Kawasaki 1100 won't start!

[borntohunt1993]

I have a 1998 Kawasaki 1100 ZXI that I bought not running. It needed a bendix so I installed a new one and put everything back together, I took it to the lake and eventually got it to start. I rode it around the cove and it wouldnt start again because the flywheel had came loose. So I torqued the fly wheel on and can not get the ski to start at all now. Now keep in mind this ski had been setting for a long time before I got it. But when I try to start it now it sounds fine but sometimes it will backfire louder than a cannon. I pulled the plugs and they had quite a bit of oil on them and looked fouled out. I put new ones in, tried to start it and it's just the same and I pulled a new plug and it had a good deal of oil on it??? Any help would be appreciated!

 

[slag]

Re: Kawasaki 1100 won't start!

Dollars to donuts, you have sheared off the key on the crankshaft that fits into a groove on the flywheel. Basically, your jetski is out of time.

Get a new woodruff key, install it with the flywheel the correct way, torque it down correctly, and put the front cover back on. Ride and enjoy.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Kawasaki 1100 won't start!

excellent advise above,
If it were me, I'd clean the carbs and consider changing fuel lines as well.
JBJ

 

[borntohunt1993]

Re: Kawasaki 1100 won't start!

Is there anything else it could possibly be? How hard of a job is it to replace the woodruff key? Also what is the best way to stop up the engine so the flywheel won't spin when I torque it and what are the torque requirements? Thanks for the help!

 

[slag]

Re: Kawasaki 1100 won't start!

difficult with the engine in the jetski, very easy with it out. To stop the engine, remove one spark plug. with the piston above the ports, but not at TDC, slowly feed a length of rope in the spark plug hole and let it coil up in the cylinder until no more rope can be fed in. The piston will then not be able to compress the rope to TDC and you can remove the flywheel nut, pull the flywheel, replace the sheared key, and put it all back together. Pull the rope back out of the hole, replace the spark plug and boot, and fire it up.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Kawasaki 1100 won't start!

I would recommend an OEM woodruff key replacement if it's broken. The hardware store ones will probably just have you doing the job all over again.

 

[shagy959]

Re: Kawasaki 1100 won't start!

if you replaced the bendix did the key get put back in also when the flywheel cam loose did mess the stator pm me if you need parts i have good used flywheel stator and a woodrift key

 

[keith2k455]

Re: Kawasaki 1100 won't start!

Is that a tri-power?...I believe it is. I have '98 STX 1100, I believe the engine is basically the same. The second year I had mine I ended up killing both batteries on the launch ramp and just took them to the dealer as unable to start. The shop charged the batteries (I have 2) gave each a shot of ether and they fired right up. Mechanic told me that the tri-power is a major pain to start, and to shoot them w/ start fluid when starting them cold. I made a port to do this and shoot flammable carb cleaner in them every time on the launch ramp...no more starting issues.

Install new plugs and give the center cylinder a shot of this first. CAreful to not drop the tube in the cylinder...