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Message started by mirage223 on 04/21/07 at 14:07:58

Title: Removing battery, shifter question
Post by mirage223 on 04/21/07 at 14:07:58

I finally got around to replacing the old shifter rod and I know now why it snapped in the first place. Look at what the genius previous owner did to the last one.. ::)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/nemui_panda/rods.jpg

So anyways the new one went in with no fuss but now I can't shift all the way up and down through the gears. I have a hard time getting it into neutral, can't shift down into first, and I think I can only get as high as 2nd or 3rd gear. This is while the bike is off.

I wanted to turn it on and see if that made any difference, but my battery is dead which leads to my next question - does anyone have a picture guide for removing it? I got the cover off and all, but I can't pull it out. I'm almost certain there is something else holding it down but I am not sure where.

I would really rather just jump it without taking it out, if at all possible.

Thanks for the help. I get frustrated pretty quick when one problem after the other happens. :'(

Title: Re: Removing battery, shifter question
Post by justin_o_guy on 04/21/07 at 14:25:06

Have ya got a battery charger? One thing about jumping it, the starter will only pull as many amps as it needs. You could hook the starter to any size battery, 12 volts, a billion amps, wouldnt hurt the starter. IF ya left the battery connected, I dunno, may hurt it with a big current hitting it. If it's low, may sulfide? (is that what it does? ) the plates & wreck it. As for not shifting without the engine running, I can work mine thru the gears, all I do is let the clutch out & gently move the bike till I hear the gears clunk, then pull the clutch in & shift again, roll back, it clunks, on & on,,
Unless you are real sure about what you are doing, I recommend being gentle with the battery. Someone else may say Hit IT with 40 amps & charge it 10 minutes, but I just dunno. I would Oooze it along nice & easy, 4 maybe 6 amps, tops.

I guess the PO wanted the rod a bit shorter.

Title: Re: Removing battery, shifter question
Post by mirage223 on 04/21/07 at 14:31:42

Yeah I have a battery charger and also jumper cables (but no other bikes around). My issue is getting to the point where either of those are an option. I can't get to terminals on the battery because I can't get it out.

I am looking for the simplest way to charge the battery enough to start the bike so it can charge on its own.

As for your bike shifting when not on.. that makes me a bit worried. I didn't do anything besides replace that rod and before the previous one broke, it shifted nicely.

Edit: whoo I moved the bike a few inches and it shifts fine now. That is a relief.

Title: Re: Removing battery, shifter question
Post by justin_o_guy on 04/21/07 at 14:57:19

IF you have a charger, you can charge the battery without getting TO the battery, I THINK, There is a small, maybe too smal, red wire under the seat, It is always hot. Thats how my bike will turn over without a key in it. Might smoke that wire, I dunno, But, the hot side of the battery is just behind the tool kit, can ya pull the tool kit & snap that end plate off & get the charger on there? then the ground can go lots of places.
Heck I just went & looked, ther's quite a bit of room, maybe run to radio Shack & get some heavy alligator clips & rip up a cheap extension cord & make extensions for the charger that will go down in the holes in the top of the battery box?

Title: Re: Removing battery, shifter question
Post by tbalam on 04/21/07 at 15:47:37

JUst a thought, I can only shift up to 3rd when bike is not moving... Unless i rock the bike with the clutch out so that it will synch the gears.

Also, I have jumped the bike using a car battery. You might be able to use cables to hook to ground and touch the starter pole with the Pos., make sure that the run switch is on and the key is on run. Others would know better though.

if you take the side cover off and remove the three bolts holding the battery side cover on then you can push the batter from the left lifting a little bit and it should slide out.

Title: Re: Removing battery, shifter question
Post by skatnbnc on 04/21/07 at 16:38:33

Battery removal - Having just done this, here is the deal:
- take the seat off
- take the LEFT frame cover off so you can reach the negative battery terminal
- disconnect the neg side
- take the toolbox cover off the RIGHT side of the bike
- then you have to take the tool box bracket off. there is one screw on top, and two below. they are regular phillips head screws on my bike
- the lower bracket peice is right next to the clutch rubber boot covered cable
- now you should be able to see the battery box
- disconnect the positive terminal
- you can take the rubber breather pipe off too, but i did not have to because it is long enough to stretch all the way to the ground when you remove the battery
- the battery pulls straight out of of the box on the RIGHT side of the bike

I took a photo of this when I did it. Battery is sitting on the ground, rubber pipe is still attached and running down thru its clip underneath the bike.
Let me get it downloaded.
http://w2.bikepics.com/pics/2007/04/21/bikepics-871912-150.jpg

Title: Re: Removing battery, shifter question
Post by Max_Morley on 04/21/07 at 19:32:36

If you insist on jump starting it on a dead battery, then remember the alternator is a battery maintainer, not a battery charger. That said, I use a long phillips Screwdriver with a piece of plastic tubing slipped over the shank so only the bolster (hex at the top) and the tip is showing * . If gets clamped in the + battery jumper cable and the black - one gets clamped on the bike. You will need some help as somehas to start the bike while you hold the insulated SD tip on the + battery post. Use any 12 V battery to jump from. car, truck, lawn mower, even the start circuit on a battery charger. REmember 12 V and + to + =red to red and - to -, black to black. * If you have some electrical tape 2 wraps of it will accomplish the same insulation. Seat can be on to do this . Max

Title: Re: Removing battery, shifter question
Post by mirage223 on 04/22/07 at 14:41:11

With the help of the replies I have gotten, I removed the battery and used a charger to charge it all up. Actually I got pretty good at removing it and it isn't as bad as I first thought.

Now, I'm having a problem getting the bike to turn over. I didn't start it for quite a while now (6 months?), so it is probably my own fault. I heard it turn over once or twice, but it didn't catch and just died right away.

I've played with the choke and tried giving it a little gas while cranking, but not to much because I didn't want to flood the carb.

Any ideas?

I have a can of carb cleaner if there is a possibility of it being clogged or gunked up. I just haven't looked closely enough to see how I would distribute the product.

Thanks again everyone. I'm no experienced mechanic, but I can read an follow directions.

It also may be worth noting that in the past, I never had trouble starting the bike after it sitting for a week or two. It always cranked over from a cold start on a cold morning with no choke, etc.

Title: Re: Removing battery, shifter question
Post by verslagen1 on 04/22/07 at 15:13:24

Look at the winterizing threads...
If it's been sitting for 6 months, change the oil, pull the carb and clean it, don't get carb cleaner on any thing rubber unless you're planning on replacing it. dump the fuel tank and get fresh stuff.
The recommended threads will tell you better, just quick and dirty. ;D

Title: Re: Removing battery, shifter question
Post by mirage223 on 04/22/07 at 15:29:58

The bike was in a mildly heated garage all winter. I don't think it ever dropped below 45 or so.

Just tried the carb cleaner for the heck of it, didn't get it on anything I wasn't supposed to.. no go still. Is there any chance the spark plug is shot? I think I see how I can get to that.

Oil/filter is fresh. That was one of the first things I did. I figured the gas would be okay since it wouldn't take long to get some fresh stuff in there.

I am going to make major habit changes for winterizing after this experience. Crotch rockets seem to like to fire right up after sitting. :-/

Oh well. I'll work on it again tomorrow.