Starter?

[Tattoo_Mike]

Can hear the silenoid click and nothing..lights go dim..if i keep on the starter button i get rapid clicking....Starter locked up maybe? Rolled the bike in gear trying to see if that would help and nothing...gonna pull the starter and start there figure its a good time to flush the radiator and clean out the starter anyway..Any other suggestions?

 

[MaxMidnight]

Sounds more like low battery voltage if it is the starter solenoid is clicking.

 

[PATMAX]

Yeah thats what it sounds like to me. Do what everyone suggests, jump her with the car. If it starts, battery questionable. Then go from there. Solenoid can click when its going bad too I think.

 

[alorio1]

Check voltage at battery, sounds like the battery needs replacing or your cable connections need cleaning.

 

[SpecOps13]

All that was said or a connection that finally went totally bad....

 

[wildweasel_pt]

Sounds more like low battery voltage if it is the starter solenoid is clicking.

Agreed. If you get negative results with another good battery you may have bad wiring INSIDE the starter or a short. Grab the opportunity to take a look inside the starter and give it a good clean and lube if you have to mess with the rad either way.

 

[Tattoo_Mike]

well I drained the radiator and pulled the starter it was full of dust and the rad didnt really look bad or dirty but figured what the hell it was raining today anyway...I figured it may be the battery too but used it as an excuse to pull the starter anyway after all that I load tested the battery and no amps to speak of really. Kinda sucks, as the battery is only a year old. I recently got rid of the "crimp" and figured maybe I had just killed it for the last year. Ill reassemble in the morning for a ride but probably after a battery too...Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[Tattoo_Mike]

battery bone dry...back up and running now....weird that it was that dry though..how often do you guys check levels in batteries for those of you using wet batteries?

 

[mr.maxx]

do yerself a HUGE favor and get a sealed or agm battery. that one you have now wont last much longer anyhoo.....lots have great success with a panasonic

Panasonic LC-X1220P about 50 bux

 

[alorio1]

do yerself a HUGE favor and get a sealed or agm battery. that one you have now wont last much longer anyhoo.....lots have great success with a panasonic

Panasonic LC-X1220P about 50 bux

Mr Maxx is right, I had a battery go dry on a Honda 350ES my son was taking care of the maint. and he never thought to check battery. Refilled battery and it lasted another week and it would not hold a charge after that. AGM is the best way to go.

 

[Tattoo_Mike]

I usually always get the AGM batteries but they didnt have one the day I wanted one, it was a cool sunny day...and well, you get the idea..hahahah. Ill look into the panasonics though.

 

[jfeagins]

I check/refill with water, a couple times per year. The OEM size battery holds less water and needed watched more closely than does the larger battery I fitted using info for the mod found on this forum.

If you are using a charger of any kind during periods of little riding, that will tend to burn off water faster, IMO.

 

[85vmax]

Sealed bats for me only on the FZ and Max......I change the Autozone one in my XJ550 almost every year.....the trickle charger runs it dry and I never check it:bang head:

On my second panasonic with the Max...going on 3 years.....first one was 3 years also...but may not have been bad cause my whole charging system went down and I redid everything.....

Hey...you should think about getting a 4 brush starter....world of a difference....made my life a whole lot easier.

 

[Tattoo_Mike]

The Panasonic i saw doesn't have the normal posts that we normally see right? I was wondering what you guys do about that. 85max, the starter hasn't some dust in it but wasn't horrible and the brushes were in good shape, I have never had any real problems from it other than the hot start issue which was probably from the RR, I just got rid of the crimp and have an R1 RR on the way. Another thing i was thinking about too is that I am missing a lot of things on this bike, some that don't really matter and others that need attention. I am however missing the heat shield for the back, I'm guessing it sits between the battery box and the header. I was wondering if that could be the culprit of the dry battery also..Since it isn't there and I have no idea why it was removed I can only speculate. it does however have a kerker 4:2:1 on it but I don't think that would be a reason to remove it?

 

[m-cman]

The heat shield bolts to the stock exhaust flange covers that are removed when installing an aftermarket full exhaust system. There is no place to attach the shield when stock system is removed. The extra heat would cause the battery to evaporate faster but I would recommend a sealed battery. I have an Odyssey myself. Was on bike when I purchased it over 5 years ago and still strong. Have no idea how old it is.

 

[Tattoo_Mike]

well thats good info to know thanks m-cman...Ill pick up a sealed when this one kicks the bucket..

 

[85vmax]

Yes the post are different....just use a nut and bolt and they go on sideways.
I had the hot start probes bad......on trips, stop for gas and would either have to ket the bike cool down or push start it.....got worse over time...but my starter may have been shot....or needed brushes.

 

[mr.maxx]

once you take care of the lil electrical gremlins and get a decent battery, even with the 2 brush starter.....the max starts and runs a lot better.
even my 07 would crank slow when hot occasionally..until i got a AGM..so id say a good battery is a must upgrade. and the brush plate in the starter tends to get corroded on the lil tabs that help ground it....cleaning those up and bend ing them up ward slightly also impoves things. having a good ground connection from the battery to the engind AND the frame is essential.