My z1 motor wont turn over

Stop for a moment and take a breath.....

One, before trying to start the old girl, remove your spark plugs, take off your ignition plate cover and using a 17mm socket wrench try and rotate counter-clock-wise first...

Reason, your timing chain is most probably balled up down below.

Now, had you performed the timing chain adjustment procedure before trying to start it with the starter motor? If not, then good chance it is the cause.

You mentioned CAM adjustments, are you sure you had them
(CAM shafts) installed correctly... If not, good chance you have a valve hitting the piston.... Not good...

For now, take a breath of air, and strip her down...
With the cams and head off, in leaving some slack on the chain, you should be able to spin the chain around and get it taunt. Using a coat hanger wire, hang it with slack.

Now, using a 17mm socket wrench try and rotate counter-clock-wise first you should see the pistons (1&4) and (2&3) rise and fall...

If the chain spins freely and the pistons don't rise and fall then you most probably have some serious problems.

Give this a shot and get back to us...

Relax and think about what is occurring and what should be,,, Be calm and think and You'll find it...

OMR

I just got a triple and it is stuck as Fu#$. Having cylinders stuck is no fun . Just dont get impatient and start braking stuff!

Yeah what Old Man Rock said. I never use auto trans fluid. Get some PB blaster.....that shit is the best for freeing rusted stuff.

Was this a running motor before or did it turn over not long ago? I've never had a motor lock up from sitting as long as plugs were installed and no water got in the bore.

Ya the motor was running smooth a couple months ago. It has sat idle in my garage since october or november, but it has had the head off since then also......but i kept a bry towel over it, with shirts bunched up down the cylinders. I got some sleep on it. Im really starting to think the cam chain is probally balled up below. Because when i went to put the cams in i was fighting the exhaust cam.........so i just stopped. What is the best way to get it unballed? Threw the oil pan? Thanks guy's.

At this point in time doesn't seem like you have a choice.... get into her from down below and work up.

Sorry OldKaw but I need to express this for others to learn by....

Let this be a lesson for all.... Never, ever start a new motor or one worked on such as cam chain/cam timing component replacements, cam shafts, new taller pistons, milled heads etc.... without working it manually a few 360* rotations.

Example in my project, every thing seemed good, rotating forward 1/2 to 3/4 rotations and it stopped like it hit something. Only to find out my cylinder decking was milled more than depicted thus my brand spanking new valves where hitting the top of the piston.

Can you imagine the damage that would have occurred if I had used the starter motor!

Sorry brother, feel bad for ya....

Bottom up, and stop using all that B.S. liquid crap until you analyze and evaluate the problem... Force is not the way yet....

Hopefully you'll find a piece of the cam timing chain guide or something wedged in at the bottom that will free up the crankshaft....

Think it out, observe, study it, make educated guess at best, analyze the problem and TAKE YOUR DAMN TIME this isn't a race or pit crew requirement.


OMR

Ya OMR, that is why i just tried the kicker and not the electric starter. And even with the kicker i used my hand to se if it would move and when nothing happened i stopped. I have to take off the oil pan anyway's because i for got to put the gasket in there when i put it back on. Hopefully it will be something easy. Thank's, all.

"i just tried the kicker and not the electric starter."
Thank the KZ Gods...

Question, after getting the cylinder on only, had you tried manual rotations before putting the rest on?

Did she rotate then (pistons up and down in the cylinder)?

If so, then most probably the cam chain jammed below, equating to minimal/no damage....

Keep us informed... You've got the game plan now....

OMR

I never took the cylinder off, just the head and case covers. I took the head off and i have one from a 6500 mile 79 ltd 1000, on my head the some of the exhaust studs were broke. And i took the case covers off to polish them really well.

Sounds like the cam timing is messed up or the chain. Hope you didn't bugger something up kicking it over. Pull the valve cover & cams out and start over.......I'll bet thats your problem.

Ok, you guy's were right on the money about the chain being bound up. I took the 17mm bolt on the crank and moved it back and forth while my buddy held tension on the chain and then it got some slack, and the motor now turns over no problems. Then i went to put the cams in and thats were i hit my current problem. I put the timming advancer to the "T" mark of 1 and 4 and installed the cam. Then rothated it to the mark for the 2 and 3, installed the intake cam. Now i can only rotate it half way before if stops. I know i probally messed up putting the cams in somehow, could somebody post how to do it the right way? This is the one part of this whole rebuild i was dreading. Thank's.

check omrs cam writeup

Will do......thanksB)