Single *Click*, No start. '85 XJ700

I've searched around the forums but haven't been able to single down a potential problem to the tee with my bike.

I was riding home from work yesterday and the bike died out on me when I slowed to a stop light. I know I possibly have a fuel flow problem, but I can't get the bike to crank so I want to address that issue first.

When I first started cranking the bike I was losing some power on the light indicators and my headlight, they didn't turn off but I could tell power was draining from them, and once or twice the engine sounded like it was trying to turn over when I pushed the start button, but it was really low powered and sluggish, then just stopped trying to start, now I try to push the start button and all I get is a single *click* that I have located under the seat and behind the battery, says Hitachi on it when I pull it out of it's seat. For a while now I've had to lay on the starter for a little while while I toy with the choke and alternate with feathering the throttle to start it up and it's always idles low and very fragile until it warms for 5-10 minutes.

I've always had the problem of power draining from my other electrical lights whenever I turn my bright light on, start the bike. However, when I open the throttle in idle or while riding I seem to get restored or extra power to those indicators and my speedometer panels. The batter is only a year old and it's a non service battery. Any idea's why it's not cranking up?

 

Re: Single *Click*, No start. '85 XJ700 X

You definitely need to fully charge the battery and try again.

It sounds like the charging system is not adequate to fully replenish the battery, so it is hard to start. Do you have have extra high wattage lights installed?

Maybe time to do some multimeter testing of the R/R and related components...

 

Re: Single *Click*, No start. '85 XJ700 X

Okay. I'm about to take the battery out and have it tested, don't have a machine here but there is an O'Reileys down the road. I just happened to notice just now though that it is a maintenance battery and that the guy I brought it to didn't install a new maintenance free battery like he said he was and I didn't check it to make sure. Just pulled the yellow caps off and there was almost little to no water across the holes in the battery, so I've been riding it all year and losing water over time. Just filled it up and tried to jump it off a car (not turned on) and still receive the same single click. I'll go get the battery charged and update ASAP. I'm assuming that part behind the battery is the start solonoid?

Negative on the lights, everything as far as I know is stock on the bike minus the side mirrors.

 

Re: Single *Click*, No start. '85 XJ700 X

Did a test on the old battery and it came up as bad, so I Just purchased a new battery, did the install and I am still receiving the same single "click" off the Starter relay solenoid. Nothing has changed with the installation of the new battery. Should I purchase a new Solenoid relay before doing anything else?

 

Just installed the new Solenoid Relay and bike still wouldn't start up. I grabbed a mallet and decided to hold the start button and tap on the side of the starter and it tried turning over. It almost fired up and then the starter bogged down again before completely stopping. Tried this a few times with the same results.

Tips?

 

Did you have the choke engaged?

 

Yes and No. I got a better turnover rate without the choke.

 

Sounds like the starter is done. Cranking with low voltage repeatedly will cook a starter. You could get a brush kit rebuild it or replace it.

 

Have you tried to start it with a good car battery wired directly to the starter (shortcutting the solenoid)? Have you tried to boost it? If you try it with your car, the engine shouldn't be running.

Are your cable connections at the starter clean and solid?

 

I had the same issue, traced it to a bad contact. Not enough voltage getting to the starter from the solenoid. Lots of rust on my contacts. Might explain why tapping it got it going temporarily.

 

Never tap on the side of the starter, it has magnets on the inside that will break and render the starter useless. Lightly tapping on the end will be okay.
Low voltage from a weak/bad battery can cause damage to the entire system: wiring, solenoid, alternator, starter and relays.
You started at the right place: Battery-fuses (if no click)-solenoid(if you get a click sound)-starter-relay-wire.

 

After you get it starting, you need to check the alternator with a voltmeter to see if it's charging properly.