Loud "pop" when cranking

Throttle · Oct 29, 2012

Alright Gentlemen and Ladies,

Got a question and I hope it has a simple and easy no worries answer.

Went to start my 2006 Vmax with 9K this evening after not having ridden it in a few weeks and was greeted with a loud metallic sounding "pop" when cranking with choke heavily pulled. Cranked it again without choke and no abnormal sound. Choked it again to start it and got a few consecutive "pops." Battery ended up being to dead to start (knew it was time for a new one soon) so I let her be.

Any clue what my mystery sound might be? The best answer would be something like "O, thats the ol' haven't ridden the Vmax in a few weeks sound, no worries they all do that."

If not, break it to me gently.

Thanks.

dannymax · Oct 29, 2012

Sounds to me like the battery didn't have enough juice to snap it over quick enough to start.

redneksoldier · Oct 30, 2012

I agree. Top up the battery and try again. Was it a backfire kind of pop or a metallic kind of pop? Either could be caused by a weak battery.

one2dmax · Oct 30, 2012

Sounds like maybe the starter clutch. You have to keep a good battery or it will overstress the starter clutch and you'll end up needing to replace it.

RaWarrior · Oct 31, 2012

I was thinking the starter clutch also, when mine was loose it would sometimes slip, then grab again, making a metallic ping/thud sort of noise.

The way the starter clutch works a weak starter won't keep a constant torque when cranking...the compression of the engine can "kick" it faster than the starter is turning, resulting in the clutch being suddenly unloaded and reloaded again....which tends to loosen them up, eventually breaking the ring. I suspect the ping on mine was it shifting violently back and forth within the play afforded by the loose bolts, since it never happened again after they were tightened with loc-tite.

Put a strong battery in there and try again. More than likely it'll be fine, but it may be a clue your clutch ring is coming loose, a fairly common issue. If that's the case it'll get worse in time...namely when starting the engine cold or in cool weather the starter might freewheel and fail to "grab" the engine.

Throttle · Nov 30, 2012

Put a new battery in and all is well. Starter clutch it was. I will be sure to keep the battery charged from here on out, first bike I have ever had that would do that.