RRRRRRR! Can't narrow this down

sseres

sseres

XS650 Junkie
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ever since buttoning my bike back together (having forgotten just a couple of pieces to the starter train), she's not fired up.

I proved to myself that I (think) I got the starter train all set up correctly by cranking the engine (sans spark plugs) over with RHC off. the little slidey gear 4 slid in and out like it was supposed to and it seemed to turn the engine over. So, put everything back together then filled it with oil.

So, I tried electric start and it just heaved. I tried it a few times then thought my battery might be dead. I charged it for 4 hours, but same thing. Then, I wondered if i'd left a plug in the exhaust port when I put the exhaust pipes on. So, I pulled them off and didn't see anything.

K, back to the drawing board. Thought about fuses but I am definitely getting a crank, lights come on and I pulled off the cam cover on the right side to prove the thing was turning, which it was. Just a heave. hardly a turn over. Like a sick battery. But I'm getting 12v off and 12v on the charger.

Ok, then (remember I'm not a mechanic) I thought I might be able to kick start it. Bike is still on the new HF lift table, mind you -- which, apparently isn't a very good idea. After a few sputters, a few anemic sounding fires, I dumped it (and me) the frack over!:banghead:

Good news, I wasn't hurt. Bad news, I tore that beautiful seat many of you have written me about, on the license plate holder of my wife's bike parked next to my fancy new HF lift table. Man, at least I didn't have the table up. But you know, bikes suck when they fall over. Gas everywhere, bike all smished up against my wife's and I can't lift it and I'm standing there feeling (and looking) like an idiot.

Luckily, I have a hoist and got it righted within a few minutes. Got the gas cleaned up off the ground. Figured it was time to walk away for awhile.

So, I feel like I'm missing something. Do I have a bike that won't start (that did just the other day) because:
a) starter motor suddenly not strong enough?
b) fouled carb and a suddenly bad starter?
c) some electronic component fried that makes it not start?
:wtf::wtf::wtf::wtf::wtf::wtf::wtf::wtf:


Oh yea, and my wife is sick and asked me to come in and take care of stuff inside :(
 
was a total rebuild and until the other day when I took RHC to fix up the starter which wasn't engaging, it was working fine. Probably 100 miles since the rebuild. Has TCI iggy so I didn't think I could screw anything up in terms of timing.
 
Good thing you did not get injured!

It may be that your battery just can't produce the amps required. Voltage does not mean much. The starter motor is very much a "load" test. You could take the battery to a shop with a "real load tester" to see if it fails their test.

If you have another good battery, give it a try.
 
yes, right hand cover, where the dumb bendix spring for the starter lives deep beneath the clutch basket.
 
Have you had the stator, brush holder or ignition pick ups off? It is easy to mix up those screws and have a long screw stick into the rotor. There is also a small pin and slot at the bottom of the stator that if not aligned will cause the stator to hit the rotor causing VERY hard kick over. Pull spark plugs, make sure you don't have cylinder full of gas.
 
Uh oh sseres XSOTM is for running bikes.

No, just kidding, or piling on. I feel for you, I've done that sketchy kick it while up on the lift thing.
 
dude!!! it was running. I told you I wouldn't be getting my dang hopes up this month's nomination! :)

So... could this just be a dead battery? As in, won't even hold a charge? As in, was fine 2 days ago, but despite being on the charger all that time totally just not capable of holding a charge?
 
Uh what charger? an old style non automatic charger can boil an MC battery dry in a couple of days.... Put a load like a tail light bulb on it for a few minutes see what happens to voltage, bad cells can pop up out of nowhere too.

And check all ground and hot wires for loose bad or corroded connections.
 
sseres said:
dude!!! it was running. I told you I wouldn't be getting my dang hopes up this month's nomination! :)

So... could this just be a dead battery? As in, won't even hold a charge? As in, was fine 2 days ago, but despite being on the charger all that time totally just not capable of holding a charge?
Click to expand...

Yes, batteries can fail at any time. A friend of mine was unable to get his 1977 XS650 to crank. He said it couldn't be his battery because his Mikesxs AGM battery was only 2 years old. I drove my bike over to his house, and suggested we swap my battery into his bike. My battery is the age old lead acid battery and its 6 years old. With my battery, his bike cranked and fired up immediately.

Like I mentioned earlier, the starter motor is a "load test".

Other things that can cause failure to crank..................high resistance due to faulty starter cable, faulty battery ground strap, faulty starter relay, and/or corrosion on the starter cable connectors.
 
thanks guys. It's ok barring a few scratches. I still smell like gas and I can't tell which part of me does.

it's a "newfangled" battery charger that's supposed to do that thing where it is smart enough t oknow when the charge is done and then it trickle charges.

Does it tell anyone anything if, when plugged into the charger, that there'd STILL not be enough juice to crank?
 
I should be able to get to Batteries+ tomorrow after work. I think battery dead out of the blue is most likely cause (I friggin hope).

I call this one: ANTI-IDIOT MEASURES :)

full
 
I took the battery to BatterysPlus this morning and the guy stuck it on the load tester. He said it was only registering 12.3 instead of 12.6 volts, which to him meant it wasn't fully charged. Although I'd been charging it, the battery did spend the night in my car so it could have discharged some. Anyway, he recommended we charge then test it. It'll be $4.95 for the charge and if it's dead I can apply it to a new battery.

Here's my question. This wet cell is $36 to replace. But they sell a fully-sealed battery for $70. Sure, it's some bucks more, but why wouldn't I choose the fully-sealed battery?
 
One of the problems(in my mind) with newer batteries is they are 12 volt 12 amp hrs.
The original were 12 volt 14 amp hrs. I don't understand electricity but wouldn't that have something to do with "crankability".
I don't see any reason to not replace with the modern unit.
For one thing it doesn't leak on your frame when placed sideways on purpose or otherwise.

Some tiedowns from the u-bolt to the front pegs will help stabilize your bike.
When the center stand starts sliding backwards(and it will as you wear down the knubs on the plate) instead of lifting the bike up a couple of beads(welding) will help it catch.
 
Did the guy actually do the load test. If you put a meter across the poles it will tell you the voltage. Even a clapped out battery will show 12v plus. What you want to see on the load tester is what happens when you put the battery under its load (usually a very heavy element) You will usually have an analogue or digital display that shows "Good" "Weak" and "Bad" as you flick the load switch on and off. I think your man may have just looked at the voltage??
 
The really good value to look for on a battery is the CCA or Cold Cranking Amps. This is the batteries ability to deliver maximum amps at freezing point (i think thats the test temp)
I built a Caterham kit car a couple of years ago and the engine was heavily modded, including head skim and high compression pistons. The stock battery was 330 CCA and it would barely turn the engine over. Changed to a 520 CCA battery and it turned it fine
 

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