Bike won't start!!

[Skippernick]

Went to start Monday morning and wouldn't start, had to bump start it. Assumed it was the battery but it [size=78%]failed to start for my return home as well.[/size]

Checked and the battery is getting charged so assumed the battery had died finally, I had resurrected about 4 months ago.
Put new battery in this evening and still won't start.
All warning light works, and when I thumb the starter I get a loud fast buzzing noise form the battery area.
Am I right in assuming that the starter solenoid has gone?


Thanks all
Nick

[darrsi]

Try on centre stand with the side stand up, in case you have a moody side stand switch.
And recently, after months of misery, i drenched my ignition switch (where the key goes in) with Isopropyl Alcohol spray, which is the same as Contact Cleaner, and it worked absolute wonders as far as starting and running issues.
Apparently over time there are a few contacts in the switch which just gather crap creating a bad contact, so rather than lubing, cleaning is the answer.

[redmandan]

I've had a loud fast buzzing noise from the battery area before and it was a knackered battery. Not enough volts to turn the starter. You could check this by jumping the bike from another bike or a car. Or borrow a mates battery and see if that gets it running.

As you say, it's a new battery, do you trust the supplier? What about another drain somewhere? got some aftermarket electrics on there that could be running it flat?

[His Dudeness]

I think the fact that the starter relay is buzzing means the control side of the relay is all working so the ignition, all the safety switches and the starter button on the handlebar are all working. I think the problem has to be on the high current side of the relay. That's battery to starter relay to starter motor. Check all the connections are tight, check the battery is charged, if in doubt give it a charge. If that's all good I'd bypass the starter relay. If the start motor turns when the relay is bypassed it shows the relay is faulty. If the starter still doesn't turn when the relay is bypassed there could be a problem with the starter motor or the wiring in that high current circuit. If you're bypassing the relay make sure the bike is in neutral. If it's in gear it will jump forward off the stand.

[Skippernick]

Cheers for the response guys.
Yeah I guess the new battery could be at fault, the bike does a 70 mile daily commute so I'm thinking the old one was charged enough anyway.
I used it last Thursday and then by Monday it had developed this fault with no warnings before hand, why do things just fail like that its very annoying.

[darrsi]

Cheers for the response guys.
Yeah I guess the new battery could be at fault, the bike does a 70 mile daily commute so I'm thinking the old one was charged enough anyway.
I used it last Thursday and then by Monday it had developed this fault with no warnings before hand, why do things just fail like that its very annoying.

I test brand new electrical equipment at work that can be faulty straight out of the new box, it's just one of those things, even though they've been through vigorous checks at the manufacturers.

[Skippernick]

Well I have just gone through all the high voltage connections and all were fine but I cleaned them anyway and also now covered with a liberal dose acf50. Battery to be fair is on the low side, but its still clicking.
Ill bump it tomorrow and go to work which will be a proper charge for the battery and take it form there, new solenoid on its way as well.

[bandit]

Well I have just gone through all the high voltage connections and all were fine but I cleaned them anyway and also now covered with a liberal dose acf50. Battery to be fair is on the low side, but its still clicking.
Ill bump it tomorrow and go to work which will be a proper charge for the battery and take it form there, new solenoid on its way as well.

Yeah, also don't believe the hype of battery makers when they say that a new battery doesn't need to be charged fully before install just put it straight in, fully charge first with a suitable low voltage charger.     

[His Dudeness]

I've had a loud fast buzzing noise from the battery area before and it was a knackered battery. Not enough volts to turn the starter. You could check this by jumping the bike from another bike or a car. Or borrow a mates battery and see if that gets it running.

As you say, it's a new battery, do you trust the supplier? What about another drain somewhere? got some aftermarket electrics on there that could be running it flat?

Good point. There could be something draining the battery. After you charge it try starting it. If it starts great the battery was flat. With the ignition off take one of the wires off the battery and connect a mulitmeter between the wire you took off and to the battery post. Check if there's any current flow when the key is off. Or if you don't have a multimeter do the same but connect a bulb between the wire and the battery post. If the bulb lights it shows current is flowing and there's something draining the battery.

[daviee]

if you short the two big wires that are on the solenoid ie connect them to gether and it starts then the solenoid is fooked i just bridge the conectors with heavy wire to check it 

[Skippernick]

Bumped it and rode to work this morning 35 miles, checked it was charging 14.4 with everything off, low revs with the lights on drops the charge rate somewhat.
Left it for five minutes and went to start, it turned over but then slowed and stopped. Clicking when I went home so bumped again. Got home, it started on the button after a minute, so I have out it on a charger for the night.
MOT tomorrow so maybe the mechanics will have a quick look.


Ill keep you posted.

[BBROWN1664]

Sounds like the charging circuit is working but hte battery is focced

[Skippernick]

So trickled charged the battery overnight. Started on the button this morning and several times to and from the mot, so that seems to have been the problem. Old knackered battery followed by a fast new one is enough to mess with any one.


Seems to be a common theme with me at the moment, the turbo system went weird on my focus, replaced solenoid valve and vacuum pump still wouldn't work properly, turns out the new vacuum pump was faulty, sent the ford engineer mad.

[His Dudeness]

You should check if something is draining the battery

[stevie-g1968]

my alarm drains my battery in about 3 weeks if I don't use my bike, the battery was replaced a year ago and is not subjected to cold temperatures here.
the bike will turn over, but doesn't have enough juice to make it fire.

[Skippernick]

You should check if something is draining the battery

Will do, which setting do I set the multimeter too or is it just dc volts 20 as per normal?

[Trebus]

You need an ammeter in series. Disconnect battery negative and hook the meter between the battery negative and your now loose negative wire. Should be zero amps, even a few milli amps will cause the battery to discharge.