XJ750 Maxim not starting after winter break - taser/clicking sound

Hi,

I'm trying to start my bike again after winter break and it's not working
When I started it, the battery seemed to be working fine (lights on, and the ignition seemed to be working, checked the spark plugs and they are firing, honk works) but now, after many failed attempts, the battery seems to be dead? I hear this "taser" sound - see video https://imgur.com/B7hF5uS

Did I just drained the battery? Could the issue also be the starter motor?
Could the engine be flooded after all these attempts?
Any suggestions?

Your input is greatly appreciated
Thanks!

EDIT: I have a gel battery that is 3 years old.

 

Battery must produce a minimum of 10 volts when you are pressing starter button to operate to the transistors in your TCI. But your plugs had a spark. Charge the battery first. Do you have the original fuse box. If so change it for a blade fuse box.

 

You can try and start it off a car battery too. What is the chattering noise? Is it the solenoid?

 

Thanks for your reply. The battery gives 11 volts when the key is on but as soon as I press the start button it drops to 4 volts.
The sound comes from the right side of the bike under the seat. You can hear it in the video https://imgur.com/B7hF5uS

 

Sound is probably the solenoid clicking, due to low voltage. Can you use jump leads off a car battery? Four volts is far too low to make your transistors work properly in the TCI unit. If they don't work no spark at plugs. Check all your electrical connections and your wiring harness plugs, especially at the TCI, and the ones going from the starter switch unit on the handlebar to the harness in the headlight shell, make sure they are clean. Spray with WD-40. Check the ground connections to the frame for corrosion and clean them up. It could be voltage drop due to a corroded connection, and your battery could be fine. Check your plug caps are tight on the high tension leads, there is no corrosion where the lead joins the cap.

You could try roll starting the bike because then the rear wheel can turn the engine over when you have the ignition on and drop it into second gear and the power the starter motor etc would use can be used for the ignition system, at least then you can check if it will start.

 

It's strange because the spark plugs are still firing.
My headlight bulb doesn't turn on. Only the small one is on. It has been like this even before I stored the bike for the winter. Could this be related?
The battery could be drained now because I've pushed the start button a lot of times and some times I just kept pressing it. And eventually it ran out, it seems like.
I could replace the battery with a new one. I'll try to roll start the bike tomorrow.

Before the battery died I tried to start the bike with the petcock on the 3 different positions (Pri, Res and On). Couldn't start the bike.
There's plenty of gasoline in the tank (almost full) so it shouldn't be a fuel issue. But for some reason, even before the battery died, I couldn't start it.

 

Do you have a workshop manual and a multimeter?

 

I have the service manual and a multimeter.

 

Always make sure you got one of those battery tenders. Charge your battery once a month so it doesn't die on you. I got one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06X9GGNZC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I have some of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LDL4ZQJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and these, slightly better:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...&pf_rd_p=742252ae-972f-4134-91b6-e3e9ca15fe44

I have a lot of batteries to charge and keep charged. I leave one on my bike battery all winter outside. I also have a Tender but too expensive to buy a bunch of them.

 

I have found my cheap harborfreight battery tender does the job. I keep it plugged in over the winter. Don't hate me for using harborfreight...

I seem to get an extra couple of seasons out of my lead acid batteries using the tender vs. without.

 

yes

sounds like soilnoid clickking due to low voltage

swap in another set of plugs if you used starter fluid plugs will be fouled if it failed to start

do a voltage drop test to see what battery falls to when starting.
record sitting voltage. should be 12.8 volts
press starter button see what voltage drops to when cranking 10 volts or less is a no start situation

charge battery or jump bike with car battery car not running.
3 year old battery may be time for a new battery

 

yes , but if you are spinning the engine with the spark plugs out , to see the spark, then the engine will spin much faster ,and will draw much less current from the battery,
hence the plugs spark, then, when you replace the plugs , the compression draws a lot more current, --- voltage then drops to 4 ---- plugs dont spark.

 

Get a new GOOD battery

 

On most XJs, the headlight doesn't come on until the bike is running. This is to make more power from the battery available for cranking and starting.

 

After sitting for a while, gasoline evaporating in the carbs may have gummed up the enrichment passages, and maybe jets, etc. Might need a cleaning, or might at least need some starting fluid or propane to get it started the first time without having to crank for an hour. This is one of my top reasons for hating carburetors.

 

GET A NEW GOOD BATTERY

 

with the 750 maxim the headlight comes on with key but is wired through the starter button so it goes off when you press the button

 

Thank you all for the great input
I bought a battery charger and charged the battery. Put it back on and it fired right up

My headlight still doesn't work tho. I've inspected the bulb and it's in perfect condition, so it must be the wiring. Any suggestions to where look first?

 

The headlight
The headlight switch
The fuse

 

in the control on the starter button . the 750 maxim has a contact point on the starter switce just a flat piece of metal it must be cleaned is hard to clean it was designed to cut the headlight when you push the starter button. you will also see the starter button contacts next to it. electronic spray cleaner and what ever you can use to clean it.

 

Just a quick update: turns out the headlight wasn't working because the blue wire was damaged (literally cut off).
So I've fixed now and have light again

Thanks for all the insight.

On another note, I've changed the oil today and I could see a lot of fragments in the bottom of the oil pan.
Should I be concerned? Could these be from engine wear?

 

Black plastic fragments? Alternator/starter chain guide breaking up not engine wear. Crankcases need split to replace it. Can you post pictures of the fragments?

 

Fragments of what?

 

Yes, most were black. I didn't took a picture, unfortunately.

 

It causes gear selector problems eventually, don't use the bike. The chain will damage the oil spray nozzle behind the alternator rotor if the guide is failing.

 

Doesn't sound good. What should I check/do?

 

emergency_guidectomy

If they are chunks of plastic, then an engine removal and split will be necessary.
It's not a difficult job, but it does take a fair amount of time and planning.

That last bit in the linked article, where the author says that the chain cannot contact the case, is incorrect. He got lucky. Both the case and the oil nozzle can be worn away by the alternator chain when the guide completely fails.

 

Are there any other "symptoms" on the bike that could mean this?

 

shifting problems stuck in gear

 

Haven't experienced anything of the sorts.
To be honest I didn't inspect the pieces that closely - stupid of me. But It's also possible that the oil pan was also dirty.
That's why I'm confused now - I guess I'll have to check closely next time I do an oil change.

 

If you have the old oil you might find some fragments in it. Pour it through a sieve and if you find any post a picture.

When l stripped my engine there was some oil sludge in the oil pan but nothing else.

 

I don't have the oil anymore. I'll have to pay attention to the next oil change.
But thanks for the suggestions.

 

If you follow the emergency Guide eco
osted above, you should be able to look in and see larger chunks inside of the hole