Bike won't start after changing fuel filter! Please help!

[ungeheuer]

Oh, and from a novice mechanic to a beginner mechanic, my advice is to check things going from simple stuff to complex and retrace your steps.

This is very sound advice indeed.

I'm not saying this to be a smart arse (even though I can be one, I'm not being one now, OK?)....   you disassembled some stuff to play with the fuel supply... and now the bike seems (from your vid) to not have a fueling issue... but an electrical issue instead.  

It's bound to be something you did/didn't do.  Again, I'm only saying this to be helpful.  Retracing your steps is what will lead you to whatever it is you inadvertently disconnected... disturbed or failed to reconnect.

And even though you've been nowhere near it, check the battery ground connection at the motor end (its under the little black plastic cover on the LHS near the base of the horizontal cylinder).

**Note, the first couple issues in this post have already been resolved, I changed the thread title to reflect the current update**

And even though you've resolved the fuel pissing out issue.... don't assume your problem isnt back here....  Re-check everything that you did  

(You worked out then that to get that cover off the bottom of the fuel tank you have to remove the securing nuts without loosening the studs at the same time....  nuts hold the cover on... studs bolt the fuel pump assy up to the base of the fuel tank. Its a dumb-arse design IMO).

[malamikigo]

I've checked the battery connections, and tried jumpstarting the bike while connected to my car. Same result, same clicking sound, nothing changed at all. The lights on the bike all go on at full brightness when I turn the key, everything really appears to be fine with the battery.

Still stuck. 

[Howie]

Take positive from the car and go straight to the connector at the starter motor and see if the bike cranks.  Make double sure the bike is in neutral since you are bypassing all safeties.  Actually, before doing that get the bike on a rear stand, remove the spark plugs, put the bike in gear and turn the rear wheel to make sure the engine turns.  If your video is accurate the click you hear is the solenoid, but the starter motor is not spinning.  Possible causes; weak battery, poor connections, bad starter motor, seized engine.  Most likely?  Weak battery or bad connection. It takes way less amperage to light a headlight than it does to crank over a motor.   Fully charge and load test battery.  If the battery is weak further diagnosis is like pissing up a rope.  Do you have a volt meter?  Br

[ungeheuer]

I've checked the battery connections....

Just at the battery terminals, or?

[ducatiz]

Take positive from the car and go straight to the connector at the starter motor and see if the bike cranks.  Make double sure the bike is in neutral since you are bypassing all safeties.  Actually, before doing that get the bike on a rear stand, remove the spark plugs, put the bike in gear and turn the rear wheel to make sure the engine turns.  If your video is accurate the click you hear is the solenoid, but the starter motor is not spinning.  Possible causes; weak battery, poor connections, bad starter motor, seized engine.  Most likely?  Weak battery or bad connection. It takes way less amperage to light a headlight than it does to crank over a motor.   Fully charge and load test battery.  If the battery is weak further diagnosis is like pissing up a rope.  Do you have a volt meter?  Br

You can remove the wire to the starter and attach a voltmeter to it.  + to the wire and run the negative to the engine ground, then hit the start button and look at the voltage.  Make sure the battery is charged fully.  You should see well north of 12 v. 

If not, then do the same thing at the head of the wire at the solenoid.  If you see 12+ at that point, then the wire is bad.

If you still see low voltage at the head of the wire, then do the same thing on the other side of the solenoid.  If you see 12+ on the other side, then the solenoid is the problem.

Also -- remove the engine ground wire and rub it down the connections with a wire brush and then reconnect with dielectric grease.  The frame ground is the weak point for many bikes.

[Raux]

I'm going to go out on a limb, mainly cause i can't get the video to work, that you damaged a battery cable/connection on the reinstall and aren't getting enough juice.

I say this, because it's something i almost did, and it's very tight in there.

either that, or one of your connections from the battery to the starter is loose.

[Howie]

You can remove the wire to the starter and attach a voltmeter to it.  + to the wire and run the negative to the engine ground, then hit the start button and look at the voltage.  Make sure the battery is charged fully.  You should see well north of 12 v. 

If not, then do the same thing at the head of the wire at the solenoid.  If you see 12+ at that point, then the wire is bad.

If you still see low voltage at the head of the wire, then do the same thing on the other side of the solenoid.  If you see 12+ on the other side, then the solenoid is the problem.

Also -- remove the engine ground wire and rub it down the connections with a wire brush and then reconnect with dielectric grease.  The frame ground is the weak point for many bikes.

[Monstyr]

I've just changed the fuel filter on my S2R, while its slightly different I think the principal is the same.

One thing I noticed about your vid is the fuel doesn't seem to prime and I'll wager that you've dislodged or not reconnected an earth wire or similar inside the tank alongside your filter. My filter was secured to a plastic lug with a self tapping screw, this same screw also secured a couple of wires.
I'd be checking those before doing anything outside the tank as those are the bits that have been disturbed in the process of changing the filter.






BTW. Those hose clamps can be easily opened by inserting a small allen key into the loop at the top and levering the small loop from side to side(without applying any force to the hose), they can also be refitted by carefully crimping the the small loop as near the base as possible.

[oldndumb]

.........
BTW. Those hose clamps can be easily opened by inserting a small allen key into the loop at the top and levering the small loop from side to side(without applying any force to the hose), they can also be refitted by carefully crimping the the small loop as near the base as possible.

Thank you. I thought I was the only one that found it quite simple to remove and reuse them.  

[rgramjet]

+1.  I opened the clamps by placing the end of a flat screwdriver against the face of the clamp and giving it a twist.  Popped right open.  To close, just apply pressure to the outside of the clamp, with pliers, until it snaps shut.

This process took me about 2 hours due to my filter being mounted inside of the friggin tank!  I still have marks on my forearms.

[ducatiz]

Yall are crazy.  Hose clamps are too cheap to reuse them.

[ungeheuer]

Yall are crazy.  Hose clamps are too cheap to reuse them.

+1

[oldndumb]

Yall are crazy.  Hose clamps are too cheap to reuse them.

As compared to the price of convenience?

True, better to replace if you have them on hand but quite safe to reuse provided you don't use a sledge hammer and crow bar to remove them. That style is actually quite simple to remove, inspect, and reinstall with no additional risk. Much better than a worm screw clamp because they are 360 degree clamp up.

[ducatiz]

Actually, I use a Clamptite tool to make hose clamps with stainless safety wire.  100% superior in every way to both kinds.

I am just surprised people try to reuse the crimp type.  They are designed for single use.  The correct method is to use a clipper or wire cutter and cut the crimp off.

I would be leery of reusing them by bending the crimp to loosen, then re-crimping.

The clamptite is great and safety wire is cheap and superior.  I took my car to have the AC compressor checked out at the dealer and the mechanic was like "WTF is that stuff?  It looks amazing"... I showed him the clamptite online, and he said he was ordering one for his home projects. 

[rgramjet]

Actually, I use a Clamptite tool to make hose clamps with stainless safety wire.  100% superior in every way to both kinds.

I am just surprised people try to reuse the crimp type.  They are designed for single use.  The correct method is to use a clipper or wire cutter and cut the crimp off.

I would be leery of reusing them by bending the crimp to loosen, then re-crimping.

The clamptite is great and safety wire is cheap and superior.  I took my car to have the AC compressor checked out at the dealer and the mechanic was like "WTF is that stuff?  It looks amazing"... I showed him the clamptite online, and he said he was ordering one for his home projects. 

Clamplite tool sounds like a good investment.  Not sure how onebcould use it inside the fuel tank.