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+--- Thread: Random starting problem (/showthread.php?tid=76033)
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Random starting problem - darrsi - 04-07-16
As above, this has being going on for a while now and it's becoming irritating.
At completely random intervals the bike will appear to have a flat battery when I go to start it, and I just get a buzzing sound.
Thing is, once I get it started via jump leads it won't do it again for ages.
I did have an issue with my side stand switch but I've bypassed that now by connecting the wires, not ideal I know but the switch is in a terrible place to get to so it'll do for now.
When this has happened before I've ridden the bike to work and put the battery on charge and it shows as full in less than half hour so I don't believe it is a dud battery problem. Also once I do get it started it will start absolutely fine on the button for weeks or even months before it does it again.
I last used the bike on Friday, and it wasn't raining so I don't think it's a water issue either.
All battery connections are good and tight, and the battery is maybe 3 years old, but as I've said I don't think it's that otherwise it would be happening much more frequently.
Other than this, everything else is working fine.
Any ideas welcomed, I'm a bit stumped at the moment? :look
Re: Random starting problem - Bretty - 04-07-16
No idea?!
Are you doing that thing where, if you turn the ignition key too far 'off' it puts on your parking light and drains the battery? Just me then?
Re: Random starting problem - Jamieg285 - 04-07-16
No experience of this problem on a bike, but on a car I used to have I got those symptoms from a sticky starter solenoid.
A common fix was to whack it with a hammer to free it off, but the best solution was to get a new one.
Re: Random starting problem - slappy - 04-07-16
Sounds similar to a problem I had with my old gen1 1000, after messing about for ages found it to be a worn ignition switch.
Re: Random starting problem - TOADY - 04-07-16
Dodgy starter solenoid
Re: Random starting problem - darrsi - 04-07-16
(04-07-16, 12:24 PM)Bretty link Wrote: No idea?!
Are you doing that thing where, if you turn the ignition key too far 'off' it puts on your parking light and drains the battery? Just me then?
No, and i don't use an alarm either so that can be ruled out.
Any extras on the bike, like heated grips, air horn, etc, are wired into the ignition, so no draining of battery overnight, everything gets switched off properly.
It's the randomness that is the most annoying thing, as it'll work just fine for ages until it does it again.
Re: Random starting problem - BBROWN1664 - 04-07-16
Its either the starter solenoid or the starter motor. Without me listening to where the noise is coming from it is difficult to say for certain.
Connecting jump leads gives it enough power to overcome the issue.
Re: Random starting problem - darrsi - 04-07-16
(04-07-16, 04:22 PM)BBROWN1664 link Wrote: Its either the starter solenoid or the starter motor. Without me listening to where the noise is coming from it is difficult to say for certain.
Connecting jump leads gives it enough power to overcome the issue.
Okay, I'm getting the hint.
I'll charge the battery again when I get home anyway, then look at ordering another solenoid.
I only want to do things one at a time so I can properly figure out the cause for future reference.
Out of interest, are they a repairable part, or do they just wear out or break down and need replacing?
Can't say I've ever had reason to deal with them before.
Re: Random starting problem - darrsi - 04-07-16
£14.75 for a used solenoid on Fazerspares, or £12.75 for a brand new one on Ebay? :look
Re: Random starting problem - clayt74 - 04-07-16
It's unlikely to be the solenoid, if it was stuck there would be no noise and jump leads wouldn't make a difference. The solenoid needs very little current to operate. More likely to be the starter motor stalling when in certain positions.
Re: Random starting problem - unfazed - 04-07-16
Most likely the solonoid acting up due to corrosion on the big contacts I had to change a few of them over the years and any I dismantled were all the same, corrosion on the big copper contacts.
The corrosion reduce the current flow to the starter making it sound like the battery is low.
The only other issues could be worn brushes on the starter motor, but I would change the solonoid first
Re: Random starting problem - darrsi - 04-07-16
(04-07-16, 06:47 PM)unfazed link Wrote: Most likely the solonoid acting up due to corrosion on the big contacts I had to change a few of them over the years and any I dismantled were all the same, corrosion on the big copper contacts.
The corrosion reduce the current flow to the starter making it sound like the battery is low.
The only other issues could be worn brushes on the starter motor, but I would change the solonoid first
Got a solenoid on order, as i said earlier i'll do one thing at a time until i, or you lot, officially nail it.
Belated Happy Birthday by the way Unfazed. :thumbup
Re: Random starting problem - Skippernick - 04-07-16
Dont discount a dud battery though.
My car had a 2 year old Yusa battery, car failed to start the AA man tested it on his special machine and said the battery is fine, usually this machine fails batteries even good ones. He said the problem was an intermittent electrical drain!!!
I charged the battery and then disconnected it over night and low and behold it discharged. Computers what do they know.
Went through 3 days of testing at my local autospares and they confirmed a dud cell.
What i am saying is even if the battery appears to be behaving charge wise it may still be dud.
But i also reckon its the starter.
Re: Random starting problem - darrsi - 04-07-16
(04-07-16, 08:28 PM)Skippernick link Wrote: Dont discount a dud battery though.
My car had a 2 year old Yusa battery, car failed to start the AA man tested it on his special machine and said the battery is fine, usually this machine fails batteries even good ones. He said the problem was an intermittent electrical drain!!!
I charged the battery and then disconnected it over night and low and behold it discharged. Computers what do they know.
Went through 3 days of testing at my local autospares and they confirmed a dud cell.
What i am saying is even if the battery appears to be behaving charge wise it may still be dud.
But i also reckon its the starter.
When i left work to go home this evening it started on the button, no problem whatsoever.
Re: Random starting problem - darrsi - 11-07-16
Bike never started AGAIN this morning.
Changed the starter relay for a brand new one and gave the battery a couple of hours boost, so i'll see if that sorts things out.
Re: Random starting problem - lincs1963 - 14-07-16
My thoughts does this on occasion, if I wiggle the key about it starts, so I'm going with worn ignition.
Re: Random starting problem - darrsi - 15-07-16
(14-07-16, 10:12 PM)lincs1963 link Wrote: My thoughts does this on occasion, if I wiggle the key about it starts, so I'm going with worn ignition.
I will promise to wiggle my key if it happens again, just for fun value, but I'm fairly sure that's not the problem.
Re: Random starting problem - darrsi - 20-07-16
Came out of work last night in the stupidly warm weather, bike gear on, sweating buckets already........bike doesn't start. :'(
Made a quick call at reception to my electronics technician who said he had some jump leads and also leaves at the same time as me so he would be out in a minute, but then i noticed the 20 foot mild slope in the car park so tried my luck, bumped it and it pinged to life. :woot
Battery has been on charge all night, but i've got a brand new one on order now, as i think mine must have a dud cell.
I've gone for the one below as it is a 12ah rather than most which were mainly 10ah.
And hopefully this will be the end of the problem.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311057282347?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Re: Random starting problem - Robgosty - 20-07-16
Had the exact same problem Sun, had started bike Sat night as going out Sunday and all was well, pal arrived Sun, pushed bike out of garage and no start, no ignition lights, put jump box on, no joy, everything dead
however hazards were working o/k, turned out to be bad connection on white plug and socket under left hand side cover (when sat on bike) dose of switch cleaner and all well again, did 240 miles + on Sun, no problems, have now pulled every connector on bike and applied switch cleaner so hopefully no more problems 8)
Re: Random starting problem - clayt74 - 20-07-16
(04-07-16, 05:41 PM)clayt74 link Wrote: It's unlikely to be the solenoid, if it was stuck there would be no noise and jump leads wouldn't make a difference. The solenoid needs very little current to operate. More likely to be the starter motor stalling when in certain positions.
I really hope the battery does sort it for you!
But I would have thought a battery issue would be a more regular fault rather than an intermittent one?
If it doesn't sort it, I still think starter motor. Good luck