| Author | Message | ||
     Raitinger |
I have been searching threads and many have bits and pieces of my problem but not quite all. This all started about a month and a half ago when the starter solenoid would click on the first try but start on the second. After a couple of weeks I was stranded when the bike started cutting out badly and my gauges were going nuts. So I shut it down and then had not power at all. No amount of wire wiggling or connection checking saved me, so I trucked home. Once home after for some reason I was able to get power (lights and gauges), but when I hit the start button everything goes dead again. After some time I would get power again and the same thing would happen when I 'd try to start. I was usually fiddling with wires inbetween but not always. Eventually my trouble shooting led my to remove the the green wire to the solenoid for the start circuit and then when I would hit the start button I would here the click of the relay and still have power. From here I guessed that it was the solenoid, and replaced it. After I installed it I would get the woodpecker clicking of the solenoid. From here I started trouble shooting some more of the basics grounds and shorts. After exhuasting several of those. I thought I'd try to eliminate somethings. I jumped a good car battery directly to the starter with all other wires to the starter disconnected (positive jump to positive battery leed spot on the solenoid and ground to the engine) I then used a small jumper wire to jump +12V the male spade on the solenoid for the start circuit. When this was done the starter would crank the engine to compression and stall, no clicking. I have taken my starter apart about half a dozen times testing and cleaning. and everything checks out except I can't do the growler test for the armature core. I don't think I have gone over the specs on the brushes yet to check them. Do you guys think that the jumping to starter test point to the starter motor itself, just for getting this thin to crank over. I can deal with the rest of the wiring later. I have gotten it to start with tons of juice, car battery + charger, and it ran fine, but I just let it click away until it would crank over inbetween compression and get some momentum. Very hard on things I know. | ||
| Raitinger |
One more thing. I did recall that earlier this season I replaced the battery and bumped my ratchet on the voltage regulator to the positive battery terminal. I noticed during wiring troubleshooting that the voltage regulator wires had some continuity to ground with some resistance. Is this supposed to happen? Could this have started this whole escapade. (Message edited by Raitinger on September 02, 2009) | ||
| 5liter |
Check your ground strap connection from the swing arm block to the tab on the frame. I had the same problem and found my bad connection there. | ||
| Buell_bert |
Yea 5liter. Actually take it off, clean it and retighten it. | ||
| Raitinger |
Hey guys I still have not figured this out. I have replaced all the starter parts. When starting, voltage drops to just above seven volts. I have checked votlage drops for all the starting circuit, and current draw tests. I just can't figure out whats going on. I have noticed that both the starter and ingition relay's click on and off with the solenoid clicking. Anybody got ideas | ||
| 5liter |
Check that ground strap. | ||
| Sparky |
Did you do the voltage drop test from the battery negative post to a starter stud while trying to crank it? This test will determine if the battery negative cable and the ground strap mentioned above has good conductivity. Less than 1.0 volts is a PASS; anything more and there is a problem that needs to be found. If you are measuring about 7 volts at the battery terminals while cranking, that seems kinda low. You probably damaged the battery when you accidentally shorted it. A new batt should fix it. The relays are clicking because there is not enough battery voltage above the relay's pull-in voltage to keep them on during cranking. This is another indication of a higher-than-normal electrical resistance condition either in the battery itself, its cables or the starter circuit wiring. Hang in there and keep us posted. Another thing: do you keep a battery tender on it while parked? This helps keep the battery from self-discharging so that it is topped up and ready to go when you are.  |
