Charging failure on a 1987 fz600

One explanation for this would be that your charging system is faulty. It is possible that the OLD battery was ok, but was not getting charged by the faulty charge system. You put in a new battery, that is part charged before sale and ran the battery flat because it wasn't charging. If you leave a discharged lead acid bettery for 20 minutes or so, it will pick up a little again and possibly let the bike start and run, but by the time you got home you had killed the battery completely.

All the facts fit, though I'm not promising that it is the problem.

Take the battery off and charge it with a charger. Now, put it back on the bike and run the bike (It should start) While the battery is on the bike, get a volt meter on it. It should read slightly over voltage (doesn't matter if its a 12 or 6 volt system, it will read a little over when the bike is running) when you turn the engine off, you should see the volt meter drop down to the stated battery voltage. If you get no hike with the engine running and drop as you power off, its a good sign the charging system is faulty. A similar test, start the bike, meter the battery and turn on the indicators, stop light and head light to pull as much power as you can, the battery voltage shouldn't dip, because the charge system should compensate. If it does dip, consider this a confirmation that the charging system is faulty.

jet pilot # 30
jet main size 107.5

Put your Ohm meter on DC Voltage and put the negative or black on the negative of the battery and the red on the positive and see what your voltage is with all your lights on. Should be around 13 to 14 volts. If not and is around 11.5 or 12 then either your alternator or regulator is shot.

Do you have headlights if you turn them on. Sometimes if a battery is clear dead and you jump it and it will depend on the gauge of wire in the jumpers whether it will start right off or not. Another scenario is the battery you bought is not good or fully charged. If you have a battery with less than 11 volts it probably won't energize the starter.

Hi! I presume you are in a warm climate? if so 10W40 Synthetic is an good all rounder & should do the trick. I presume you mean Brake Fluid? if so D.O.T. 4 is widely available now and far more superior to the old D.O.T.3 which was about when bike was manufactured.
Hope this Helps!
Paul 'W'
Onyer~EDson(:0)~[><