals that car oils do not have anymore.

[Joe H]

I had that happen when my starter clutch went the first time, but it was clanking for a while before it happened. Went to my cousins was sounding weird parked it, wouldn't start like it was frozen, acted like I seized the motor, bike sat for a day wouldn't turn over with the starter got it to bump start the next day and it would run but made a funny whirring sound and would occasionally clank, shut it down real fast and it spent the rest of the summer parked until my cousin and I started looking into it, found the starter clutch whacked!
Replaced it and everything was fine…. don't jump to conclusions it may be something simple and not a total rebuild.
Hoping for the best for you!

[gordinho80]

Draining the oil and changing the filter again tomorrow. I had the 10w-40 already, since I saw that is what the bike called for, figured it wouldn't be that bad.

I'll get some Rotella tomorrow. Then I need to examine the starter/clutch. Thanks all.

[chuck hahn]

Do all your other engines a favor and use that Pennzoil to start camp fires with and get real oil in them. Cars and trucks I use Valvoline.