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Message started by YonuhAdisi on 07/18/08 at 17:32:09

Title: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by YonuhAdisi on 07/18/08 at 17:32:09

Okay, I put the FireLizard all back together, but nothing happens. Lights turn on, decomp solenoid activates, but the starter won't turn. The starter solenoid just buzzes.

Any suggestions? It is in neutral and I pull in the clutch, as well as have to kill switch in the "on" position.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by Demin on 07/18/08 at 17:37:29

Battery!? :-/

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 07/18/08 at 17:38:17

If it was the Ford pickup I used to own, I would give it a good swift kick in the solenoid (with a screwdriver handle) to make sure it wasn't stuck. On a Savage, I don't know. Man, you are having a rough go of this. :(

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by YonuhAdisi on 07/18/08 at 17:55:55

28292125224C0 wrote:

Battery!? :-/

I'm thinking it just may be the battery. After all I kill it several times trying to start it up previously and may have wiped it out. Though I have refilled the water level and have had it on the charger. On the charger now in fact. We'll see I reckon in a little while.

Quote:

That's an understatement to say the least. Just tried to jump it from my daughter's car, I got it to spin over, so it probably is the battery. We'll see what happens after a little while on the charger.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 07/18/08 at 18:01:48

Put a tow rope in your teeth, get the daughter going about thirty in her car, then pop the clutch. It probably won't start the bike, but it'll make me feel better about grabbing Kay's exhaust pipes on the GZ250. ;D

Good luck.

Sandy

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by Demin on 07/18/08 at 18:04:30

Dang that's hot......here's your sign. ;D

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by YonuhAdisi on 07/18/08 at 18:07:29

797F7E7C61677C7D130 wrote:

Can't get daughter to do that, she's in jail for beating up her ex-husband.

Quote:

Dang that's hot......here's your sign. Grin

That's why he said that, I already pulled the "Here's your sign" thing on him ;D

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by Demin on 07/18/08 at 18:12:38

I didn't see it. ;D But there's your sign never gets old,unless it's toward you.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by YonuhAdisi on 07/18/08 at 18:14:24

7E7F7773741A0 wrote:

I didn't see it. ;D But there's your sign never gets old,unless it's toward you.

It was in another thread though I don't remember which one.

No, it doesn't get old. ;)

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by verslagen1 on 07/18/08 at 18:15:52

Battery would be the 1st guess, but...

check the ground to the engine and check the starter switch.

good luck

ps... my method of push starting, put her in 1st, clutch in, push her as fast as you can go, starter button, after 1 rev pop clutch, if you still have all the safeties, no need to worry about starter button. as soon as you let out clutch starter deactivated.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 07/18/08 at 18:16:32

Yep, figured "Two pipes, one cylinder. One pipe must be a dummy... SSSSSSTTT! Ouch! Not that one. Must be this one. SSSSSSTTTT! Ouch! KAY! Get out here, and bring my sign!" ;D

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by YonuhAdisi on 07/18/08 at 18:23:45

Just tried it again. Turned key, hit starter button, one click from the decomp and all lights die.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by Demin on 07/18/08 at 18:26:30

Sandy that was hilarious. [smiley=lolk.gif]
I'm in tears laughing. ;D Been there,done that.
That's ok,couple weeks ago had a flat on the '86.I had another wheel/tire leaning against the bike with a jack underneath it,had a guy say"you have a flat on the rear".Had to say it,nope,front tire swelled up from the heat.This is at an aviation school mind you.Scary.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by rigidchop on 07/18/08 at 18:47:26

i have drained mine completely and it would always start with a jump. i have a very large semi battery, just for that purpose. kinda wierd that it won't turn over with a jump.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by YonuhAdisi on 07/18/08 at 18:50:16

Okay, got it to turn over with it's own juice, but she won't fire up and catch. (imagine me scratching my head in bewilderment) By the way, it was the ground wire.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by Max_Morley on 07/18/08 at 18:51:00

Loose or corroded connection(s) ?? Either battery, ground, solenoid connections or stater motor connections. Max

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by T Mack 1 on 07/18/08 at 19:45:46

When I'm trouble shooting bikes, I grab my trolling motor battery from the boat. It doesn't have the big amps like a car battery but it can go a long time.

Hmmmmm ... I sound almost like ReelThing ....

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/19/08 at 00:34:31

Just turning over isnt good enough. If turning it over draws the voltage too low, the ignition wont fire right. I bet you need a battery. I'd hook a jumper up & get the starter some juice, or maybe, just haul that battery in for a good test in town.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by Charon on 07/19/08 at 06:46:57

Depending on the year, the lights are supposed to die. That is supposed to reduce the load on the battery while the starter is running. Motorcycles are somewhat weight and space limited. Batteries are bulky and heavy. So, motorcycles tend to have batteries that are already marginal even when new.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/19/08 at 08:57:42

I'd call that a right sharp observation. One of those" I knew that, just never thought it out loud"deals. Thats a great explanation.
The Big Crank is a real good replacement.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by YonuhAdisi on 07/19/08 at 12:00:00

Yeah, I do believe my battery is fubar. I just tried it again and it ALMOST fired but not enough to catch. It can barely get the starter to crank past the compression stroke and I have had the charger on a slow trickle charge all night.

So, new battery is in order.

Not surprising with as many times as I killed it and had to re-charge in such a short time.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by Bear_Rider on 07/19/08 at 12:18:07

4177766D70597C716B71180 wrote:

I had problems with my "new to me" 2001. It started very easily when I first got it, then I killed the battery a couple of times getting used to the key location and that worthless "parking light" feature. The bike would still crank smartly but was very hard to start. Finally the battery did me a favor and just kicked the bucket.

I put in a new battery and the lady immediately returned to her former faultless behavior.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by Charon on 07/19/08 at 13:05:15

If the stories are true, you can thank California for the "worthless parking light feature". The story has it that California in its infinite wisdom decided motorcycles, like cars, should be able to be parked with a light turned on for the benefit of other road users. The requirement was that the light should be able to stay lit for a minimum of a half hour. The only way to meet that requirement was a battery and some sort of charging system. Once those were in place it was an easy matter for the makers to add electric start and electric or electronic ignition instead of magnetos. So, indirectly, that "worthless parking light feature" probably led to electronic ignition and electric starters for motorcycles.

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by Bear_Rider on 07/19/08 at 19:42:20

123930233E3F510 wrote:

Well, "California" and "Worthless" do tend to go together.

Of course, I'm predjudiced since I'm from Oregon. I think that I was twelve years old before I figured out that "darnedcalifornia" was supposed to be two words. ;D

Title: Re: Lights come on but starter won't turn
Post by YonuhAdisi on 07/21/08 at 14:56:08

I think I have a wire grounding me out somewhere. It was cranking fine for a while there then suddenly I hit the switch and all power is gone, no lights or anything.

I just bought me an AGM battery. Not a Bigcrank, but one called a Supercrank by Exide.

Going to inspect my wire harness then put in the new batt and see what happens.