| Author | Message | ||
     Ezblast |
She clicks rapidly but the motor/starter is not turning - no whir whir sound of a motor trying to crank over - just the fast clicking of the solenoid. Is the Solenoid fried or the starter? EZ | ||
| Bad_karma |
EZ Check battery voltage at the battery then at the starter. Check and clean battery connections, frame ground connection and starter connections. Sounds like low voltage or high resistance connection. If it's the later be careful it may be hot. Joe | ||
| Ezblast |
Battery is good even after a series of tests - its at 12.89 from its starting of 13.24 from the charger, and its new by 3 months - will recharge when it gets below 12.8. My darling Works shock sprang a leak - they will warentee it, however all the electricals' got a bath, and I had just finished doing the front isolator - so I went over all the grounds again - they are clean and tight, but yes - I'll check the other 3 connections as well - replaced all the relays just to eliminate their possibility - they are cheap - trying to figure out if it is the stator crapping out - though it ticks fast enough - or the starter itself. EZ (Message edited by ezblast on April 20, 2008) | ||
| Reepicheep |
Can you safely jumper it from another battery (or vehicle) to *really* rule out the battery? Voltage is a good sanity check, but volts don't start a motor, amps do, and what you measured so far is the Volts when 0 amps are being delivered... I'm not saying it really is the battery, so don't rush out and buy a new one... but it would be good to see the problem repeat with the battery from a well running car temporarily jumperd in there, and that might just be a 10 minute test. | ||
| Ezblast |
Yes - have switched batteries from other bike - also fairly new 8 months - same thing. EZ | ||
| Ezblast |
OK - latest round of testing - Testing all the positive wires with my meter - those to the stator - the crossover and green - coming from the battery on one pointer the red and touching the lead ins of the above with the meter both gave a 12.89 reading - showing completion, while the main positive wire from the battery to the Starter showed Zero - so this is the wire set to replace right? From the constant flexing from the corbin seat and on and offs from the battery - I don't really know, however, the other 2 wires show continuity while this one doesn't - so I'm sure that means it must need replacing. I'm sure some of you guys would just R&D the wire and fix it,however, I would never trust not to have something else go wrong - so its time to replace it - right? EZ | ||
| Bombardier |
Could be just a bad earth under load via a loose/corroded connector/terminal. | ||
| Sparky |
"the main positive wire from the battery to the Starter showed Zero - so this is the wire set to replace right?" Not necessarily. There should be a heavy duty cable from the batt + terminal to the starter solenoid. This should always read + batt voltage at both ends. However, you said you checked the wire from the battery to the Starter. -- Since the starter solenoid is between the starter motor and the batt, the starter terminal is going to always read 0 VDC until the start button is pressed. -- Only when the button is pressed, batt current gets switched to the starter motor and you should read approx +12 VDC and it should crank. -- If you are getting +12 VDC at the starter motor terminal with the start button pressed and it's not cranking, I'd do like what was suggested and check/clean the ground cable from the battery to the frame. | ||
| Ezblast |
-- If you are getting +12 VDC at the starter motor terminal with the start button pressed But I'm not getting 12 volts with the starter button pressed - so I suspect the main wire from the battery to the starter. EZ | ||
| Ezblast |
In fact I'm getting .05 to .12 when the button is pressed - doesn't this mean the wire is kaput, or am I missing something - a little help here - what should I do next - suggestions are welcome since the battery is charging and I need to formate a new plan of attack - to get this puppy fixed - lol EZ | ||
| Ezblast |
The BK2 wire off the regulator going through the frame by the red wire - each in their own protective black wire cover - where/to what does it go to? EZ | ||
| Bombardier |
Relay? | ||
| Ezblast |
Feeds into the harness going towards the front from the regulator - the red going to the 30 amp breaker by the battery that the battery hooks on to - both crossing in front of the battery before the shock, then slitting up. EZ | ||
| Sparky |
If the "main wire" (a large gauge cable) from the battery positive post to the starter is where you are not reading +12 VDC, remove the cable from the bike and check it for continuity. | ||
| Bad_karma |
EZ I didn't follow, sorry. The large wire that runs from the + terminal of the battery to the stud and nut on the starter doesn't have voltage, is that correct? If so take it off and insure that the connection are clean of corrosion. You can also measure it with a meter or replace it. This power is not switched. Not sure about Blast's but the smaller wire that connects to this same terminal is the + output of the voltage regulator. No voltage there until the motor is running. The spade connection is from the starter button and has the switch, safety circuit, relay and fuse in that circuit. As stated above no voltage unless the safety circuit is made, voltage is available and the starter button actuates the relay. Joe (Message edited by bad_karma on April 22, 2008) If all of the above conditions are meet then it's time to look into the starter. Joe (Message edited by bad_karma on April 22, 2008) | ||
| Ezblast |
Thanks Joe - LOL - I ordered the wire - if this doesn't work, then it must be the starter - sigh - just as I'm moving and need every penny to do so - got the house - yea! - ahhh well the bike will be torn down after the move anyway - I did want to ride it to its new home though - replacing the wire will R&D it and if that doesn't work - I'll drain the carb and the oils and tidy her up for the move. If anyone has any other things I should try first - let me know! EZ | ||
| Sparky |
You said you're getting a fast clicking of the solenoid and no cranking. My experience with this symptom has been that the battery doesn't have enough poop to hold the solenoid in and spin the starter motor. But your conditions are different -- you've tried charging the battery and using a different known good battery. The symptom could be due to poor grounding (relatively high resistance) between the engine and battery negative post. And this would show up as having enough of a ground to actuate the solenoid but when asked to deliver approx 150 amps to spin the starter, the high resistance won't pass the current. Do you follow the reasoning here? The thing to check here is the negative battery cable where it connects to the engine and also the ground strap from the engine to the frame. You also said the electricals took an oil bath. Maybe some oil got into the contacts of the solenoid and caused a high resistance contamination thus preventing battery current from reaching the starter motor. If so, you might want to take the cover off of the solenoid and inspect the contact points. It should be shiny clean inside there with no burnt spots, oil or debris. Do you have the service manual for your bike? That's where one can find troubleshooting steps to quickly guide one to the problem area. If you don't have one, you might check the S1 online manual. The starter system should be almost identical to a Blast. | ||
| Ezblast |
Thanks Sparky I'll go over the front one again, and re-install the rear ground as well, cleaning it and R&R it as needed. I'll check the solenoid as well, after doing the wires, and trying the switch once to see if the starter turns over - lol - if after the replacing the positive cable as well - I still have this, then it really is time to R&R the starter. Thank you for a further plan of action. EZ | ||
| Ezblast |
Yaaaahoooo! Went through all the grounds, cleaned everything real good and,used new parts - bolts,nuts, etc. - She started right up! Thanks guys! EZ | ||
| Blake |
Excellent news. Sparky ROCKS! | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Sorry to bring up an old thread but... I have an '06 XB12X and am having the same issue. I checked the battery, tested it out good, it has 14+ volts idle. I disconnected the earth wire and ran a jumper from the battery earth to the rocker of the motor and hooked up the positive terminal and the bike exibited the same behavior. Does this method of testing mean I have ruled out a bad ground somewhere? If not, can someone list all the areas to look (more specifics the better). I haven't broken out the service manual yet (it is in storage at my dad's house). If so, I'm guessing I need a new starter. I see American Sport Bike is gone... is eBay the best place to get parts these days? | ||
| Brother_in_buells |
Terrible1one3 , Did you try to start with the clutch lever pulled in? If it does start with clutch lever pulled in ,then it could be that the neutral switch is going bad. | ||
| Terrys1980 |
Another thing to try is to swap the relays around to see if the starter relay went bad. | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Brother in buells, I'm in neutral... what would the clutch switch have to do with it? And it still goes it just clicks, wouldn't it not even engage if it were some sort of clutch switch? Terry's, is this a simple thing to do (once again, Service Manual isn't with me atm). Just pop off the fuse box cover and swap a couple relays? | ||
| Terrys1980 |
Yes | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Swapped relays, same issue with and without the jumper box, battery still tests good. Wire going to the solonoid looks immaculate as does solonoid to starter motor. Last diagnostic thing would be to jump the starter motor directly through the post on the solonoid? | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
Bad battery, tested fine but when a load was put on it it would test dead. New battery and she purrs like a kitten. Ended up taking it to a home mechanic who diagnosed it with a proper tester in 5 minutes. Dealership just did a charge test. |
