Starting Problem

[petrosc]

Hi lads, time (again) for a bit of help.

I have the BB on a trickle charger.
I tried to start the bike yesterday and the following happened:

1. Took the alarm off (no prob)
2. Turned ignition on (no prob)
3. The fuel pump kicked in (no prob)
4. Pressed the start button and nothing for 4/5 seconds, then clicking, then the engine turned over slowly at first, picked up speed and the engine started.
5. I switched the bike off, tried the start button again and the bike started as normal with no problems.

Tried it this morning and the same thing happened.:xm

Whats that all about? Has anybody have any ideas?

Your help is always welcomed....@tu*
Regards

 

[Lee337]

Sure I've read about a similar problem recently, Reg/Rec I seem to remember, or possibly loose ground wire to starter.

What year is your BB?

Carb or FI?

 

[petrosc]

BB is

Thanks for that
Its a 2001 FI

Never done this before

 

[Tinytim]

Thanks for that
Its a 2001 FI

Never done this before

Fook, ya having some bad luck with that Bird aren't you.

 

[Lee337]

I would suspect a reg/rec problem. There's a sticky somewhere that tells you how to check.

I assume the loom fix has been done?

 

[sr71caspar]

May be dirty contacts inside the switch on the handlebar.

 

[Centaur]

Hi Petrosc.

Put a meter across the battery before you start the bike first thing in the morning. It sounds to me like the trickle charger may have fooked your battery. Once the bike has started and the battery gets a bit of charge it is ok but the first start in the morning takes a little more ooomph and you would expect the charger to have kept your battery topped up but it clearly has not. Try leaving the charger off overnight and see what happens or check what voltage is showing before and immediately after you attach the charger. Whatever the problem is, you need a meter to sort it out. I don't believe it is the alternator or reg/rec from your description of the problem. If you weren't getting a charge when the bike was running you wouldn't make it through the day. The problem would get worse as you rode until the battery got so low the bike would stop. Let us know what readings you get with a meter.:-0)

 

[petrosc]

omg

Put a meter across the battery before you start the bike first thing in the morning. It sounds to me like the trickle charger may have fooked your battery. Once the bike

You might be right there, I do have meters (analogue and digital) and I will take some readings first thing.......and to think the battery was new four months ago (last trouble with the bike)

Thanks mate, I hope thats it, I will post the results :xm

 

[Jaws]

Had no interweb or even electrickery all day yesterday so missed the original post.

I am 100% with Bill.. Either the battery is unwell of the charger aint really a charger any more :-0)

 

[petrosc]

Today

I tested the battery with the charger connected, it showed 14.10V
On Rest 12,91V
Started the bike up (started exactly as before with the difficulty)
At take over 12.49V
At 5000rpm 14.28V
After 15 min rest 12.85V

Is this how it should be? Is the battery fooked?

:bang::bang:

 

[regh]

First i would beg steal or borrow another battery. Check and clean earths on battery and under tank.

How many miles has bike done? Has it been used for a lot of start and stop work?
We used to have a similar thing happen with cars years ago and it was called a lazy starter motor. Brushes were low and they would not give a good connection to the armature. The electricians would clean up and regroove the gaps on the commutator bar. Then fit new brushes. Good luck.

 

[petrosc]

First i would beg steal or borrow another battery. Check and clean earths on battery and under tank.

How many miles has bike done? Has it been used for a lot of start and stop work?
We used to have a similar thing happen with cars years ago and it was called a lazy starter motor. Brushes were low and they would not give a good connection to the armature. The electricians would clean up and regroove the gaps on the commutator bar. Then fit new brushes. Good luck.

Thanks for that, its done 17k and yes its done some start and stop....

I have the time so I'll do the cleaning of the earths and reconnect, see what happens.....

Do the volt readings look ok above?

 

[petrosc]

Readings

I tested the battery with the charger connected, it showed 14.10V
On Rest 12,91V
Started the bike up (started exactly as before with the difficulty)
At take over 12.49V
At 5000rpm 14.28V
After 15 min rest 12.85V

Hi lads/ Bill / John, do the above readings tell you anything?

 

[petrosc]

Ah

Anyone on the voltages above???
w;;v

 

[Rheumatoid]

Anyone on the voltages above???
w;;v

http://www.bikersoracle.com/blackbird/forum/showthread.php?t=66013&highlight=battery

R.

 

[Centaur]

Sorry for the delay Petrosc.

Anyone on the voltages above???
w;;v

Battery voltages look good to me. The charger and the alt/reg/rec appear to be working as they should.

I'll reread your description of the problem and think on it. :dunno:

 

[Centaur]

Starter problem. Sheeesh.

The fact that the starter motor is reluctant to turn over and only does so slowly can only be down to two problems:

1 Low voltage at starter itself or starter solenoid.

2 Problems within the starter as someone suggested.

My guess would be you have a bad/corroded connection on the heavy wires from the battery to the solenoid and to earth. Take the battery terminals off, clean and replace tightly. While the battery is disconnected take the connection to the solenoid off and do similarly. Lastly take the starter earth off and repeat.

If all those are good and the problem continues then I think the starter itself is prolly the fault.

Lets see what Jaws recommends. :bow:

 

[Jaws]

I am with Bill 100%.
Only addition is check the earth from the battery to the frame at the frame end.
And a worthwhile check would be thus...

Set the meter to 20v DC

Put the negative probe on the -ve side of the battery

Hold the +ve probe on the engine somewhere making sure it has a good solid connection

Hit the start button and watch the meter.
It should not show ANY reading reading at all..

Basically what this will check is if the engine has a good earth bond to the frame.

 

[petrosc]

Thanks again

Thank you both for the advice.

John/Bill, I will try and do these things over the weekend and I will post the results. Thanks for taking the time over this. Your advice is invaluable because the Honda dealership and an individual BB repair garage is 140 klm away from me. :bow:

 

[Centaur]

My memory is fading but.......

did I not travel to see you somewhere in the UK many years back? :dunno: