Help diagnosing starting issue

OK, so I enjoyed a month or two of my bike running really nicely with no issues.
Now, the starter makes a subtle clicking noise, but won't turn the engine over. The battery is fully charged, and I can push start the bike easily in 2nd gear. Once started, it runs fine.

I do have some fuse issues. The blinkers stopped working, along with the horn. The headlights work. The oil pressure light comes on, but the neutral light barely comes on.

I read this article: http://xj650.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-install-aftermarket-fuse-box.html#
and plan on buying that fusebox, but it says it's only rated for 15 amps. Problem?

Thanks!

 

Starter solenoid.

 

Think you should start by testing the battery voltage at rest.
Please give us the reading

 

Ideal voltage with a known to be accurate meter should be 12.4 to 12.6 volts. This would indicate your battery is fully charged and all the cells are good. The bike will start with only 10 volts to the ignition but I think it's hard on the TCI.

 

if your battery tests out at the 12.4 to 12.6 volts range make sure your connections are clean at the battery.
first try jumping across the nuts on the solenoid use a old screw driver if your starter spins it is your solenoid. if not its your starter that needs work.
Replacing your starter motor brushes w/ pics

 

15 amp rating is a problem
chacal sells the fuse box you need and you can get extention wires from him, you,start a conversation with him
you have a main fuse it feeds the others
head light has its own fuse.
signals have there own fuse
ignition has its own fuse
there is a link here at xj bikes for replacing the fuse box too
HOW TO: Install an aftermarket fuse box

another link for fuse box
http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/your-fuse-box-a-ticking-bomb-by-rick-massey.2210/



what kind of bike are you rolling around on ?please put it in your profile signiture line.

 

your fuse link and xjbikes link is the same word for word

 

Guys, thanks a lot for all this info. Haven't had time to do the diagnostics yet. XJ55h, could you please explain in more detail the bit about jumping across the nuts on the solenoid with screwdrivers?

Thanks!

 

Photos here: http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/how-to-test-your-starter-circuit.7828/

Polock says a quarter works just fine:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4j6bf_0WGweZW5MbWpCRFRYeWc/view?usp=sharing

 

OK.
My battery meters 11.98 volts. I tried jumping the two nuts at the solenoid with an old chisel. I get the same click when pressing the starter, perhaps a bit more pronounced.
Does this mean my starter is shot?

Thanks!

 

jumping across the 2 nuts sends volts from battery directly to starter
11.98 volts should still spin the starter, fluid levels check out ok?
sounds like you need to remove starter and look inside at the brushes
Replacing your starter motor brushes w/ pics

read last post in above link its by polock here is what he says
"could be the starter or solenoid or something farther up the line.
PUT THE BIKE IN NEUTRAL. take the wire off the starter, put a battery charger on the starter, + to the stud - to the frame......no spin, the starter is the problem. spins....hook the wires back up and go to the solenoid. see two big bolts there with wires, short them together with a screwdriver......starter goes...... turn on the key, push the start button and listen to the solenoid, if it clicks but the starter doesn't spin like it did with the screwdriver then the solenoid is shot. if the solenoid doesn't click, theres wiring/contact problems."

THIS WAY you do not remove the starter for nothing

 

The first question I would have is what the voltage on the battery reads while you are jumping the solenoid. If the voltage is dropping a lot (much less than 10V), your battery is probably bad. If the voltage is not dropping much, then you have bad starter or bad wiring to the starter.

 

The resting voltage of your battery is low. Follow SQLGuy's advice. I suspect that you have a battery that is done for.

 

OK, followed SQLGuy's advice.
This time, resting voltage read 12.13v. when i jumpered the solenoid, resting voltage appeared to go down to 11.5. Pushing the start button, clicking noise, but no drop in battery voltage.
Battery is a bit over a year old.

 

TIme to pull the starter and:

1. Bench test using a power supply, or fully charged battery (this will isolate the problem to either the starter (likely), or the starter clutch/ idler gear (less likely). The starter case is ground, and the post is positive.

If the starter will not spin during the bench test then it is due for a rebuild. Chacal has the rebuild kits, and there is a very nice starter rebuild thread in the DYI section.

 

Thanks Guys. I'll pull the starter in the next few days hopefully.
Will let you know what I find.

 

I just bench tested the starter motor.
My battery again reads 12.03 volts in a resting state.

Using jumper cables, I hooked negative to the starter body, and positive to the battery terminal. The starter fired instantly, but I can't get it to repeat...
Wiz-dumb please?

 

Not sure what you mean by, "... can't get it to repeat..." Do you mean that the starter ran once on the bench, but now doesn't, when jumpered to a good battery? If that's the case, the starter probably needs to be rebuilt or replaced. Maybe just needs brushes. There are rebuild kits with brushes, bearings, etc... not too expensive.

 

Agreed. It is quite possible that the brushes are worn, and that removing the starter jostled the brushes just enough for them to make intermittent contact (allowing the starter to spin once).

 

Some pics
.

 

Um...ya. Time to rebuild it. The commutator needs to be polished as well.
Clean out all of the carbon dust, and regrease the planetary gears before you button it up with the new parts. If the bearings are in good shape you can just do the kit with the new brush plate and insulators.

Click it, read it, do it: http://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/replacing-your-starter-motor-brushes-w-pics.45727/

 

The mica between the segments has to be undercut because if the mica is high it will cause the brushes not to make good contact.

 

So, rebuilt the starter with chacal's kit, and per the how-to pink posted above.
Everything is exactly the same. Same clicking noise on starting. Actually heard a slight whine this time.
Time to look at the solenoid?

Also, I replaced the fusebox with chacal's kit, everything connected per instructions, and visually how things were.
Now I have neutral light, horn, right side blinkers (left side stays lit but won't blink). Brake light permanently on, and no headlights.

Grrrrr....

 

check your brake light switches could be stuck. the tail light and lic. plate light will be on when key is on
head light will not come on untill the starter spins the motor fast enough to start

wont blink could be a bad bulb or low wattage 27 watts needed, also try unpluging self canceler. the flasher relay pops apart to be cleaned
ed

 

The communtator on the armature where the brushes ride , how did it look? Was it worn down from the old brushes? The brass segments are separated by mica insulators and when rebuilding a starter we lathe the communtator flat and then undercut the mica between each segment so the brushes make perfect contact.
Ok here is the test, take a battery cable and go from the positive on the battery right to the post no the starter where the big cable is coming from the starter solenoid. It will give you a spark and the starter should engage and turn the engine over. If not you will need to pull the starter out and take to an motor shop that can do what I described in the first part of this response. If the starter does turn the engine your starter solenoid is bad. Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

The commutator was filthy, but shiny copper when I put it back together. And lots of pressure/contact with the new brushes. There did appear to be a bit of buildup in some of the segments on the armature.

So, bench testing this starter, lotta sparks, but no fire. At one point it spun maybe 1/4 turn very slowly.
Battery fully charged.

Please help. Ths is driving me nuts.

Thanks.

 

You are going to have to bring that starter to a motor shop for three things. First they are going to check the armature for shorts by placing it on a growler. A growler is an electro magnet that creates a magnetic field that will allow the user to check the integrity of the windings. Second if the armature is good they will need to turn the armature communtator flat and undercut the mica between the brass segments. Lastly they will bench test the starter to make sure the brushes and brush holders are square with the communtator for good contact under load and the bushings are holding the armature in the center and not pulling to one side and dragging on one of the magnets.
The other option is to buy a new starter or find another one that is known to be good.