Max left me stranded!

[HDKILA]

Fired they ol bull up yesterday and about 2 miles down the road ON A MAIN ROAD at that I stalled the bike at a light. No big deal until I hit the start button and NOTHING happened (it attempted to barely turn over and then nothing at all). I put the bike neutral and tried again but still no dice. At this point people behind me are beeping and yelling:bang head:

Luckily i'm a few blocks from a just tires store so I roll the bike over there to see if they can jump me. I get over there and they put me on the quick jump machine. Go to fire up after a minute but still no dice. All that happens is that it turns over VERY slowly just a little and other than that nothing.

They then ask me if I want a push start and I humbly say yes. Two of the young guys come out and push the ol max back to life. She fired right up and off I went. When I got to my destination I parked and tried again to turn the bike over with ZERO issues this time AND the rest of the day it fired up instantly, maybe even better than ever!

I called morley up (and this was on a sunday at around 12:30) and he of course answers!:biglaugh::clapping: I explain to him they above and now have a starter clutch and 4 brush starter on the way!

So in short my bike stalled and then turned over just barely and sometimes not at all. Once pushstarted it fired right up the rest of the day like new. I do occasionaly get the rocks rumbling around on startup so that is why I think my starter clutch may be bad. I ordered a new starter as well because my starter is a weak old 2 brush from 1985 and I figured it couldn't hurt.

Any thoughts?

 

[maleko89]

Starter might need to be cleaned. Use fine emery cloth to clean commutator. Use other side of it to clean both brushes. Use finger pressure only. Dust gets in there and can impede the motor. Might want to make sure black cable from left side of starter relay is clean/tight and do the same to where it attaches to starter motor.

 

[RazoR333]

Big ditto on all that,....and a lil spray down with some electrical cleaner ( leaves no residue), to get all the dust out.
Any electrical issues ,...check for good ground first.
I've seen and done the complete walk through of a bad electrical problem,..only to have some one walk up and ask,.." did you check the ground?",..Bingo!!!!

 

[4gasem]

Why clean it when he's going to replace it? Oh and the max didn't leave you stranded. It almost did though. Lol

 

[maleko89]

It's cheaper to inspect/clean than replacing a starter. My 2 brush turns/starts just as good as the late model 4 brush?

 

[jfeagins]

It's cheaper to inspect/clean than replacing a starter. My 2 brush turns/starts just as good as the late model 4 brush?

My 1985 2 brush turns over fine too. I've taken it apart a couple times over the years and the only thing I'd remind people to check is the cleanliness and tightness of the brush plate -to- starter case connection during reassembly. There's a couple small tabs with a slight bend in them (on the brushe plate) made to make the ground connection to the case and I always 'tweek' these tabs to a greater angle before reassembly to make sure they contact securely when tightening the case halves back together. Some people have added a ground wire inside for a more positive contact.

Just my two cents.

 

[4gasem]

I totally understand WHY you clean them instead of replace but he's already got the new one on order...

I think Abe is like me. We don't WANT to spend the money, but we want the piece of mind that we did the best we could to make it the best it could be.

 

[HDKILA]

Well gang the saga continues...turns out I DO NOT need a new starter or starter clutch...

Apparently there is a slow drain when my bike is off somewhere and when left to sit for over a week she just won't crank.

I find this interesting because now that I think back about the incident last weekend I remember the guy at just tires saying the jump machine wasn't plugged in AFTER we tried jumping it and by that time these guys were already pushing me!

So today (have not ridden the bike all week) when this all went down I grabbed the jumper cables and the bike fired right up! I let it run for a little while to charge up the battery and then turned her off and she fired right back up like new!

Maybe it is my battery???? I have checked the electrical system for a slow drain before and Jeff has gone through and we both found nothing...BUT my battery is brand new...hmmm

Thoughts....?

Morley,

I will send all your stuff back on monday (which I just got friday thanks again). Please let me pay a restock fee for your time and of course shipping.

Abe

 

[gamorg02]

Well gang the saga continues...turns out I DO NOT need a new starter or starter clutch...

Apparently there is a slow drain when my bike is off somewhere and when left to sit for over a week she just won't crank.

I find this interesting because now that I think back about the incident last weekend I remember the guy at just tires saying the jump machine wasn't plugged in AFTER we tried jumping it and by that time these guys were already pushing me!

So today (have not ridden the bike all week) when this all went down I grabbed the jumper cables and the bike fired right up! I let it run for a little while to charge up the battery and then turned her off and she fired right back up like new!

Maybe it is my battery???? I have checked the electrical system for a slow drain before and Jeff has gone through and we both found nothing...BUT my battery is brand new...hmmm

Thoughts....?

Morley,

I will send all your stuff back on monday (which I just got friday thanks again). Please let me pay a restock fee for your time and of course shipping.

Abe

whats your DCA reading with the key off? whats your R&R like?

 

[HDKILA]

whats your DCA reading with the key off? whats your R&R like?

R/R is new....DCA I will check after riding today and getting the battery charged back up...

 

[HDKILA]

Battery will not hold a charge AT ALL now so I am on my way to get a new battery...

 

[4gasem]

Battery will not hold a charge AT ALL now so I am on my way to get a new battery...

Hopefully under warranty...

When it goes bad again make sure to get an Odyssey or Panasonic Gel Cell.

Chris

 

[gamorg02]

yea, abe, which battery do u keep buying?

 

[HDKILA]

Hopefully under warranty...

When it goes bad again make sure to get an Odyssey or Panasonic Gel Cell.

Chris

BAH! I bought a battery from advance auto that matched mine perfectly. The one that was in my bike came with it from the PO and actually had a rather large crack in the casing on one side.

I charged the battery on the trickle all night and the bike is now starting like new.

The true test will be to let it sit for a few days and then try again...

 

[HDKILA]

I forgot to mention that the battery advance auto sells comes dry and you need to add to battery acid. I was not comfortable doing this so I had the advance guy add it. This guy did not even bother putting on gloves! He got it on his hands several times and acted like nothing happened!

 

[4gasem]

I forgot to mention that the battery advance auto sells comes dry and you need to add to battery acid. I was not comfortable doing this so I had the advance guy add it. This guy did not even bother putting on gloves! He got it on his hands several times and acted like nothing happened!

That's how the old school batts work my friend...

Is this your first time?

Did you pop your battery cherry? :biglaugh:

Chris

 

[gamorg02]

i did it without gloves once. got in an open cut i had on my knuckle. that felt good.

abe, did u ever check your DCA across the terminals when the key was off?

 

[HDKILA]

i did it without gloves once. got in an open cut i had on my knuckle. that felt good.

abe, did u ever check your DCA across the terminals when the key was off?

No, But I will do that today...I'm assuming I just connect the multi tool to the positive end of the batttery and then to the negative end....

The bike sounds ALOT diff't than it ever has now when I turn the key to the on position. My vboost check is much more powerful sounding!

 

[HDKILA]

That's how the old school batts work my friend...

Is this your first time?

Did you pop your battery cherry? :biglaugh:

Chris

ROTFL! Well it was still not my first time...kinda like my teeny bopper days I was a little afraid and just watched the first few times before diving in!

 

[gamorg02]

thats good then man! i wonder if ur battery had been causing issues too? hmm..

anyways yea, check your draw with your mulittool and post it up here. i couldn't get mine to register with the key off. anything over i think 30 microamps? or is it millamps isn't good. anyways, people here know more than me, so let them tell ya! hah