Hard Start, Battery? Starter Motor? Short?

I just bought my bike several weeks ago...Starts intantly after I touch the push button...with choke....

this week, I noticed that my dummy lights were a little dimmer...I thought it was the glare of the sunlight....but as I cranked, either the starter would just spin missing the flywheel, or what ever it is it turns...or it turns over but sounds like a dead battery....dying battery...

I checked the charge...it was adequately at 12.5

couple days later, sitting in the garage, I saw it at 10.5

I took it out, was going to charge it....then I noticed it had too much acid/water in it....

I drained it,

immediately got to 11.5 afterwards...

I charged it again, and it stay at 12.5

I thought my problems were solved...Battery looks new, from Walmart Everlast...

well...I tried starting it the other day, at 12.5 v measured, and still a hard start...it eventually turned over, but I am afraid of what other components I am hurting while struggling with a potentially weak battery...

I rode it around to get it charged up more...yes I see the battery charging as I rev the bike....as well as headlights and such getting brighter...

I let it sit a day, and measured 12.5v again...this time I hooked up my car battery to it to start it....it started easy...like before...but only with the car battery connected to it (car not running)

I let it idle for a little while and turned it off...I put the bike back together (seats and covers) then I tried starting it again without the connection to the car battery...and yes measuring 12.5v first on the bike...

and again, hard start...

What is my problem here? Just a battery? did the overflow of water/acid prematurely kill the battery.....even if it hold a 12.5v charge?

I am planning to just buy another battery, but season is ending anyway, so I was thinking about doing it during spring and seeing what you guys all think....

Battery? Starter motor? Solenoid?

Any help would be appreciate...

Sorry for the rant...

THANKS! :cry:

 

1. I would do a load check on the battery. I’ll lay odds it’s dying.
2. Check the length of your alternator brushes (thanks Rick). If they are too short, starting problems will arise!
I would be concerned about draining a battery as the electrolyte specific gravity will be degraded. One should never drain a battery. Be sure to service the battery with distilled water only. Tap water will ruin a battery since it contains minerals (salts) that will mess up the plates. I suspect that this has happened to your battery so I would definitely contemplate purchasing a new one.

 

thanks Robert...Seems logical, don't know what the previous owner used for it as far as tap or distilled...the bike sat for a good time and it needed a new battery this year before they sold it...prior to this, the bike is 100% an A++++...still surprised how much I love this bike for a 24 year old with 28k miles....UNREAL! and the battery being overfilled, I am sure they just wanted the darn thing to start...you can see my pics...the body is mint...its such a clean bike...I love it! did I mention I love it?

Thanks again...What batteries do you recommend? Do you think the Everlast Battery from Walmart will do, or is that part of my problem?

 

Well, I've used Everlast myself but they tend to die after a year of use. Anything should be fine but I'd invest in a sealed cell myself to avoid having to deal with electrolyte spillage and so on. Best of luck to you!

 

I bet Robert is right about the battery dying. But it doesn't hurt to check the fuse box and connections for corrosion.

 

I just measured the battery again while still connected on the bike...12.48V, SAME problem, sounds like the battery is dying and out of juice...

I will try to replace the battery with a sealed one...my spend a little more, but I hate to think what components might be having to work harder just because of a bad battery....

Thanks for all the opinions!

I may be buying a 82 650 seca, a little rusty on the rear shocks and pipes, but still has tons of power with only 14k miles...If I get it, I will take pics...

I love the motor in these bikes, and the seca sits so different then the Maxim...never thought I would like such older bikes......maybe cause I have a low budget....LOL...

 

It's not about VOLTS ... It's about AMPS! While 12 V is enough juice to make the filaments in light bulbs glow brightly if they only pull a couple of Amps. The STARTER needs some real strong Amperage to spin and crank-over an engine.

Do as Robert suggests. Pull the battery and go get it load tested.

I strongly suspect the battery to fail the load test. That you drained it and refilled it is a good clue that the ability for the battery to accept a "Deep" enough charge to store the power needed for cranking-over the engine was lost.

The poor battery is exhausting itself trying to convert water to the specific gravity of electrolyte. That's not likely to happen.

What will happen is dangerous. The battery will pass the charging current through the water. The water will react to the electro-process and begin releasing Hydrogen Gas.

The tiny spark of battery charging leads at the terminals of the battery is all it needs to go: BOOM!

Be careful. It's a major "Eye Hazard!"

 

are you scaring me cause its close to Halloween????.....nuff said, that battery is going bye bye....thanks guys...

 

Rick is correct. A failing battery can show perfect voltage without load and drop significantly when a load is put on.

When you charge a lead acid battery hydrogen and oxygen are released. If you have low fluid in a cell that creates space for the gas to accumulate. Usually, fluid would be low because the cell was bad (bad cells tend to cook off the water when charging). A bad cell can also spark if the plates are exposed and a load is put on it. If this happens KABOOM!

Neighbor's kid blew up a golf cart battery this summer. Had it on charger. Took charger off and tried to drive, blew the battery all to hell. Making sure the cell is full above the plates before charging prevents the situation.

When you dumped electrolyte out of the battery it was ruined (probably ruined before that). If you keep the fluid filled above the plates it will be safe. It will, however, likely strand you miles from home in the dark, with rain, wind locusts etc. And, your cell phone won't work either.

Get a new battery. Then check your charging voltage to make sure it is properly charging the battery. Improper charging will significantly reduce battery life.