Starter gremlin...

[mdskinner731]

Hello ladies and gents,

Long time no talk or visiting.   The past 2 yrs I've hit a rough patch and have not been "on the saddle"
I had a free weekend and wanted to pull my one vision out of storage and maybe try and ride it by years end.   I instantly noticed the starter didn't want to work (12v at starter as it should have)
I dropped the head pipe pulled the starter and did a "bench test" she whirled right over and ripped outta my hand.   So I kno the starter is good!   Problem is I cannot get the engine to crank over at all (tried 3 other known good starters and nothing)   So...   Can anyone point me in the easiest direction to try and get it turnin over?   
Socket an ratchet on crank?  Get ballsy and try to pop start it?? Or(fill in your ideas here)

I have 5 visions so I could easily pull another out and swap all the new goodies over to one but have a lot of blood sweat and now tears into this one and don't wanna give up just yet

[QBS]

Copious amounts of PB Blaster down the spark plug holes + a patient wait for it to (hopefully) do its thing.

Question:  Why did you remove the "head pipe" to remove the starter motor?

[fret not]

I would try removing the spark plugs and putting the transmission in a higher gear, then trying to roll it back and forth to break it free.  If the engine will not turn over the rings may have rusted to the cylinder walls.  The fix for that is taking the heads and cylinders off, honing (if you are lucky) or boring to the next size available.

Since you have other Vs I would look for one of them that turns over.  Hopefully the rings aren't rusted to the cylinders, they are scarce.

[mdskinner731]

I removed the head pipe because with the Mac exhaust I have it seems to be in the way (when it comes time to remove the starter).   It's a pain in the arse but at least I won't scratch or ding it by accident.    And I've thought of doin the PB blaster (or similar penetrant) to the plugs.    Would removing the side cover of the engine expose something I could get a breaker bar on. Instead of tryin the "pop start" method??   

Thank you for the help here on this sensitive topic as i am aware that there are minimal engine internals available

[QBS]

IIRC there is a bolt head behind the slotted plastic access plug that screws into the left engine cover.  A socket and a thoughtfully applied breaker bar might be able to get the crankshaft moving.  I think crankshaft rotation is ccw/counter clockwise.  You should confirm this for yourself.  Another technique might be after the PB Blaster treatment, leave the plugs out, put the bike in 4th or 5th gear and then the jerk the bike back and forth against the frozen engine.  If you don't have success put more PB Blaster in the plug holes and them try the jerking process again in a couple of days.  Don't get totally crazy with the breaker bar and don't turn the crankshaft in the wrong direction.  Good Luck.

[pinholenz]

Yep the rotation of the engine using a 14mm socket on the crankshaft end bolt should be counter clockwise. (Having just done my valve shims!)

Like others have said, go gently. It could well be that at the last run the engine stopped at TDC or with cams sitting on valves wide open. A bit of oil and fuel getting gummed up over the winter might just cause it to stick. Hopefully it just needs a nudge to go over the top. When its turning over, squirt some Redex into the pistons (Upper cylinder lubricant) and when its running make sure that there is a good dose of Redex in first fuel tank fill. Good luck.