St1100 won't start

Joined
May 16, 2017
Messages
6
Location
Cornwall
Hello all. My 1996 st1100 has laid dormant in the garage for a few months. I tried to start it and it just made a clicking noise on pressing the starter button.
I put the battery on a trickle charge and tried again. Still clicking but no turning over. I have ignition lights headlights and clock etc all working.
I used jump leads from my car and tried again. Still clicks but won't turn over.
Can anyone point me in the right direction with this one.
Thanks
 

Dave.David

Rider
Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Messages
716
Location
SB California USA
Bike
05,ST1300-04VTX1800R
STOC #
8938
Hello all. My 1996 st1100 has laid dormant in the garage for a few months. I tried to start it and it just made a clicking noise on pressing the starter button.
I put the battery on a trickle charge and tried again. Still clicking but no turning over. I have ignition lights headlights and clock etc all working.
I used jump leads from my car and tried again. Still clicks but won't turn over.
Can anyone point me in the right direction with this one.
Thanks
Easy. First check the obvious, 12 v at the starter solenoid. Check red big wire from battery, +, check - at frame. Key off or on.
12v at starter when pushing button, key on. Don't test ground at battery, test on frame or better yet at starter if you can.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2016
Messages
4,759
Location
Northumberland UK
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VStrom 650
+1 try the electrics and clean all the connectors up.
But first I would put it in gear off the stand and give it a good rock back and forwards until a fair amount of resistance is felt, the starter may have stuck in. Try again and keep everything crossed.
Hope it helps.
Upt'North.
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2016
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4,759
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Northumberland UK
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VStrom 650
+1 try the electrics and clean all the connectors up.
But first I would put it in gear off the stand and give it a good rock back and forwards until a fair amount of resistance is felt, the starter may have stuck in. Try again and keep everything crossed.
Hope it helps.
Upt'North.
 
Joined
May 12, 2016
Messages
34
Location
Wisconsin
Bike
1998 ST1100
My two-cents is:
If you have good headlights, I would say the battery is probably OK
Clicking, is the relay to the starter.
My guess is a bad starter, maybe as simple as stuck brushes.
Old guys always hit things that don't work....
Keep us posted.
 
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Messages
829
Location
Medina, Tennessee
Bike
2021 Tracer 9GT
STOC #
375
90% chance the problem lies with one of the issues below:

Tighten and clean your battery cables, at both ends.
Charge the battery then load test it. A charged battery that shows 12.7 V can still be bad. A load test tells the tale.
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2012
Messages
5,047
Location
soCal
Bike
'97 ST1100
STOC #
687
I'm guessing that because your headlights are OK, your battery and its basic connections are probably OK, but as suggested, make sure they're clean before going any further.

And the fact that you hear the click of the starter solenoid means that its probably engaging, but you could have corrosion or other issues there, that's where I'd start looking first. Make up a heavy gauge jumper wire that is capable of carrying enough current to run the starter motor and jump from the battery positive terminal directly to the starter motor terminal (haven't done this on an ST so can't give you an exact location, but it should be obvious if you can get access to the starter motor). If you locate the starter solenoid the starter motor will be connected to one side or the other of the solenoid terminals. If the motor turns, then you can rule that out, if it doesn't, look for ground issues with the starter motor.

If motor turns, move the jumper to the side of the starter solenoid that is connected to the battery. turn on the ignition switch and press the starter button. If the starter motor turns going across the solenoid, you can rule that out next, and your problem is between the battery and the starter solenoid connection. If it doesn't turn (and you hear the solenoid click when you push the starter button) then you have solenoid issues, either corrosion or some sort of internal mechanical failure.

edit: because of the relatively high current involved, make sure your jumper is mechanically strong, with a strong metal clip at each end of the wire. Just pressing the wire against each connection with your fingers may not provide a good enough connection to flow sufficient current to make a valid test.
 
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paulcb

- - - Tetelestai - - - R.I.P. - 2022/05/26
Rest In Peace
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Jun 4, 2013
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4,652
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Celina, TX
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'97/'01 ST1100 ABSII
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8735
Old guys always hit things that don't work....
Too true... that made me laugh! Remembering as a kid, laying on the ground under my truck hitting the starter with a hammer. ;)
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
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Location
Auckland, New Zealand
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2005 ST1300
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8901
You might try jumping from your car but with the bike battery out of the loop (e.g. pull off one battery post connection). If the battery has failed it can cause an internal short that stops enough current reaching the starter. Had this problem with my daughter's car, lots of solenoid clicking but no starting. Charger showed fully charged and 12.5v across the terminals. Noticed the jump leads getting quite warm too. New battery magically fixed everything.
 
OP
OP
Joined
May 16, 2017
Messages
6
Location
Cornwall
Hello All,
Still haven't got a working bike yet. I took the starter off and had it tested, it works fine on the bench, on the bike it wont turn over, still just the click noise everytime I press the starter switch.
 

kiltman

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Apr 27, 2013
Messages
3,280
Age
68
Location
Stratford, Ontario Canada
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2002,ST1100ABS
STOC #
8826
When you press the starter, does the clock turn off? If it does check the red connector at the starter relay. Pull it off and check to see if the connector is compromised.
 
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
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Location
kankakee
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R1200rt
Get a test light , at the starter you should have power to the solenoid terminal when pushing the starter button, if good check for power at the battery wire if that is good the bike should crank over. I would then try to rotate the engine to make sure is not locked up
 
OP
OP
Joined
May 16, 2017
Messages
6
Location
Cornwall
Thank you for the replies. The clock doesn't go off when pressing the starter. I'm away with work for about a week now so cant do much until at least next sunday but will keep you posted.
 
Joined
Jan 30, 2016
Messages
95
Location
Kansas City , KS
Bike
ST1100Y
STOC #
8892
I had something similar happen a while back. Sometimes it would start after I waited a few. Click click click, had all lights, battery had good voltage. Ended up being the starter cable connection at the starter. Rubber cover that has a water drain built in, was plugged with rust! Broke the nut loose with a wrench, cleaned it up, and it's been working flawlessly ever since.

Frank
 

ST Gui

240Robert
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Sep 12, 2011
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SF-Oakland CA
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ST1300, 2010
My first car (an old Chevy) once developed the clicking non-starting malady. The battery was good. Cable connections were good.

It was deemed the starter or starter solenoid was bad. Back then it was conventional practice to replace both as a unit. After pulling them out I decided to open the solenoid and clean up the starter.

Turned out it was the solenoid. There was a big metal washer that served as the high current contact. After cleaning it up and reversing it then throwing a light buff on the starter armature it all went back together. The car started easily.

I don't know if the 1100's solenoid can be rebuilt but it is a link that could be damaged. Is it easily located/tested/repaired/replaced? Is it a relay and not a solenoid? Is it easily located/tested/replaced?
 
Joined
Nov 8, 2017
Messages
9
Location
North Central Ohio
My ST did the same thing. I had lights and the clock would work, but when I pressed the start button it would click like a bad connection and the lights would dim. I put a multimeter on the battery and it put out 12.8 volts. I held the probes on the battery terminals and pressed the start button and the volts dropped to less than 2 volts. The battery went bad with a press of a button. I put a Bike Master AGM in it and it fired right up. I would find it hard to believe that the starter or other things stuck from sitting....Most likely it is simple things.....just my .02 though. Good Luck.
 
OP
OP
Joined
May 16, 2017
Messages
6
Location
Cornwall
Finally got some time and was able to investigate the problem. Alternator seized solid. Got a replacement and trying to fit it. Can't get it in. The gears won't mesh back in.
 

John OoSTerhuis

Life Is Good!
Joined
May 10, 2005
Messages
5,218
Location
Bettendorf, Iowa
Bike
1991 SSMST1100
STOC #
1058
Oh my! I didn’t weigh in because I thought everyone had covered everything.

Should have noticed your location as the key to your symptoms/problem... one unique to that part of the world for 40ampers.

Getting the Alternator Shaft Assembly split gears’ splines to mesh with the flywheel’s can be problematic. I’ve heard it can be done without using a pin through the split gears but my experience, and that of over 170 fellow STriders who have borrowed my 40amp Alternator Upgrade Tools Kit and used the “Lewis Pin” method to hold the gears’ splines aligned during insertion, make that the recommended method.

Good luck.

Regards, John
 
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