Kawasaki J300 - Service manual > Troubleshooting Guide
NOTE
- Refer to the Fuel System chapter for most of DFI trouble shooting guide.
- This is not an exhaustive list, giving every possible cause for each problem listed. It is meant simply as a rough guide to assist the troubleshooting for some of the more common difficulties.
Engine Doesn't Start, Starting Difficulty:
Starter motor not rotating:
- Ignition and engine stop switch not on
- Side stand switch trouble
- Starter motor trouble
- Battery voltage low
- Starter relay not contacting or operating
- Starter button not contacting
- Wiring open or shorted
- Ignition switch trouble
- Engine stop switch trouble
- Fuse blown
Starter motor rotating but engine doesn't turn over:
- Starter clutch trouble
- Starter idle gear trouble
- Vehicle-down sensor (DFI) coming off
Engine won't turn over:
- Valve seizure
- Cylinder, piston seizure
- Crankshaft seizure
- Connecting rod small end seizure
- Connecting rod big end seizure
- Final gear or bearing seizure
- Camshaft seizure
No fuel flow:
- No fuel in tank
- Fuel pump trouble
- Fuel tank air vent obstructed
- Fuel filter clogged
- Fuel line clogged
Engine flooded:
- Clean spark plug and adjust plug gap
- Starting technique faulty (When flooded, do not crank the engine with the throttle fully opened. This promotes engine flood because more fuel is supplied automatically by DFI.)
No spark; spark weak:
- Vehicle-down sensor (DFI) coming off
- Ignition and engine stop switch not on
- Battery voltage low
- Spark plug dirty, broken, or gap maladjusted
- Spark plug cap or ignition coil cable trouble
- Spark plug cap shorted or not in good contact
- Spark plug incorrect
- ECU trouble
- Side stand switch trouble
- Crankshaft sensor trouble
- Ignition coil trouble
- Ignition switch or engine stop switch shorted
- Wiring shorted or open
- Fuse blown
Fuel/air mixture incorrect:
- Air cleaner clogged, poorly sealed, or missing
Compression Low:
- Spark plug loose
- Cylinder head not sufficiently tightened down
- No valve clearance
- Cylinder, piston worn
- Piston ring bad (worn, weak, broken, or sticking)
- Piston ring/groove clearance excessive
- Cylinder head gasket damaged
- Cylinder head warped
- Valve spring broken or weak
- Valve not seating properly (valve bent, worn, or carbon accumulation on the seating surface)
Poor Running at Low Speed:
Spark weak:
- Battery voltage low
- Spark plug dirty, broken, or maladjusted
- Spark plug cap or ignition coil cable trouble
- Spark plug cap shorted or not in good contact
- Spark plug incorrect
- ECU trouble
- Crankshaft sensor trouble
- Ignition coil trouble
Fuel/air mixture incorrect:
- Air cleaner clogged, poorly sealed, or missing
- Fuel tank air vent obstructed
- Fuel pump trouble
- Intake manifold loose
- Air cleaner duct loose
Compression low:
- Spark plug loose
- Cylinder head not sufficiently tightened down
- No valve clearance
- Cylinder, piston worn
- Piston ring bad (worn, weak, broken, or sticking)
- Piston ring/groove clearance excessive
- Cylinder head warped
- Cylinder head gasket damaged
- Valve spring broken or weak
- Valve not seating properly (valve bent, worn, or carbon accumulation on the seating surface)
- Camshaft cam warn
Run-on (dieseling):
- Ignition switch trouble
- Engine stop switch trouble
- Fuel injector trouble
- Carbon accumulating on valve seating surface
- Engine overheating
Other:
- ECU trouble
- Engine oil viscosity too high
- Drive train (CVT) trouble
- Brake dragging
- Engine overheating
- Clutch slipping
Poor Running or No Power at High Speed:
Firing incorrect:
- Spark plug dirty, broken, or maladjusted
- Spark plug cap or ignition coil cable trouble
- Spark plug cap shorted or not in good contact
- Spark plug incorrect
- Camshaft position trouble
- ECU trouble
- Crankshaft sensor trouble
- Ignition coil trouble
Fuel/air mixture incorrect:
- Air cleaner clogged, poorly sealed, or missing
- Air cleaner duct loose
- Water or foreign matter in fuel
- Intake manifold loose
- Fuel to injector insufficient (DFI)
- Fuel tank air vent obstructed
- Fuel line clogged
- Fuel pump trouble
Compression low:
- Spark plug loose
- Cylinder head not sufficiently tightened down
- No valve clearance
- Cylinder, piston worn
- Piston ring bad (worn, weak, broken, or sticking)
- Piston ring/groove clearance excessive
- Cylinder head gasket damaged
- Cylinder head warped
- Valve spring broken or weak
- Valve not seating properly (valve bent, worn, or carbon accumulation on the seating surface)
Knocking:
- Carbon built up in combustion chamber
- Fuel poor quality or incorrect
- Spark plug incorrect
- ECU trouble
- Crankshaft sensor trouble
Miscellaneous:
- Throttle valve won't fully open
- Brake dragging
- Clutch slipping
- Engine overheating
- Engine oil level too high
- Engine oil viscosity too high
- Drive train (CVT) trouble
- Camshaft cam worn
- Catalytic converter melt down due to muffler overheating
Overheating:
Firing incorrect:
- Spark plug dirty, broken, or maladjusted
- Spark plug incorrect
- ECU trouble
Muffler overheating:
- For catalytic converter, do not start the engine under misfire due to spark plug fouling or poor connection of the spark plug
- ECU trouble
Fuel/air mixture incorrect:
- Intake manifold loose
- Air cleaner duct loose
- Air cleaner poorly sealed, or missing
- Air cleaner clogged
Compression high:
- Carbon built up in combustion chamber
Engine load faulty:
- Clutch slipping
- Engine oil level too high
- Engine oil viscosity too high
- Drive train (CVT) trouble
- Brake dragging
Lubrication inadequate:
- Engine oil level too low
- Engine oil poor quality or incorrect
Water temperature gauge incorrect:
- Meter unit broken
- Water temperature sensor broken
Coolant incorrect:
- Coolant level too low
- Coolant deteriorated
- Wrong coolant mixed ratio
Cooling system component incorrect:
- Radiator fin damaged
- Radiator clogged
- Thermostat trouble
- Radiator cap trouble
- Radiator fan relay trouble
- Fan motor broken
- Fan blade damaged
- Water pump not turning
- Water pump impeller damaged
CVT Faulty:
Engine starts but motorcycle won't move:
- Drive belt worn
- Ramp plate broken
- Clutch lining worn or damaged
- Driven face spring broken
Engine stalls or motorcycle creeps:
- Clutch weight spring broken
Lack of Power:
- Drive belt worn
- Drive face spring weak
- Weight roller worn
- Drive face fouled
Abnormal Engine Noise:
Knocking:
- ECU trouble
- Carbon built up in combustion chamber
- Fuel poor quality or incorrect
- Spark plug incorrect
- Overheating
Piston slap:
- Cylinder/piston clearance excessive
- Cylinder, piston worn
- Connecting rod bent
- Piston pin, piston pin hole worn
Valve noise:
- Valve clearance incorrect
- Valve spring broken or weak
- Camshaft bearing worn
- Valve lifter worn
Other noise:
- Connecting rod small end clearance excessive
- Connecting rod big end clearance excessive
- Piston ring/groove clearance excessive
- Piston ring worn, broken, or stuck
- Piston ring groove worn
- Piston seizure, damage
- Cylinder head gasket leaking
- Exhaust pipe leaking at cylinder head connection
- Crankshaft runout excessive
- Engine mount loose
- Crankshaft bearing worn
- Primary gear worn or chipped
- Camshaft chain tensioner trouble
- Camshaft chain, sprocket, guide worn
- Alternator rotor loose
- Catalytic converter melt down due to muffler overheating
Abnormal Drive Train Noise:
Final gear case noise:
- Bearing worn
- Metal chip jammed in gear teeth
- Gears worn or chipped
- Gear oil insufficient or too thin
Abnormal Frame Noise:
Front fork noise:
- Oil insufficient or too thin
- Spring weak or broken
Rear shock absorber noise:
- Shock absorber damaged
Disc brake noise:
- Pad installed incorrectly
- Pad surface glazed
- Disc warped
- Caliper trouble
Other noise:
- Bracket, nut, bolt, etc. not properly mounted or tightened
Red Oil Pressure Warning Indicator Light Doesn't Go Off:
- Engine oil pump damaged
- Engine oil screen clogged
- Engine oil filter clogged
- Engine oil level too low
- Engine oil viscosity too low
- Camshaft bearing worn
- Crankshaft bearing worn
- Oil pressure switch damaged
- Wiring faulty
- Relief valve stuck open
- O-ring at the oil passage in the crankcase damaged
Exhaust Smokes Excessively:
White smoke:
- Piston oil ring worn
- Cylinder worn
- Valve oil seal damaged
- Valve guide worn
- Engine oil level too high
Black smoke:
- Air cleaner clogged
Brown smoke:
- Air cleaner duct loose
- Air cleaner poorly sealed or missing
Handling and/or Stability Unsatisfactory:
Handlebar hard to turn:
- Cable routing incorrect
- Hose routing incorrect
- Wiring routing incorrect
- Steering stem nut too tight
- Steering stem bearing damaged
- Steering stem bearing lubrication inadequate
- Steering stem bent
- Tire air pressure too low
Handlebar shakes or excessively vibrates:
- Tire worn
- Rim warped, or not balanced
- Wheel bearing worn
- Handlebar bolt loose
- Steering stem nut loose
- Front axle runout excessive
- Engine mounting bolt loose
Handlebar pulls to one side:
- Frame bent
- Wheel misalignment
- Sub frame bent or twisted
- Steering maladjusted
- Front fork bent
- Right and left front fork oil level uneven
Shock absorption unsatisfactory:
(Too hard)
- Front fork oil excessive
- Front fork oil viscosity too high
- Rear shock absorber adjustment too hard
- Tire air pressure too high
- Front fork bent
(Too soft)
- Tire air pressure too low
- Front fork oil insufficient and/or leaking
- Front fork oil viscosity too low
- Rear shock adjustment too soft
- Front fork, rear shock absorber spring weak
- Rear shock absorber oil leaking
Brake Doesn't Hold:
- Air in the brake line
- Pad or disc worn
- Brake fluid leakage
- Disc warped
- Contaminated pad
- Brake fluid deteriorated
- Primary or secondary cup damaged in master cylinder
- Master cylinder scratched inside
Battery Trouble:
Battery discharged:
- Charge insufficient
- Battery faulty (too low terminal voltage)
- Battery lead making poor contact
- Load excessive (e.g., bulb of excessive wattage)
- Ignition switch trouble
- Alternator trouble
- Wiring faulty
- Regulator/rectifier trouble
Battery overcharged:
- Alternator trouble
- Regulator/rectifier trouble
- Battery faulty
See also:
Kawasaki J300 - Service manual > Cable, Wire, and Hose Routing
Right Switch Housing Lead Left Switch Housing Lead Throttle Cable (Accelerator) Throttle Cable (Decelerator) Front Brake Hose Rear Brake Hose Clamp (Hold the main harness and fairing bracket.) Clamp (Hold the meter lead and fairing bracket.) Vehicle-down Sensor Meter Lead Connectors Red Oil Pressure Warning Indicator Light Controller Main Harness Band (Hold the main harness.) Turn Signal Relay Band (Hold the main harness.) Clamp (Hold the left headlight leads and left city light leads.) Clamp (Hold the right headlight leads and right city light leads.) Front Left Turn Signal Light Lead Connector Left Headlight Right Headlight Front Right Turn Signal Light Lead Connector Front Left Turn Signal Light Front Right Turn Signal Light Band (Hold the storage box light lead and storage box right switch lead.) Storage Box Storage Box Light Switch Lead Connectors Rear Right Turn Signal Light Rear Left Turn Signal Light Clamp (Hold the rear right turn signal light lead.) Clamp (Hold the tail/brake light lead.) Tail/Brake Light Clamp (Hold the rear left turn signal light lead.) Ignition Switch Seat Lock Cable Fuel Pump Relay ECU Relay Horn Clamp (Hold the speed sensor (front wheel rotation sensor) lead connector and main harness.) Clamps (Hold the water hose and main harness.) Right Switch Housing Lead Band (Hold the right switch housing lead and rear brake hose.) Rear Brake Hose Water Hose Main Harnesses Speed Sensor (Front Wheel Rotation Sensor) Lead Connector Fan Relay Starter Relay 1 High Beam Headlight Relay Low Beam Headlight Relay Throttle Cables Rear Brake Hose Run the throttle cables and left switch housing lead to the inside of the guide. Left Switch Housing Lead Seat Lock Cable Run the throttle cables and seat lock cable to the inside of the frame. Run the fuel overflow hose into the hole of bracket. Fuel Overflow Hose Hold the main harness with the hook of the frame. Main Harness Rear Brake Hose Band (Hold the seat lock cable.) Run the seat lock cable under the right switch housing lead. Right Switch Housing Lead Seat Lock Cable Run the seat lock cable under the rear brake hose. Band (Hold the rear brake hose and main harness.) Band (Hold the rear brake hose.) EMI Filter Lead Connector (fixed on the stay) Radiator Fan Lead Connector (fixed on the stay) Band (Hold the radiator fan lead.) Regulator/Rectifier Aluminum Plate Clamps (Hold the main harness and frame.) Main Harness Alternator Lead Starter Motor Cable Frame Ground Terminal (on the upper) Frame Ground Terminal (on the lower) Oxygen Sensor Lead Connector Rear Brake Hose Band (Hold the rear brake hose.) Oxygen Sensor Run the main harness to the inside of the frame. Run the battery (+) cable to the outside of the frame. Battery (+) Cable Band (Hold the battery (+) cable and main harness.) Clamp (Hold the main harness.) Clamp (Hold the battery (+) cable connector.) Main Harness Starter Relay 2 Starter Motor Cable Clamp (Hold the starter motor cable.) Alternator Lead Clamp (Hold the water bypass hose.) Water Bypass Hose Main Harness Regulator/Rectifier Lead Starter Motor Cable Frame View from A Band (Hold the main harness, regulator/rectifier lead and starter motor cable.) Clamp (Hold the alternator lead and starter motor cable.) Alternator Lead Starter Relay 2 Lead Throttle Cables Run the throttle cables and seat lock cables into the guide. Seat Lock Cables Run the throttle cables to the outside of the water hose. Side Stand Switch Lead Connector (fixed on the stay) Band (Hold the side stand switch lead.) Water Hose Clamp (Hold the spark plug cable.) Ignition Coil Band (Hold the main harness.) Clamps (Hold the main harness.) Main Harness Frame Ground Terminal (on the upper) Battery (-) Cable Clamps (Hold the main harness and battery (-) cable.) Band (Hold the main harness.) Band (Hold the battery (-) cable.) Fuse Box Battery (+) Cable Battery (-) Cable Battery Tail/Brake Light Lead Connector Hazard Control Unit Fuel Hose Water Bypass Hose Fuel Injector Clamp (Hold the fuel hose.) Water Temperature Sensor (ECU) Water Temperature Sensor (Meter) Lead Oil Pressure Switch Lead Run the water temperature sensor (meter) lead under the water bypass hose. Clamps (Hold the water bypass hose.) Throttle Sensor Idle Speed Control Valve Actuator Intake Air Pressure Sensor Battery (-) Cable Throttle Cables Starter Motor Water Hose Clamps Radiator Front Brake Hose Clamps (Hold the speed sensor (front wheel rotation sensor) lead and front brake hose.) Speed Sensor (Front Wheel Rotation Sensor) Lead Speed Sensor (Front Wheel Rotation Sensor) Rear Brake Hose Clamp (Hold the rear brake hose.)
