Date: 28-03-24  Time: 15:23 pm

Author Topic: Worn out battery...  (Read 2611 times)

Fazerider

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Worn out battery...
« on: 15 March 2019, 11:16:25 am »

The bike’s been off the road now since November… the first winter it’s ever had without being used. Hadn’t planned it this way, lack of spare time has delayed engine replacement and always hoping I’d find the time meant I’d left the battery in it.
Retrieved it this morning and was surprised to find it still registered 12V and, given a boost, will doubtless turn an engine over as willingly as ever. Those original GS units were damn fine batteries.








Sadly it may need replacing soon, the jolting from 200k of crappy roads has worn through the casing and it’s starting to leak nasties. I’ll try to patch it: obviously want to keep what is probably the world’s highest mileage FZS600 battery going a bit longer :rollin but the end is in sight.

redmandan

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #1 on: 15 March 2019, 05:13:19 pm »
Is that the original battery?!?! That’s incredible.

Fazerider

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #2 on: 15 March 2019, 06:46:24 pm »

Yes, I bought the bike new and that is the original.
Up until now it’s benefitted from regular long runs, even in winter, as I had a 35-45 mile commute.
Batteries like that sort of treatment even if I didn't.  :lol

Frosties

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #3 on: 15 March 2019, 06:50:26 pm »
I tell you what fella - I'd take the battery down to your local stealer and commend them on how long their stuff lasts....including the 200k bike. They must be willing to at least give you a new battery and possibly a free service.


BTW - your fluke is about as old as the bike..
Those are my principles...if you don't like them I have others.

Trebus

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #4 on: 15 March 2019, 07:20:49 pm »
Keep hold of that bad boy. The replacement will likely last a 20th of the time!

redmandan

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #5 on: 15 March 2019, 10:23:01 pm »
My personal experience with batteries is that if you keep them topped up, by running the bike at least once a week, and park in a garage or somewhere it doesn’t freeze, then they will last much longer than the standard 2 to 3 years.

Fazerider

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #6 on: 15 March 2019, 11:05:58 pm »
I tell you what fella - I'd take the battery down to your local stealer and commend them on how long their stuff lasts....including the 200k bike. They must be willing to at least give you a new battery and possibly a free service.


BTW - your fluke is about as old as the bike..

The bike lasted longer than the dealer!
The Fluke, think it dates from about 1993. Another a reliable bit of kit... though after you've done a current measurement it's well worth double-checking you've put the leads and dial back to volts before putting it across a lead-acid battery: the high current fuse in it is about £10 IIRC.  :'(

BBROWN1664

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #7 on: 16 March 2019, 08:37:29 pm »
BTW - your fluke is about as old as the bike..


My Fluke DVM is from around 1990/91 and has the battery in it still from when it was last calibrated around 1995. Still works too.
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BBROWN1664

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #8 on: 16 March 2019, 08:38:32 pm »
the jolting from 200k of crappy roads


We need pictures of the odometer for that one!!!

Sounds impressive though.
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Frosties

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #9 on: 17 March 2019, 12:10:08 am »
the jolting from 200k of crappy roads


We need pictures of the odometer for that one!!!

Sounds impressive though.


I totally agree BB, pics would be great.....although I wouldn't have the shear nerve to call him a lying bastard as you have  :lol
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red98

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #10 on: 17 March 2019, 07:01:26 am »
Ouch... :rolleyes .........ive met FAZERIDER a couple of times and hes helped me out with parts and advice many times , one  of life's good guys ,  if he says his clocked up 200k then thats what hes done  :thumbup








FR ,do you have any piccies ?       :lol
One, is never going to be enough.....

Fazerider

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #11 on: 17 March 2019, 10:01:25 am »

You mistrustful foccers.  :lol


I did post the pic on "What did you do with your Fazer today?" last year.
That was February 2018. Mileage is only a couple of thousand more now, thanks to being made redundant I don't have a long commute these days.



Fazerider

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #12 on: 21 April 2019, 11:03:28 am »
An update:

I Araldited a sheet of tough plastic onto the side that was showing signs of electrolyte seepage and the battery still squeezed into the bike OK.
The bike has been running poorly for a while… lots of misfiring below 5000 rpm, so as a fix I swapped in a clean set of carbs. After 3 on-off cycles of the ignition the float bowls were filled, but pressing the starter button did nothing. After a few more tries the starter relay got the idea and clicked… after a dozen more tries the contacts managed to clean themselves and the starter motor churned the engine over. Another 20 seconds and it fired up.  :)
First time it’s run since November… not bad for a battery that by rights should be knackered. 
Unfortunately, the misfire is only slightly better. Maybe some fresh petrol will help, but swapping the engine is the next step... no 2nd gear is such a PITA.

mtread

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #13 on: 21 April 2019, 08:03:12 pm »
Hang on a minute. New carbs, swapping the engine. It may have done 200k, but won't it be Trigger's broom?  :lol

vinnyb

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #14 on: 21 April 2019, 10:26:09 pm »
Hang on a minute. New carbs, swapping the engine. It may have done 200k, but won't it be Trigger's broom?  :lol

Yeah, the only thing that hasn't been replaced is the speedo. :lol

Fazerider

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #15 on: 21 April 2019, 11:36:02 pm »
Hang on a minute. New carbs, swapping the engine. It may have done 200k, but won't it be Trigger's broom?  :lol

Yeah, the only thing that hasn't been replaced is the speedo. :lol
And most of the cells in my body have been replaced over the past 20 years, so perhaps the bike’s had more than one owner.  :eek

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #16 on: 22 April 2019, 08:47:47 pm »
An update:

I Araldited a sheet of tough plastic onto the side that was showing signs of electrolyte seepage and the battery still squeezed into the bike OK.
The bike has been running poorly for a while… lots of misfiring below 5000 rpm, so as a fix I swapped in a clean set of carbs. After 3 on-off cycles of the ignition the float bowls were filled, but pressing the starter button did nothing. After a few more tries the starter relay got the idea and clicked… after a dozen more tries the contacts managed to clean themselves and the starter motor churned the engine over. Another 20 seconds and it fired up.  :)
First time it’s run since November… not bad for a battery that by rights should be knackered. 
Unfortunately, the misfire is only slightly better. Maybe some fresh petrol will help, but swapping the engine is the next step... no 2nd gear is such a PITA.
Have you still got the original spark plug caps? A new set of NGK caps and trim the ht lead might cure the misfire under 5k

Fazerider

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Re: Worn out battery...
« Reply #17 on: 22 April 2019, 09:33:24 pm »
Have you still got the original spark plug caps? A new set of NGK caps and trim the ht lead might cure the misfire under 5k

Good thought. I did change to NGKs many years ago, but it’s been a few years since I trimmed the leads… certainly worth a try while I get the new engine sorted.
A change of sparkplugs might help too, but they’re seized solid.