Battery / starter motor again!!!

Santa-2512

Santa-2512

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Well 3 months after the first episode of this issue it came back and bit me this morning :(

Started the bike normally, rode for about 6 miles and stopped at some traffic lights

Then i managed to stall it, (pox)pulled in the clutch pressed the starter, and got the the slow whir from the starter /

battery and then nothing.

A subsequent press of the starter,just got relay clicking and the battery symbol on the dash :(

so after the panic of stopping in the outer lane, and getting the bike to the side of the road, i tried again .... nothing a

few clicks and that was it.

So closer to work than home, i started to push it (lol) after about 20 mins, i stopped for a breather ... and decided to

have another go...

It span up perfectly and started straight away :thumby:..

So somthing is definatly amiss, New battery, new leads ... the only thing i can think of is the starter.

The one on it is original with 24K on it... brushes are fine and not worn

Cant think of anything else that would give the symptoms or problem

Assuming it is the starter ... OEM or 3rd party (Arrowhead)


Mart
 
Have you checked the starter motor earth connection?
Was left stranded in a van once with similar symptoms and it was a badly corroded braided earth strap from engine to chassis.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 
If, starter is turning the engine over, albeit slowly, probably excessive resistance.

Could be worthwhile cleaning the starter motor, undercutting the commutator and fitting new brushes first to see if that cures the problem.

Although, I would also fully charge the battery and check the voltage after a couple of days to rule that out too.

Just because something is new doesn't mean it is 100% !

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk
 
There was a thread on here recently giving the same symptoms you describe and a strip down, clean and new brushes solved it for that person. Might be worth a read.
 
These engines can be slow to crank once hot. My own GSA was improved by a starter stripdown and clean, plus a bit of grease in the starter gears.

The starters get pretty damn hot through heat soakage from the engine, heat rising from the catalyst and no cooling airflow. Try touching yours after a ride, you'll see what I mean.
 
Ok starter out, brushes look fine as does the commutator. Ive undercut it, lubed the pinion shaft and will rebuild the gear pack. I will put a brand new brush pack in and reasemble it

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Its a bugger isn't it. Same thing as you a couple of months back but recovered home as I had flattened the battery trying to get it started. A new arrowhead starter was the cure. Now nice and fast hot or cold and spins at exactly the same speed. Its the starter - new cables and new battery are just covering up the problem. I paid £190 for mine with next day delivery.
 
Well now sitting by the side of the A27 wauting for the rac. Coming down through the gears and it cut out. Wont start. Batt voltage 12.74 dropping to 12.34 when i press the starter buttin and clunking from the starter

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When you Get home and sorted Do a voltage test

A) in case the alternator is not getting its exciter voltage The Red lamp on 1150 and previous generations (Wee blue wire)

B) Its not putting out "Enough" volts
 
I would think if you had 12.7 volts that is a fully charged battery, and wouldn't suspect the alternator. The fact that it cut out suggests a wiring fault , maybe as others have alluded to a poor earth somewhere. It might make more sense to employ a bike friendly auto electrician.
 
It could also be a faulty starter relay (under the fuel tank).
 
Ok home finally, and now on the bus to work. Rac turned up popped on booster pack and the bike fired up, voltages checked ok. Left running and diconnected booster pack. Turned off and attempted to restart , all ok. We put a voltmeter on the battery, and it was 13+ volts. Turning lights and grips on it wemt to 14.48 volts and stayed there. We put a clamp meter on the earth side of things. 24 amps av. They recon 20 -30 amps is normal for a car. Did numerous restarts with no problem, he was leaning toward battery. Anyway he follwed me home. All ok untill i turned into the close where i live. Dropped down from second to first and it died. No resppnse from the starter. Clunk. Pulled over and had another go and it started, then wr did 3 or 4 starts and untill the battery
Started to die. Clunk clunk Then left it fir 30 secs amd fuck me it sarted. His conclision is starter not battery. The only curve ball isvthe cutting out after approx 6 miles

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I got one code from the gs911 which said starter relay, but that was no longrr present. The voltages initially wrere 13.74 dtopping to 13.34 on pressing the starter button. With no start when it did it on a start cycle it was 13.7 dropping to 11.4 returning to 14.48 after it started

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Unstoppable lol sorry i couldn't resist. For a bike thats supposed to be a "premium" product its alarming how often this sort of problem occurs. Best of luck sorting it out.


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It is not possible for a twelve volt battery to display 13.8 volts, it will if charging, and possibly just after charge. The fact that the bike cuts out would discounts the starter motor, if the battery is definitely good? It's got a wiring fault somewhere, find somebody who can carry out volt drop checks properly.
 
Pukmeister said:
It could also be a faulty starter relay (under the fuel tank).
Click to expand...
??? Scratching my head here I can't recall a relay under the tank area at all

:rob edit for GSA there are 3 (?) relays up front The yellow one allegedly is the starter relay

The ordinary GS has the yellow relay under the rider saddle in the lower tool tray
 
Yes the green starter relay is under the seat ...

Bit of a quandry now,,, do i spend £200 on a starter to find out it isnt ;)

Or do i charge it up, connect the gs911 and see if i can repeat the symptoms and then pull the logs to see what shows up

I supposu if it isnt the starter, i can always stick it back on the bay :D


Short term i'm going to lift the tank, and go over all the earth points to see if i have any earth issues

Mart :)
 
Checking earthing often resolves many electrical issue's.

I'd charge it overnight, then use gs911 and see what, if any codes show.

The only "proper" way is to drop test the battery but most just use a dmm and go it's ok or it's fucked !

What about bench testing the starter to see if it drains a battery or gets really hot (excessive current load).

With new leads and battery, I'd also be tempted to swap/replace with a known good start relay, a lot cheaper than a new starter.


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Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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