Hey everyone, I am really at a loss here on what’s going on with the bike.
Below will be symptoms and everything checked/replaced so far.

2008 Ninja ZX14 17,200 miles.
Has Voodoo slip ons.
No Power Commander.

Symptoms: Bike will start and crank, then die as if it’s not getting any fuel.
Left the bike sitting for a few days, went to start it up and the bike just kept cranking with once or twice starting then immediately dying.

Checks so far:
New Battery reading 14 Volts, cleaned all posts and ground to frame.
Spark plugs and wires checked - O.K
Fuel pump and filter were replaced ; can hear pump running when primed or starting. Did a fuel pressure check when priming - O.K
Checked all fuses: replaced all of them even though there was none blown.

Really at a loss here. I really dislike starter fluid for FI bikes. But, if I spray the tiniest amount, bike will run until fluid is consumed acting as fuel. It will sound great, then sound like it’s running on 1 cylinder.

Any ideas?

* Last updated by: thezx14 on 7/20/2023 @ 4:49 PM *

The fuel filter is known to get clogged. From what I remember, there is a pre-filter that can be changed and there is a filter in the pump. I don't think you can change the filter in the pump, you need to get a whole new pump. There's threads on here about the issue.

Yeah, I’ve been reading. I replaced the pump, and the little filter that goes underneath the whole assembly.
Pump is priming, running when key is turned. Bike just cranks over non stop, a little shot of starter fluid or drop of gas into the intake directly will get it running for like 5 seconds. Then it’s back to starving fuel. Sounds like it’s running on all 4 cylinders then as it dies it gradually sounds like 1 cylinder.

The can't be's:
1. Spark plugs - runs when sprayed.
2. Compression - runs when sprayed.
3. Crank sensor - runs when ".
4. ECU - runs " ".

So with 2 of the basic 3 pass, it narrows down to fuel. FI needs pressure. Changed the pump, but was it new OEM or used?

Would think new OEM over the counter has a warranty of 90 days. Disconnect the fuel line, in a container, capture the fuel running out of the pump when key is turned on. Dribbles out, shows no pressure. Has to piss like a horse.

Used fuel pump? You learned your lesson.

Pump was new OEM. When fuel line is disconnected and primed it sprays hard. Don’t know where the fuel is going to be honest.

Have a Known Good ECU coming Monday to give that a shot.
Have not tested the Crank Sensor yet, if this fails would it allow the bike to run even for a few seconds?

Just curious as to when you ran the pump to test it, did you let it run for three or four seconds or just let it spray momentarily ?

Have not tested the Crank Sensor yet, if this fails would it allow the bike to run even for a few seconds?

Usually c/s failure is heat related. At its hottest running temp it cuts out. Restarts when cooled off. Reaches a running temp and cuts out again. That's the common c/s scenario.

New pump works. Next is a collapsed fuel hose to the injector rail. So it would be a disconnect under the injector's fuel rail to see if it pushes out or trickles out.

But since the body parts are removed, back probe an injector connector, crank the engine and see if it can trigger the injector?

The wires from A(ECU) to B(injector connector) shows good, then the ECU would be next.

When I was running the pump to check. I disconnected the main line, I connected a hose and into a gas tank canister, when priming (key off to on) it would spray hard. When cranked; gas would continue to come out. When the key was off it would dribble out.

I have another OEM fuel pump with assembly coming today.
I was thinking maybe regulator?

As for checking the fuel going into the fuel rail am I checking to see if gas is coming out of the main fuel line?

Have a Known Good ECU coming Monday to check that.

For the dribble out means nothing. If it kept on flowing, something is broken.

As far as the fuel rail goes, it's more takes a Y connector. That would be from the pump to fuel line, to the fuel rail, where the connect would be the Y fitting from fuel line to a pressure gauge, then to the fuel rail. 44 psi is minimum with key on, pump cycled, then shuts off.

This would show the pump can hold pressure, no kink or collapse in the fuel line, fuel rail is a hollow tube and that would show the 44 psi to the injectors.

I wouldn't bother checking the sub harness off the throttle body having some disconnect, being the sub-harness is wrapped with the spark sticks. So sticks firing off with spray says; the injectors are hooked up also.

Having no codes at the dash pointing out injector, spark, sensor loss throwing a code, only thing left is an ECU swap. Monday will call the ball.

Oops? Scrolled up and saw it's not the ECU if it fires on spray. I want to be wrong and say the good known may not fire it off either. We shall see.

Okay. I’m going to take a look at a few things on Monday.

Next Steps ; Replace fuel pump with another NEW OEM pump. Just want to see if pressure is any different.

Replace ECU with KGB (Known Good Board) ECU.

Might even pull the throttle body with fuel rail and injectors and see if there’s something with that.

So far replaced ; Stator & rectifier, spark plugs, coils, every fuse, tip over sensor, battery, fuel pump and filter(s), air filter. Cleaned MAF sensor, both injector sensors. Looked at starter relay can’t be timing because bike ran previously/runs when sprayed.

Only thing left would be ECU.

* Last updated by: thezx14 on 7/22/2023 @ 7:14 PM *

MAF or the intake sensor? MSF is more the auto industry's term for the air box air temp flow. That would have sent a code if any telemetry was out of spec, short, open or signal out of range. Got a tricky one there.