SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Electrical Problem!
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1299703878

Message started by colinnoe on 03/09/11 at 12:51:18

Title: Electrical Problem!
Post by colinnoe on 03/09/11 at 12:51:18

Howdy Guys,

I just got my savage a couple of months ago, I accidentally left it out uncovered in the rain a couple nights ago and have a newfound electrical problem.

So heres the deal. It used to run fine. A couple days ago in the morning, it bumped one time before starting. Then I rode it to school and it was dead. So I played around with it for a while but failed to get it to go. So I went home and got my jumper cables and jumped it.

IT ran fine. I charged it, and then it started up fine the next morning(yesterday). I took it off charger to see if it would hold charge but this morning it was dead. So I charged it for a while, still dead
I just jumped it, but once I disconnected the jumper cables it died after idling for ~10 seconds.

Now I've been charging it now, but it is still dead.

My thoughts (possible garbage warning): The battery is new, but is still a possible source for the problem. Here's the interesting part and why I think it is not the battery.

With the key in the off position, my battery tender battery charger ( as well as my volt-meter) read the battery as present and fully charged. When I turn the key to run or to park the bike immediately goes totally dead. And! the battery charger thinks there is no battery present.

It could be the battery, but I doubt it. Unfortunately I am not sure how to load-test a battery without using the motorcycle as the load...

I imagine there is a slow voltage leak of some kind, but I am not sure if this is right. Any ideas?

Title: Re: Electrical Problem!
Post by verslagen1 on 03/09/11 at 14:02:48

Sounds like you have a water filled connector somewhere.
The 2 big ones on either side of the head tube would be my prime suspect. But take the tank off and pop each one. get them all dry.

Next check the grounds, especially the engine ground behind the oil level window.

check the battery, terminals, etc.

Title: Re: Electrical Problem!
Post by T Mack 1 - FSO on 03/11/11 at 08:14:35

"Battery is new" .... but what brand or where did you get it?

I had a Wally mart (Chinese) battery that lasted about 10 months and developed a bad cell. With no load it read fine. Put a load on it and it went BLAH.

Title: Re: Electrical Problem!
Post by colinnoe on 03/14/11 at 22:49:41

I picked up the battery from Batteries Plus ( a specialty store in TX)... Could I try starting a small car from the battery to see if it is good?

I'm going to mess with all the connector;s on Wednesday, I'll post to let you guys know any solution/problems I find

Title: Re: Electrical Problem!
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 03/15/11 at 07:34:20

Check grounds, check terminal connections, hit th horn, if its weak ( well,, you know,, weaker than the anemic little horn IS even with a good battery), look at the headlight at nite. yellow or white lite?
Heck, put a charger on it & avoid some guesswork?? A charger w/o a meter is useless for figuring things out. Dont get one that just has a lite.
You may want to pull the plug & make sure everything spins nicely. Blow the dirt & crap out of the plug area first. Avoid letting it fall in the cylinder.

Title: Re: Electrical Problem!
Post by colinnoe on 03/17/11 at 13:26:41

Cleaned all connections yesterday at home, still wouldn't fire....

Kept working, still nothing, then as soon as I hooked up just the positive for a jump, it worked.

Why? I realized that I had a loose + at the battery from this. Putting the cable on added some conductivity from the head of the battery to the end of the + lead out. A couple of twists with a wrench and she was good as new.

At least it was easy and now all my connections are clean...

Title: Re: Electrical Problem!
Post by Chopped on 03/17/11 at 14:30:24

its always the small overlooked things that come back and bite you in the ass!