Weird Electrical Issue

Grimmith

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The bike started alright with kick starting for a bit. The electric start worked once, but it sounded like the battery didn't have enough juice to turn the engine over and start it. After kick starting it with starter fluid it ran fine. I charged the battery. Had it checked and it's a great battery fully charged. When trying to start I can't kick it to start without spraying a dab of starter fluid inside the carbs intake area. Literally now I cant start it without doing that, and when I do it doesn't run long enough to matter. like 4 seconds. Also, now when i push the starter button, I can hear the starter relay engaging inside the elec. box by the loud clicking it makes. but nothing after that. Is my starter or coil potentially fried? My meter shows electric currents flowing, however I don't believe its the correct numbers. I'm working a lot now and repetition helps me remember things. If i don't do it all the time I have a hard time remembering it... it really sucks.....help?
 
My first guess would be charging problems shorted
What year model ---is it stock ???
Please measure voltage across battery engine off ignition off
Turn key on measure voltage across battery engine off
Try to start and measure Voltage across battery
 
when it ran until the starting fluid burned off it was a fuel issue. maybe carbs. one time i couldn't figure out what was up with my carbs...i'd run out of gas

jan_p has some good advice. what I would do is measure the voltage at the starter solenoid / starter connection with just the key on. it should be zero obviously. then measure the voltage there when you try to use the starter. then take only the big thick starter wire off the solenoid and measure the solenoid again when you hit the start button. If there's no voltage with the starter disconnected, something is wrong with the solenoid, the button, or the wiring. If the voltage drops to like half or less with the starter connected, it's bogged down -- they can be taken apart and cleaned. there's a seal around the gear that can leak and the starter can fill with oil. If the voltage doesn't drop, the starter may have a bad winding, or again may be really dirty inside. all that will narrow it down to a bad starter or not at least

if you never see voltage on the output side of the solenoid, check the input side to check for bad solenoid. if no voltage on the input side, trace it on back to the problem. if fixing one thing doesn't fix the problem, keep in mind it might have more than one issue...you could have a bad relay, bad starter, bad button, and bad wiring...theoretically
 
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Did you clean the carbs lately? What year is your bike? Need more info please. Is it the 77 or 80?
yes, this all ran from kick start fine and one day it just stopped. the starter sounded like it was trying to start, but then eventually it stopped trying. taking volt measurements today. its a 77 650 d
 
How long did it run?

For a good while, idled for 10 minutes straight, then I rode it up the block to show a friend, had a little trouble kick starting it to get back, but still rode it back. I also just found out my meter gauge may have shorted while testing if possible. Never had it happen lol, it just shows the number 1 on the display screen no matter where the switch is turned or where the testing wires are touching. So I can't give good numbers till I get that one figured out.
 
The one my wires came out on the inside of the electr. box.....must have vibrated loose. Starter still turns over like the battery is dying, but it's not. it's at 12.94v Brushes probably worn. I'm pretty sure it's the same starter from the original engine haha.
 
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