Cold Start, Cranking, No Fire

[MacMcMacmac]

I have my 83 Heritage that is in excellent running condition. The only issue is that it will never start on the button from cold, no matter how well it cranks. I am thinking there is enough voltage drop to the coils when cranking that there is no spark. Starts every time with one or two kicks. Anyone else have the same problem? How did you fix it? Clean connectors? Coil relay mod? I'm going to be selling this bike on, and it limits the potential buyers if it needs to be kicked when cold. Once it's warm, the problem disappears. The battery is good, but it seems that if it isn't absolutely charged to the max, it won't fire on the button from cold.

 

[retiredgentleman]

One or two things are causing your problem. Your battery is old and needs to be replaced, or your charging system is not working, maybe both.

Solution................get a load test of the battery. Use a VOM to measure battery voltage with the engine running (test voltage at 3000 rpm). Repair charging system if it fails to give 14.2 volts at 3000 rpm.

 

[Phyberoptic]

I have my 83 Heritage that is in excellent running condition. The only issue is that it will never start on the button from cold, no matter how well it cranks. I am thinking there is enough voltage drop to the coils when cranking that there is no spark. Starts every time with one or two kicks. Anyone else have the same problem? How did you fix it? Clean connectors? Coil relay mod? I'm going to be selling this bike on, and it limits the potential buyers if it needs to be kicked when cold. Once it's warm, the problem disappears. The battery is good, but it seems that if it isn't absolutely charged to the max, it won't fire on the button from cold.

I've got an '81 like that.... won't fire from the starter. Has tons of compression, so I just put it on the centerstand and throw some ass into it... vroom vroom.

Just have it warmed up before they come see it... the button should work then.

-=PO

 

[pamcopete]

Mac,

The TCI has to have at least 9 Volts to operate. I would start by cleaning the kill switch contacts because you could have as much as a volt drop across those 35 year old contacts. If you haven't cleaned them, then they have probably never been cleaned.

The same thing can happen across the ignition switch and the fuse holder, so try this;

1. Remove the ignition fuse.
2. Run a jumper from the load side of the fuse directly to the battery.
3. Try the electric start.

If it starts right up, then one or all of the above potential voltage drops is occurring. If all three are dropping a volt, then when starting the battery voltage is pulled down to 10 volts. Subtract the loss across those three components and you only have 7 volts to run the TCI. It ain't gonna go.

 

[MacMcMacmac]

Thanks. I'll giver some elbow grease and see what happens. If it doesn't improve, I'll do a coil relay mod.

 

[pamcopete]

OK. If you are going to do the relay mod, make sure that the relay works with a 9 volt battery because if it needs 10 or more volts to work, then it will drop out when you use the starter.