Bike won't start

[AMechEng]

I'm trying to turn over the engine with the starter and when I hit the start button both the fuel light and oil light come on and nothing happens. The instrument cluster gauge backlighting dims and the power to my after market digital speedo cuts out. I don't hear the starter relay clicking. Any ideas? Thanks

 

[NHVmaxpower]

I'm trying to turn over the engine with the starter and when I hit the start button both the fuel light and oil light come on and nothing happens. The instrument cluster gauge backlighting dims and the power to my after market digital speedo cuts out. I don't hear the starter relay clicking. Any ideas? Thanks

Have you checked the kick stand switch? Use a test light & see if you are getting power at the starter when you hit the start button

 

[AMechEng]

I'm not getting power at the starter solenoid coil when I hit the start button. I'm wondering if the starter relay unit isn't bad. I'll check it in the AM. I have the bike in neutral so I think the kick stand switch wouldn't matter. I will double check it also. I'll also check the grounds.

 

[tugla]

Could be starter switch or the kill switch also to look at. I believe you can jump the solenoid with a screwdriver and see if it cranks the bike over

 

[AMechEng]

I checked everything out. Turned out to just be a bad frame to battery ground. It also appears that my starter relay is on the fritz as it has some resistance when it should be zero but it still works. Thanks for the help.

 

[gamorg02]

could be a stuck clutch switch too.

 

[AMechEng]

The bike is now turning over but is not firing. A bad ground to frame was causing the starter issue previously mentioned. Does anyone know what would interupt the ignition but allow the starter motor to crank? I am getting gas in tbe cylinders but mot getting spark.

 

[jfeagins]

I think that's a sign of a failing CDI box with age on it, combined with a weak battery. The black box get finicky with age, and needs peak Volts to fire. Put a volt meter across the battery and see what it is pulling down to as you crank. I went through these symptoms for quite a while until I upgraded to the larger style battery and fixed a couple issues with my charging system to keep the new/bigger battery charged to peak. I suspect one of these days, I'll need a new black box too, but the larger battery and fixed charging system has kept me going a couple years now.

If you are dropping much below 10.8v while cranking, all bets are off.

 

[AMechEng]

It was dropping to around 10.0 volts when cranking so I hooked up a battery charger and tried cranking again. Now it drops to around 12 volts when on the charger and the starter is cranking, but I still get no spark. I want to try to totally rule out the CDI box before I buy one. I have bad luck throwing parts at problems with no success.

 

[bazwell]

I think you might want to start it with jumper leads attached to a truck battery. That will rule out voltage drop.

 

[Miles Long]

Have you checked input voltage to the ignitor? (red wire with white stripe)
Also, check the five-pin connector from the pickup coils for corrosion, then do a resistance test . Should be 95-125 ohms between the black wire terminal and each of the other four, measured at the coil side connector half.
Cheers!

 

[wildweasel_pt]

Make sure you have the proper coils attached to the proper cylinders. You may have spark but no start for misfiring at wrong timing...

 

[tugla]

do you have any bike security system or anything that cuts spark....

 

[jfeagins]

This problem plagued me for a couple years, off and on. I had the trickle charger/maintainer on all night, but the bike would crank and crank with no start in the morning. I'd leave the charger on all day while at work, and the bike would fire off quickly when I got home in the afternoon. F'ing hair pulling nightmare.

After going through my 2-brush starter (smooth turning starter used fewer cranking amperage), fixing my charging issues, including soldering some connections, and putting in the bigger battery, the bike starts fine, morning or afternoon. These CDI boxes are weird when it comes to voltage requirements.

 

[AMechEng]

All 4 coils have voltage but there is still no spark on any cylinder. The CDI has voltage also. I have been starting it both connected to my car battery and to the battery charger set on the 110A start. It cranks fast but does not produce any spark. The only conclusion I can come up with is that the CDI is defective. Is there anything else I can test that would cause with issue?

 

[Miles Long]

All 4 coils have voltage but there is still no spark on any cylinder. The CDI has voltage also. I have been starting it both connected to my car battery and to the battery charger set on the 110A start. It cranks fast but does not produce any spark. The only conclusion I can come up with is that the CDI is defective. Is there anything else I can test that would cause with issue?

check out my previous post!

 

[jfeagins]

Sean Morley @ One2dmax.com may have a loaner CDI box for you to swap out. Give him an email and ask.

 

[AMechEng]

Miles... You are the MAN! It was badly corroded conenctor from the pickup coil. resistance from one prong to the other side of the same prong was inf ohms! I cleaned it and they all test out at 116 to 118 ohm from black to the other colors. WooHOO!

 

[AMechEng]

Bike starts up so easy now! It is a fricken monster. Scary loud.

 

[Miles Long]

Miles... You are the MAN! It was badly corroded conenctor from the pickup coil. resistance from one prong to the other side of the same prong was inf ohms! I cleaned it and they all test out at 116 to 118 ohm from black to the other colors. WooHOO!

Glad it was something simple.
Connectors are a notoriously weak point on this bike.
Cheers!unk: