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Message started by Trump2Thump on 05/25/05 at 03:51:46

Title: Dead Solenoid????
Post by Trump2Thump on 05/25/05 at 03:51:46

I had an ADD moment and left the key on when i got back from lunch yesterday...... she obviously wouldn't start many hours later so i called dad, the ASA certified mechanic in the family, and we took the battery off and charged it....... battery reads fine, but when i put it back in and went to start her all i get is a click and no action from the starter....... the battery is fully charged, but a volt meter connected from the battery to the starter reads absolutely nothing when i turn it over....... in the last few weeks i've had mornings where i go to start her and i get absolutely no click, no nothing....... i wait a minute or two and try again and the gremlin goes away and she starts right up....... as of now the battery is fully charged and i can hear the click but she refuses to crank over....... any opinions from you Thumpin' wrenchers would be greatly appreciated........

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by Trump2Thump on 05/25/05 at 03:54:19

one last detail that might help you mor mechanically inclined types figure this out....... last night i jumped the bike and she started and ran fine, but when i put her in gear and tried to ride off she lost power and died...... any thoughts are greatly appreciated.......

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by gazab44 on 05/25/05 at 04:05:39

dont know whether this will help, i hand exactly the same symptoms..it turned out to be the battery..even if the battery tests ok with a voltmeter it can still be shot. Can you try another, known good battery, i hooked up to a friends and started up straight away.

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by Reelthing on 05/25/05 at 04:29:47

Trump2Thump wrote:

last night i jumped the bike and she started and ran fine, but when i put her in gear and tried to ride off she lost power and died

Make REAL sure you have a good battery

That does sound interesting - what does lost power mean? as soon as you shifted it in gear with the clutch in it died (perhaps a kickstand interlock issue) or was it not that quick? - if it was running fine before the dead battery issue that's the place to spend a bunch of time first.

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by Kropatchek on 05/25/05 at 04:32:19

Trump2Thump wrote:

I think you have a DEAD battery. Or there's a bad connection somewhere. Try the little negative wire that's attached to the - of the battery, follow it and at about a few inches away the re's a connector.
The click that you hear is the decompression solenoid, so that is working.

Greetz
Kropatchek ;D

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by Trump2Thump on 05/25/05 at 04:47:12

when i jumped her she started and ran fine in neutral..... when i rode off she started to lose power then sputtered and died....... sounds from what i'm reading that i'm gonna need a new battery..... any recomendations on best overall battery brand for the money spent????

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by klx650sm2002 on 05/25/05 at 04:56:51

A battery can do that, work one time and not the next.
I put my KLX battery on charge for two days and it was still pulling two amps so time for a new one, Yuasa (YTX9-BS) I think.

Clive W :D

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by Savage_Rob on 05/25/05 at 05:36:26

These both look good.

KTX14AHL Sealed Battery (http://motorcyclebatteriesusa.com/battery-details.asp?battery=278)
YTX14AHL-BS PowerSport Battery (http://www.septechnologies.biz/powersport_battery/motorcycle_battery_ytx14ahlbs.htm)

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by Greg_650 on 05/25/05 at 05:39:15

Take your battery to a shop to have it load tested. You can have 12 V on a meter with a useless battery, even if it doesn't have the AMPs to start the bike.

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by lancer on 05/25/05 at 06:36:23

Consider the Odyssey Dry Cell battery. There is NO liquid to leak out and damage stuff, you can mount it anywhere..even upside down, it is nearly indestructable, and it does not cost all that much. I got one on ebay 2 years ago for $65 and it was delivered in about 3-4 days. Take a look at it and consider getting one.
The one I got which was closest to the Savage battery size, was said to be for v-twins so there is more than enough power for the Savage.

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by Savage_Rob on 05/25/05 at 10:43:48

I just bought an Odyssey PC545MJ on eBay for $65 + $14 S/H and it was delivered in 2 days. I am currently working out how I want to mount it because it's not really the same dimensions. It's shorter (height) and longer than the battery box. I am toying with putting a platform inside the box to raise it and allow me to place the stock toolkit underneath it, allowing me to close the cover and have it look similar to stock. So far I'm just not satisfied the cover will stay in place as well as I'd like it without some more modifications.

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by WD on 05/25/05 at 14:31:28

I dropped an Oddesy battery the other day. Good thing it was already deceased...it shattered like a crystal wineglass. Try a Dynabatt. Weighs 13 pounds, but is like a big flashlight battery. Has enough amps to start a Toyota...but is made for bikes. Warranty against discharge failure is 6 YEARS. I just use whatever cheap crap wet cell is on sale. My battery box is modified so the vent tube is irrelevant.
-WD

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by Trump2Thump on 05/25/05 at 15:33:12

looks like the battery was not the issue..... put a new one in at lunch and still got the same click and no turnover....... it was an old battery, so that was probably a good call anyway....... Atlantic Cycle is on the way to pick her up and get my baby smiling again....... i figure i might as well get the notorious plug leak fixed while she's in the shop for a $10 plug and an extra hour's labor........ man, do i wish was i was not so mechanically inept.......

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by Savage_Rob on 05/25/05 at 16:00:07

Trump2Thump wrote:

man, do i wish was i was not so mechanically inept.......

Start small, go slow, practice and be patient. Patience is the part I sometimes have trouble with. At least I've learned to walk away for a while if I make myself too frustrated. Then I can come back calmer and continue.

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by lancer on 05/25/05 at 19:27:36

WD wrote:

How old was the battery before dieing and shattering?

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by WD on 05/25/05 at 22:13:32

Don't know, customer brought it in to size up a comparable wet-cell. I was on the way to the core pile, tripped on a d%%n Sportster muffler. The salvage yard section is protected by "guard bunnies", who apparently think it is great fun to push junk around the yard at night. Yes, I said bunnies...as in 5 wild rabbits.
-WD

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by Savage_Rob on 05/26/05 at 05:53:27

Hmmm, dunno. Mine is metal jacketed.

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by slavy on 05/26/05 at 07:16:22

The simpliest test- 1. squeeze the clutch and tie it there. put Your hand on the st. solenoid. try to start the bike. If You feel the click in the st. solenoid and nothing elce happens check for power at the st. solenoid therminal that is connected to the st. motor. If there is a power- proceed to check at the st. motor. If there is not a power- bad st. solenoid. If there is a power- st. motor.
Test 2. Try to jump between the 2 terminals of the st. solenoid. If the bike cranks over - check for a power at the st. solenoid Y/B wire when pressing the starter button. If there is a power - check for grownd at the B/W wire of the same connector. If there is grownd - blame it to the st. solenoid.

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by marke2571 on 05/26/05 at 07:52:46

Just a note about batteries in case anyone wanted to know. Lead-Acid batteries will check ok by a voltmeter if you go across the +pos and -neg terminals even if the battery is dead. Without going into a long explanation, this is just the nature of these types of batteries. What matters is that the battery can provide that voltage under load conditions, meaning cranking the bike or powering lights, etc. Charging the battery will definitely help, but if you lose electrics quickly after charging, say after a day or so, or even a few hours later, it is time to replace it.

--Mark

Title: Re: Dead Solenoid????
Post by Greg_650 on 05/26/05 at 16:29:11

I think Slavy is pretty close here. That B/W wire is sort of a switched ground in the system with all the interlocks. Try to jump the solenoid terminals (the 10 MM nuts) and check to see if you have 12 Volts on the 2 smaller Y/B and B/W wires when you hear that click.

However, I'd almost bet a case of beer that you don't have a bad starter solenoid. Too much coincidence after just draining the battery in the park position. I think something else happened during the initial "what the hell is wrong" testing :)

Also, you mentioned that you jumped it, it idled, and then died when you tried to drive it. Did it idle normally or did it idle rough?

Do you also have a nuetral light on the speedo when you try to start it?

Do all the lights and horn work?