St1100 not turning over.

Due to a injury at work and long recovery my pan european was parked up and not drained down (as recommended when standing idle for any length of time).

Now that I am able to get back on her, she won't turn over, just clicks as the starter locks, the engine rocks when I put a socket and bar on the crankshaft bolt and I can feel piston movrment, the cams also rock. Any ideas before I end up stripping her down???. Thanks for your help.

recharge battery

And whilst you're recharging the battery take the plugs out and check it's free to turn over a full cycle. A fluid lock can still show limited movement but hydraulically lock all the same.

When you say it rocks do you mean you can turn it right over or that you can turn it a bit?

If it's the latter then you should remove the spark plugs then crank it over a few times just in case so fuel, oil or water have made it's way in to a cylinder.

Could be loose muck in the starter motor , a strip and clean wouldn't go amiss.

Battery!

Carbs need cleaning ! But they need cleaning professionally

Carbs need cleaning ! But they need cleaning professionally

First port of call, If the battery not been kept charged try and recharge it, but l would say it's odds on that you might need a new one. Then no matter what, drain off the old fuel and refill with some fresh. Do this before trying anything else.

Best of luck

Check battery drop on start, if it drops below 9v apparently it's buggered Took a long while to get my bike going after it had been stood almost a year, needed boosting to get the engine cranking over to spit out the old fuel. Yeah I know I should have drained it first.

...old fuel. Yeah I know I should have drained it first.

You can use fuel stabiliser which keeps the fuel from going off for over a year.

I use this stuff in lawnmower, chain saw, motorbike, sports car in fact in anything I don't use for long periods and it works a treat:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000JJHNAW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Battery is spanking new and so is the petrol. Crankshaft will only rock giving approximately 5 millimetres oar movement on the pistons as viewed through the sparkplug hole.

Remove plugs and spray WD40 around bores. Leave overnight, then try to turn over with a spanner. Repeat twice more with more wd40. Leaving for 24 hours between sprays. If it doesn't want to turn, apply more WD until it does.

Remove plugs and spray WD40 around bores. Leave overnight, then try to turn over with a spanner. Repeat twice more with more wd40. Leaving for 24 hours between sprays. If it doesn't want to turn, apply more WD until it does.

Water dispersant ? I'd use some light oil thinned with petrol . But surely if there is a chance the rings are gummed or worse still , rusted , then firing the bike up will likely lead to more damage ? Better to bite the bullet and whip the barrels off .

You use what works for you. I've used this method on numerous seized engines and it works.

You use what works for you. I've used this method on numerous seized engines and it works.

Not offering advice just asking a question, is diesel something that can be used for this? something tells me I've seen it somewhere but I have vivid dreams and am probably wrong.

Yep, have used diesel as well, but found WD 40 best for unseizing, removing rust and moisture. I should add, though its obvious to me, that I also flush the engine and replace the oil.