GN250 starter problems

**anitaf** · 9th September 2014, 21:20

So I brought my 2007 GN250 "Lola" in Nov with 6,500 Km on her clock, Now she has 12,800 ish and isn't behaving.

She's been stuffing me around for about month now, being sluggish to start, turning over really slowly and generally acting like a child that doesn't want to get out of bed. I decided the smart thing to do would be replace the spark plug - 2 days later I was still having the same problems.
I then replaced the original battery (even though I checked it and it was sitting just under 12V after sitting for 4 hours and started went back up to 12 after less than a minute with the motor running).
Then it started being sluggish when going 50 and acting like it was running out of fuel, I'd filled up the night before so maybe got some gunk from the petrol station so I filtered the fuel to check for debris and none found (have not replaced the filter yet though).
So last Sunday she was still slow to start that day but I went for a ride anyway, the engine died as I was going up a hill, around a blind corner. No warning no spluttering but she just died, the starter wouldn't make anything turn over or anything. A few minutes of adrenaline later she randomly started up with me pushing the starter with desperate hope, needless to say I managed to get safely home and haven't touched her till tonight.
Now she just wont start at all. I played with the battery, cleaned a spider out from in the starter, checked all the connections I could find etc but to no avail.

Heres the link to a video of her starting a week ago, and my attempt tonight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKbqLtUIIXQ

Any advice would be great.

(Im desperate to upgrade but can't do that until I have her working well again, especially considering I've already replaced a few cables and the tyres)

**OllyMoto** · 9th September 2014, 21:43

Originally Posted by anitaf

So I brought my 2007 GN250 "Lola" in Nov with 6,500 Km on her clock, Now she has 12,800 ish and isn't behaving.

She's been stuffing me around for about month now, being sluggish to start, turning over really slowly and generally acting like a child that doesn't want to get out of bed. I decided the smart thing to do would be replace the spark plug - 2 days later I was still having the same problems.
I then replaced the original battery (even though I checked it and it was sitting just under 12V after sitting for 4 hours and started went back up to 12 after less than a minute with the motor running).
Then it started being sluggish when going 50 and acting like it was running out of fuel, I'd filled up the night before so maybe got some gunk from the petrol station so I filtered the fuel to check for debris and none found (have not replaced the filter yet though).
So last Sunday she was still slow to start that day but I went for a ride anyway, the engine died as I was going up a hill, around a blind corner. No warning no spluttering but she just died, the starter wouldn't make anything turn over or anything. A few minutes of adrenaline later she randomly started up with me pushing the starter with desperate hope, needless to say I managed to get safely home and haven't touched her till tonight.
Now she just wont start at all. I played with the battery, cleaned a spider out from in the starter, checked all the connections I could find etc but to no avail.

Heres the link to a video of her starting a week ago, and my attempt tonight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKbqLtUIIXQ

Any advice would be great.

(Im desperate to upgrade but can't do that until I have her working well again, especially considering I've already replaced a few cables and the tyres)

Sounds like either electrical fault or possibly carbeuration issues. I offer a mobile diagnostic service in the Christchurch area if you would like me to have a look? Check out my website and email me if you are interested. www.ollymoto.co.nz

Cheers
Olly

**awayatc** · 10th September 2014, 06:43

Well anitaf, I put money on it being a wee wiring issue....
a faulty earth somewhere, or a lose/ broken wire.
Anybody with a bit a of skill/knowledge in that department will be able to sort it out for you.....

Just read Ollymoto's posts and profile, and it sounds like he is the perfect man for the job...........
Good luck

**Akzle** · 10th September 2014, 07:33

how's your compression buddy?

**anitaf** · 14th September 2014, 21:15

Update is that I went along to the motorcycle maintenance night at smash palace and we couldn't find any issues with connections etc. I recharged the battery and then on Friday rode it to and from work. It died on the way home - turns out she blew a fuse. I replaced it and she blew again straight away (with the key turned off) so now it's a hunt for an exposed wire that's causing all the mayhem.

Will update hopefully tomorrow to say all my problems have been solved!
Big thanks to Archibald's Audi of all people who were the only ones that agreed to help me out at 5pm on a Friday afternoon and let me keep her in their workshop, and then offered to have a look tomorrow as they got quite excited when I rolled her in. Taking home baking in for their morning tea tomorrow!

**Akzle** · 14th September 2014, 21:20

quite excited?
Its a gn. It wasnt the bike.

Get an A2 full frontal printed for them. Post here aswell, for quality assurance.

**anitaf** · 14th September 2014, 23:32

Originally Posted by Akzle

quite excited?
Its a gn. It wasnt the bike.

Get an A2 full frontal printed for them. Post here aswell, for quality assurance.

Haha. I think they are used to more wheels than Lola has and the guy mentioned a fair few of them have bikes so that might be the appeal.
I'll pass on the full frontal A2, but I know there are some magazines out that have something called a 'centerfold' if you're desperate to brush up on your anatomy? =P

**Akzle** · 15th September 2014, 11:21

Originally Posted by anitaf

I'll pass on the full frontal A2, but I know there are some magazines out that have something called a 'centerfold' if you're desperate to brush up on your anatomy? =P

rather brush up against yours

...aaaaand 3,,,, 2,,, 1.... mod....

**ducatilover** · 15th September 2014, 22:21

Buy a cheap mutlimeter and check your regulator/rectifier and stator.
As for the starting issue, when it happens, use your cheap multimeter and check:
:Power from batter to starter solenoid (the side labelled B) (starter solenoid is where the positive from the battery goes to)

:Power across the solenoid when hitting start button.
If no power across, check the small wires connected to it are making a 12v circuit, if not, you have a dodgy starter button or kill switch

If you have a working solenoid, check you have power at the starter. If not, your big and super long starter lead is poked.
If you have power at the starter and no cranking, check the engine has a good earth to the frame and you have a good earth from the battery (I am assuming these have already been checked)

If you have powah, and good earths, your starter needs work. It may simply be cracked brushed, carbon tracking or you own a shit chinese GN...
I have a starter and probably solenoid

**gammaguy** · 16th September 2014, 09:13

Originally Posted by ducatilover

Buy a cheap mutlimeter and check your regulator/rectifier and stator.
As for the starting issue, when it happens, use your cheap multimeter and check:
:Power from batter to starter solenoid (the side labelled B) (starter solenoid is where the positive from the battery goes to)

:Power across the solenoid when hitting start button.
If no power across, check the small wires connected to it are making a 12v circuit, if not, you have a dodgy starter button or kill switch

If you have a working solenoid, check you have power at the starter. If not, your big and super long starter lead is poked.
If you have power at the starter and no cranking, check the engine has a good earth to the frame and you have a good earth from the battery (I am assuming these have already been checked)

If you have powah, and good earths, your starter needs work. It may simply be cracked brushed, carbon tracking or you own a shit chinese GN...
I have a starter and probably solenoid

A complete brand new wiring loom is not expensive and readily available.

Let me know if you need one

**ducatilover** · 16th September 2014, 20:37

Originally Posted by gammaguy

A complete brand new wiring loom is not expensive and readily available.

Let me know if you need one

A wee bit over kill when it can only be a very select amount of issues.

**spanner spinner** · 16th September 2014, 21:04

check the reg/rec unit for the short, the way that gn's are wired up if the reg/rec shorts out it keeps blowing the main fuse and gn's eat reg/rec units specially the Chinese ones. easiest way to check is to unplug the reg/rec unit replace the fuse and if it doesn't blow (if it does the problems elsewhere) plug the reg/rec back in and see if the fuse blows. if it does new reg/rec unit time.