Starting A Bike That's Been Stood For Years

[gsxr renegade]

If all goes to plan, ill be trying to start up my little fzr400 at the weekend.

Now, its been stored (in a fucking salt mine by the looks of it) for about 5 years and doesn't look like the engine's been turned over at all.

I've turned the engine over by hand and its not seized, I've swapped the plugs for new ones and had a look down the bores when I did, plenty of carbon build up but no rust.

I squirted a bit of oil down the bores as well for good measure.

I've swapped the oil for fresh stuff and taken the cam cover off and squirted a bit of oil on the cam lobes.

I'm just wondering if there's anything else I should check or do before I try and start it under its own steam?

[thefatman]

Nope, but let it turn over on the starter motor a bit to get the oil circulating before you fire it up. Some bikes will let you turn them over with the kill switch in the off position, if not then jump the starter by putting a spanner over the starter solenoid.

[BudgetBoy]

Yeah turn it over, but just disconnect the coils so it dont fire.make sure oil light goes out to show you have oil pressure.Do that once or twice and then reconnect the coils.

Flush the cooling system as well.. If its been sat you might have build up of crap "Possibly" blocking the rad,or waterways. Normal water will do for the initial start up.

Clean the plugs or put in new ones (set gap)

Drain fuel from the carbs and replace with new stuff. Same in tank or set up separate supply.(jets might be blocked but you will soon see if this is the case)

Fit known good battery or new one

Hit the starter...