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Message started by davidsc on 03/31/23 at 17:15:52

Title: Won't start.
Post by davidsc on 03/31/23 at 17:15:52

So I've looked through threads and I've tried most of the recommended stuff. But my bike just won't turn over. I thought it was a suspicious looking grounding cable so I replaced that with the new cable. I also checked the positive cable running to the solenoid then the solenoid to the starter. I replaced the solenoid. I took the starter out. Took it apart. Rebuilt it. Bench tested it (worked on the bench). I replaced the battery with a lithium battery. And I even hooked it up to my car with my car running. None of these things worked. I also put the bike and gear and pushed it to make sure that the engine wasn't locked up. I'm at a loss for what else to do. The bike was running fine and I was out on a ride last week and I stalled the bike and I haven't been able to start it since. I also open the left side in the engine to make sure that the gear was not broken or there was an obstruction. Nothing. All it does is click, under the tank and under the seat. I have test the connections to make sure it's getting all the proper voltages, nothing.

Any ideas.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by verslagen1 on 03/31/23 at 20:30:30

Quote:

All it does is click, under the tank and under the seat.

so the decomp is working and the relay is working, along with all the safeties.

Quote:

I stalled the bike and I haven't been able to start it since.

clicking starter and this says it's a battery issue. use a vom to check the battery. if it goes below 10v when you're trying to start it, it'll never start. lithium batteries don't use standard battery chargers, but if you have a lithium charger I do that 1st.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by davidsc on 04/01/23 at 08:16:58

I know it's not a battery issue. I replaced the battery with a lithium thinking it was the old battery. Old battery is good. I have tried the old, the lithium and my car battery all did the same thing. Also all registered with over 12 volts. I have tried with 3 good batteries and the results are the same. I feel it's getting the juice need to turn the starter and when I bench test the starter is fires right up. I bench tested with the old sla battery. All it does is click and the lights flicker on the bike.

Thanks for the reply and input though.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by Serowbot on 04/01/23 at 10:14:52

No bump starting with a car running... the alt can overpower your Savage electrics.

Test your solenoid to hear if it clicks... inside is like contact points, you can cut it open and clean them. The click you hear may be the the decomp. It's a loud bugger.
You should also be able to feel it click with your finger on the casing.
Best luck... 8-)

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by twhitus on 04/01/23 at 13:53:36

the starter solenoid can click but still not make contact, they are cheap just kind of a pain to get to if you have large hands.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by J Mac on 04/01/23 at 17:54:12

I learned that with a Sportster I had. I damaged the voltage regulator jump starting with a car running. I replaced a couple batteries until I figured out what I had done. Duhhhh me!

2137203D25303D26520 wrote:

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/02/23 at 12:24:45

If I couldn't get it to spin over I'd hook twelve volts straight to the starter.

Recommend you have it in neutral.
Just because a solenoid clicks,that doesn't prove it's good. The internal contacts that send power to the starter can be burned up, you can jumper around the thing.
Make sure your clutch is not dragging at all. Don't let it get away from you.
You can also hook a meter up and see if the starter is getting any voltage when you push the starter button.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by davidsc on 04/14/23 at 10:21:25

I got the starter thing figured out. My neighbor is a diesel mechanic for the military and he was able to help me figure out what was going on. It was a grounding issue in the starter so we were able to fix that and then the starter was running backwards so I was able to fix that. And now I got the starter back in the bike and I can hear it trying to click over, but I'm wondering if there's something wrong with the gears from the starter to pull the engine over. I feel like they're stuck. When I manually try to turn it they all work and they're going in the right direction. But when I activate the starter, it's like the starter doesn't have enough juice to turn the motorcycle over. Yes, there's nothing wrong with the battery. Yes, there's nothing wrong with the electricity. I've already diagnosed those things.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/14/23 at 11:07:13

Early models have gears that get screwed up if the motor spins backwards. When you killed it, the motor may have gone backwards a bit.
What year model is it?

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by davidsc on 04/19/23 at 16:36:34

It's a 2001. But I think I got it figured out. I was able to get the starter fixed and there was an issue with putting the washer in the starter gears in the wrong gear. I can get the starter to engage and spin the motor, but then locks up. Pretty sure it's hydro locking. I pulled the spark plug out a little oil in there and manually turned the engine over. Turned with ease. Put the spark plug back in and it's lock again. Not sure what to do next.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/19/23 at 19:19:24

It's supposed to have a compression release. Check the left front of the motor and then the big solenoid that pulls it in. Make sure it's firing then check the adjustment to the decompression lever.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by davidsc on 04/21/23 at 14:54:10

I was able to narrow it down to the compression release. The solenoid works and pulls the lever but it will only turn one cycle. If I hold the lever up it'll cycle several times. I don't know how to get it to cycle several times with the automatic solenoid valve.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/21/23 at 15:10:57

The decomp system is timed to only work long enough to let it get past a compression stroke. The starter is supposed to be able to keep it going after that.
You need to check, with a meter, your battery voltage sitting and under load.
If the battery is okay, I'm thinking connections, the ground on the right side of the engine is important and easy to take off and clean.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by davidsc on 04/21/23 at 15:28:57

It's not an electrical problem. I've been working on this thing for almost a month now. I've replaced the starter. I've replaced the solenoid. I replaced the ground. I replaced the electrical starting wire. I put a volt meter anywhere you can shove it and I'm getting voltss. I've tried three different batteries, a brand new lithium, my car battery and the old battery. This thing won't crank. Before it wouldn't turn over I can get it to turn over. I can't get it to crank. Was solenoid engages it goes through the cycle one time and then it gets stuck because the decompression cycle stops.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by davidsc on 04/21/23 at 15:31:16

Also, I can hold decompression lever and let it cycle, however it still won't start. I've tried engine starter. Also a brand new spark plug.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/21/23 at 15:45:34

Was solenoid engages it goes through the cycle one time and then it gets stuck because the decompression cycle stops.
Back to top

Everyone else has the same setup. Some people completely Decomp Delete. I'd pull the plug, put it in gear and see how hard it is to push in gear..

No, scratch that,,
How about pulling the left side plug in the engine cover, spark plug out, in neutral, and see what it takes to spin the engine over.

Everything you've done says it OTtsta be turning over just fine.

If you do that, turning the engine backwards is tempting.
I wouldn't.
The crank spins like the wheels, top goes forward.
A normal, healthy engine can be rotated easily, the bolt doesn't back out, for sure.
I've never put a torque wrench on it, but if you have a light beam style you could measure it if it seems extreme.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by ThumperPaul on 04/23/23 at 08:58:28

I'd check the decomp solenoid. Link to some good pictures and descriptions of being out of adjustment. http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1169356966

Mine didn't die while riding, but it sure made some awful noises before I adjusted mine to 4mm. Starts like a dream now and no more awful valve noises.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by davidsc on 04/23/23 at 20:36:17

So I was able to finally get the bike started. After I fix the grounding issue and I was able to figure out the decomp problem. The final issue I was having was that the brand new lithium battery that I bought was a dud. I bought a brand new lithium last night and it fired right up.

Title: Re: Won't start.
Post by buster6315 on 04/23/23 at 20:47:12

I bought a lithium battery and charger less than three years ago for my other bike, and last week the battery went bad. So, I bought a AGM battery. For the money I paid for the lithium battery, I feel ripped off. My fears of such a lightweight battery doing the job were justified.