New Battery - No Start!!

ak85lp

ak85lp

(Paul)
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
331
Location
Franktown Ontario Canada
Bike
2018 VStrom 1000XA
I posted on this forum the other day about a Yuasa battery that was 9 years old. Turns out that is not it so far. I put it in today and same thing. If anyone can suggest what to try next I would be grateful. I'm at work now stewing about it :( so here's the symptoms and troubleshooting I have done.

Bike (2001 ST1100) has been on about 2 short trips and never gave me one bit of problem. The other night I came home, shut it off and next day nothing.

-when I turn the key I hear a faint noise (not like a click but rather a dull thud) right up by the windhshield? I know it sounds weird but that's where it seems to come from.

-so after getting new battery, adding acid, letting sit and slow charge (as per manufacturer) the charger says 100%
-same noise up front
-checked main fusible link just in front of battery..no breaks
-pulled fuse out from under starter relay..ok and swapped with spare
-replace 10 A fuse in main panel behind battery labelled ignition start
-cleaned all battery contacts and made sure they were tight
-have tried in neutral, side stand up. clutch in all the same
-could not get green connector apart for side stand switch to test

And yes I have toggled the kill switch back and forth several times.
I don't have a volt meter but I guess that is my next purchase. I have a Haynes manual that's pretty good but would like to get some ideas from the experts here.

Frustrated in Canada :(
 
The thud I think is normal. Some relays tripping. I think the headlamp relays are up there.

When you say no start, does it turn over and not fire or doesn't even turn over.

I don't think it is your sidestand switch. Mine broke and you would have the sidestand light on. If you are in N it isn't an issue. That would only come into play if you had it in gear.

As for the kill switch. If it is not turning over, that might be a possibility. I think on the newer 1100s it won't turn over if the kill switch is off or stuck off. On my 1993 it would turn over but once I installed the newer Police Switch it no longer turns over if switched off.

I think I would agree that you need a voltmeter if you don't have one. You don't need a big fancy one either. You can pick up one of the cheaper ones at pretty much any hardware store and they are pretty good. You are not doing anything where you need lots of accuracy. You are just looking to see if there is or isn't voltage at a given point.
 
sennister said:
The thud I think is normal. Some relays tripping. I think the headlamp relays are up there.

When you say no start, does it turn over and not fire or doesn't even turn over.
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I just get the thud and that's it. The lights dim like it is drawing power but nothing. Horn works and all dash lights come on and turn signals are strong too. :confused:

The only minor thing I can add is that the last day I started it I had it in gear and side stand was down of course so no start. Once I pulled that up it was fine. That was the last time I started it.
 
hawkeyeST said:
There is a good trouble shooting schematic in the OEM service manual. Sounds like you could have a bad starter relay or thumb switch. I had to replace the starter relay on my 93 a few years ago. The headlights should go OFF when you press the starter switch.
Click to expand...

I am kind of thinking the same thing. If there is no crank and the sidestand light isn't illuminated on the dash when it is up or you are trying to start in N it most likely isn't that. I think I read where some people were having issues with the switches. They were getting gummed up and some contact cleaner help free them. I think this was on the high beam and not the kill switch but it is the same design so I don't see where that would prevent it from being an issue.

Here is a link to a site where they cleaned the contacts in the kill switch.

Link
 
Right, be brave.....

Take a large spanner and bridge across the starter relay connections...... (carefully)

If it turns over, then it is either the starter relay OR the starter push switch.

You can work from there but it is easy enough to short across the starter push switch to see of the relay energises.

Alternatively you could take a 12v fly lead from the battery positive to the appropriate terminal on the coil of the starter relay and see if that makes it turn over.....

We are assuming (dangerous) that you have checked all the starter relay leads for soundness lack of corrosion and that the relay isn't in partial meltdown.....
I changed mine as it was 'suspect' but it was really the push switch that was dirty.

Without going back through all the posts above again, I assume you have thoroughly checked all the battery and negative terminals and leads to frame for cleanliness, soundness and good connection?

Let us know how you go on!

NB: Of course without looking at the specific diagram I would not discount the side stand switch or the clutch diode either.......
 
sennister said:
I think I read where some people were having issues with the switches. They were getting gummed up and some contact cleaner help free them. I think this was on the high beam and not the kill switch but it is the same design so I don't see where that would prevent it from being an issue.

Here is a link to a site where they cleaned the contacts in the kill switch.

Link
Click to expand...


I did notice that the starter push button does seem to be sticky but I'm confused how this can go bad overnight. I will try the suggestion however.
 
ak85lp said:
I did notice that the starter push button does seem to be sticky but I'm confused how this can go bad overnight. I will try the suggestion however.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure either but at least it isn't going to be a huge expense to try. It isn't like you will be running out and spending $90 on a new switch that you don't know is bad. Since the last time it worked was the bike left outside in rain or something?
 
sennister said:
I'm not sure either but at least it isn't going to be a huge expense to try. It isn't like you will be running out and spending $90 on a new switch that you don't know is bad. Since the last time it worked was the bike left outside in rain or something?
Click to expand...




Sure.... no agreed for sure. No I ran the bike home that night, idled for a minute while I opened the garage door and parked it inside. Then the next morning nothing. I took the key out as well so nothing could kill the battery..strangest thing
 
Got mice in the garage?

I know they like chewing on things. Many times they crawl up into the engine because it is warm. Granted winter is breaking but it still gets cool at night.
 
Success!!!! :)

Thanks to all the posters but especially Sennister and HawkeyeST :bow1: who pounded in my head to think of the switches. I would not think things would go bad overnight.

I also saw another post somewhere that a guy said to try the switches but "just squish them a bit when pressing them in". That was the key.

I held the starter switch in and squished it around but nothing. Then I held the starter switch in and also flipped the kill switch at the same time. I could then hear the starter trying to roll over. Two phillips screws on the underside of the switch casing and it was off. I sprayed some contact cleaner in both switches and moved them around a lot. At least the starter was engaging but it was trying to roll all the time. Then I could see that the starter button would not spring back. Held it right tight and got some WD40 right in behind it.

Now things roll over right away.

I see multiple posts telling to use dielectric grease? Never heard of that before. Can someone fill me in?

Thanks again to all the posters here, you made my day!!
 
Do you have a Radio Shack up there? A hardware store may have dielectric grease in the electrical section but it might be a long shot. Electronics places are your best bet. It is a good idea to have some on hand anyhow so you can use it elsewhere on the bike.

The benefit that it provides is it helps displace water and helps prevent corrosion. It is a bigger deal on the older bikes with the 28 amp alternator but we have to do yearly maintenance on our electrical connectors or we will have our electrical systems fail. If wouldn't be a bad idea to do the same with newer bikes as well.

Anyhow glad we could help with resolving the problems you were having.
 
ak85lp said:
Can you explain where this switch is please?
Click to expand...

We now know that this isn't the issue but for education reasons, it is located on the clutch master cylinder area. It is a little switch that is actuated by the clutch lever as it is pulled in. There are two wires that plug into the switch and that is what he mentioned can work loose or the switch can fail.

Also the same type of switch is used on the brake side to trigger the brake lights.
 
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