Starter relay or Starter motor

Hi guys,

Put the bike together again today and tried starting it.
it coughed over a few times and then I got concerned about battery so I took it out and recharged it.

Put key in, turned ignition, reset the kill switch and the lights go out...
Check everything. its wet. clean out all connections, WD40, dry it off.
kill switch is doing bad things to the light level. aand now its better.
So try starting and Clunk - nothing, all lights out.

Worried about battery again so check Voltage 5V.. 4V.. wtf. go inside to charge it and .. 13.2V wtf
charge it anyway.
try again.
Kill switch disable - no prob. try starting and she coughs over a few times NEARLYSTARTS
but the lights are fading and I decide to top up battery again.

put key in, turned igniton, reset kill switch and the lights go out...
Check everything, wiggle some stuff near the ignition/main starter relay cluster*.
kill switch behaves..
try starting and Clunk - nothing. reset everything and try again..
When I flip the kill switch I can feel the starter safety relay click.
When I try to start it (and it clunks) I can feel the main starter relay click.

So.. within an hour I saw all systems working and then not.
I can feel the main relay shifting/clicking which implies to me that its ok.
If the starter motor was failing, why would that knock out all the lights?

What do you think is my gremlin?

*custom wiring loom, ignition is now next to battery and main starter relay.
- main starter realy is what I'm calling the round thing that sends power to the starter motor
- starter safety relay is what I'm calling the squaring relay that looks like the other relays and hangs from the frame, connects to the sidestand relay and "controls' the main starter relay.

 

Sounds like the battery is kanked.
A clicking solenoid, or starter relay, is the sign of a flat battery.

 

noooo

It sez its 13.42V it must be ok yeh?







yeh?

 

Failing that you could always check for a dodgy connection.

My money is on feckked.

 

you don't say what bike!!
some bikes have a system that disables the headlight whilst trying to start!
stu

 

oops, that info used to be in my signature..
'82 XJ550 seca and yes the headlight doesn't start until the engine has fired. But the taillight and instruments should light up and stay lit up when the key is turned.

 

I ended up pulling the starter motor and testing directly with the battery.
Same behaviour.
It works, it works, it doesn't. does not even draw current.

then give a minute aaand
it works, it works, it doesn't.

plug it directly into the battery charger.
it works, it works, it doesn't.

strange.

 

If it truly isn't drawing current then likely the brushes are not making contact with the commutator and the starter needs a rebuild / repair. A great link to rebuilding the starter:

http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/index.php?threads/replacing-your-starter-motor-brushes-w-pics.45727/

Kill switch sends power to the Starter Cutoff Relay and the TCI. The TCI is enabled at power on for about 3 seconds, but it is only adding about 2.5 amps for that 3 seconds until it switches to standby mode. The battery would have to be really bad to cause this, and more likely it would be a poor connection. If this happens again, then take a DMM and verify battery voltage. Measure at the battery terminals and the attached battery wiring to verify a good connection. With a poor connection at the battery, the voltage will be OK at the battery terminals, but low at the battery cables because of the poor connection.

If battery wiring is OK, then check voltage to main fuse in and out, then check voltage to the signal fuse for 12V. This will verify the ignition switch and wiring connections up to that point.

Also verify the large ground wire from the battery negative to engine chassis is clean and secured.

 

Cheers Rooster,
Rebuilding the starter worked wonders..

Now i gotta diagnose the lack of starting (well, it kinda woofled to life for a second or so before subsiding.)
Lots of obvious places to start, but in the meantime, quick opinion:

Will the bike be hard to start with naked carbs? (No airbox/filter. Temporary situation)

 

Usually not, but it won't run the same----

Dave