Clicking noise when trying to start

[glegge]

Thanks glegge thats nice and easy to follow which is how i need it as i dont know jack about electricary.
Its definately the starter solonoid, it looks like the pic in the link. I'll test this afternoon with a multimeter.

great stuff, let us know how you get on.
cheers
Gavin

[colsan1]

Ok i've checked the battery to solonoid terminals.
Neg battery to solonoid terminal shows 11.9v other terminal shows nothing.
same with starter button pressed 12v drops to 11(ish) other terminal shows 7.9v.
I've not checked to starter motor terminal as i didnt go anywhere near them when working on the bike.

[Latte]

You dont have a evil ex. and its a time bomb, and she is trying to blow you up??

When my parents split up my Mum swapped all the HT leads around on my Dad's Mustang, luckily it didn't catch when he tried to start it. Took a while to figure it out as well

[glegge]

Ok i've checked the battery to solonoid terminals.
Neg battery to solonoid terminal shows 11.9v other terminal shows nothing.
same with starter button pressed 12v drops to 11(ish) other terminal shows 7.9v.
I've not checked to starter motor terminal as i didnt go anywhere near them when working on the bike.

Thats odd, so if i have got this right, your getting (nominal) 12v on the starter solinoid input terminal from battery, then push the button, and only get 7.9volts on the output, while the input one drops a little.

Me - being the bush mechanic i am - would try this simple non destructive test.(well, you may pit the solonoid terminals a little)

short the solinoid input to the output with a big screwdriver. (the big terminals you have been measuring with the volt meter - with nuts holding on the thick cables from the battery and the starter motor). all your doing is connecting the battery directly do the starter motor (bypassing the solonoid), make sure the bike is not in gear.

be prepaired for a bit of a spark and crack sound, but the engine should turn over.
just remove the screwdriver and it will stop again.
with the key off, the engine wont start - so dont worry about that.
PLEASE make sure there is nothing flamable around the place, this will cause a spark and i'd hate for you to post back saying gee i burnt my bike down .

if the engine dows not turn over, something is wrong. either the battery is not good enough or there is an issue in the starter motor circuit.

you could try the same experiement (screw driver accross the solinoid terminals) again, but with another known good battery jumpered accross the bike one (just with jumper leads you have for you car).

if still no luck, try taking a jumper lead, connect it to the negative battery terminal, and connect the other end to a nice METAL clean piece of the engine as near as you can to the starter motor. this will make sure it's not an earth problem. make sure it's firmly connected to the engine, as a bad joint may mark any casings or what have you, which would not look pretty on a pristeen bike.

press the start button (if no luck, try the screw driver again).
if still no luck, i reckon you have a crook starter motor.



Now, if the engine DOES turn over (in the above, when you shorted out the starter soloniod) this means the solonoid is faulty, and should be replaced.
there are generic ones you can find (repco) that can be fitted but the wiring would need to be modified for this, and it would probably not fit in the stock location where the factory fitted one goes.

also if the engine does turn over (in the above where you took a jumper lead and connected the negative battery terminal to the engine some place close to the starter motor), then this means the return path is somehow not very good. so you need to look for the large cable that connects the engine to the frame or the battery negative terminal, and ensure it's connected properly.

anyway - i hope this helps.

let me know know you get on.
cheers
Gavin

[colsan1]

Cheers buddy, will test away.
I think if i get no joy after double checking everything its down to the local bike mechanic.

[glegge]

Cheers buddy, will test away.
I think if i get no joy after double checking everything its down to the local bike mechanic.

best of luck.
like i say, if your in wellington give me a yell, i'll be happy to try to help if i can.
cheers
Gavin

[Robtharalson]

I had a VX 800 that had a problem with the petcock -- it wouldn't completely shut off and would flood the rear cylinder to the point of filling it completely with fuel, causing a "starting problem" when the motor would crank just long enough to hydraulically lock the cylinder. It would sound like the starter motor wasn't working at all when in fact the motor could not turn.

I'd recommend removing the rear plug and slowly cranking the motor by hand to see if this is the case. If so, obviously replace the petcock, drain all the fuel out of the cylinder and squirt in about 5cc's of oil to lubricate the cylinder wall, change the oil (it will be very contaminated with fuel), stick the plug back in and try it again.

It's just an idea, but since it happened to me I assume it would happen to others.

Rob

[glegge]

I had a VX 800 that had a problem with the petcock -- it wouldn't completely shut off and would flood the rear cylinder to the point of filling it completely with fuel, causing a "starting problem" when the motor would crank just long enough to hydraulically lock the cylinder. It would sound like the starter motor wasn't working at all when in fact the motor could not turn.

I'd recommend removing the rear plug and slowly cranking the motor by hand to see if this is the case. If so, obviously replace the petcock, drain all the fuel out of the cylinder and squirt in about 5cc's of oil to lubricate the cylinder wall, change the oil (it will be very contaminated with fuel), stick the plug back in and try it again.

It's just an idea, but since it happened to me I assume it would happen to others.

Rob

Well done that man. i concentrated too much on the electrical side of things, did not stop for a moment to think about mechanical issues. well worth checking the engine turns over for sure!