| Author | Message | ||
     Grovskopa |
Hey this is me, Mr "a bike failure a day keeps the doctor away" Problem nr 7 this month Today when I started the bike the start engine hung up, ie it did not stop when I removed thumb from start button. It just kept going and going and going, even if I took key out!!! Eventually I got it to stop by putting the bike in 3d gear and holding brake in, thus killing it. However, battery went flat of course and could not try starting it again. So I pushed it 2 km to my car, and started it via my car's battery.. Same problem. After doing some thinking I tapped the golden coloured part of the start engine and suddenly it all worked OK again. So atleast now I can get it running.. BUT some of the times I try to start it there is an awful crackling sound coming from start engine, and nothing happens. Kind of like it tries to grab hold of a gear but fails. What the •••• do I do? I CAN'T, REALLY can't buy a new start engine.. My bike already cost me 1500USD in repairs this month.. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Sounds like the starter solenoid is sticky. Perhaps you can open it up and clean it out? I just looked mine over and it seems like there are three small machine screws that hold a cover on. (6mm or 1/4 inch?) My only concern there is if you do loosen them up, are there nuts on the other side that will fall off or is it a threaded housing? Has anyone here taken apart a starter? | ||
| Spiderman |
Mechanical "crackling" or electrical "crackling" If you bike keeps running after you hit the kill button or take out the key and you need a jump to start it, there is obviously a electrical issue. DO you have a manual? If not get one and follow the trouble shooting guide. | ||
| Grovskopa |
OK will do | ||
| Grovskopa |
Spiderman: I guess electrical, but hard to judge... | ||
| Cyclonemduece |
do you have it insured ? set that damn thing on fire. what a basket case | ||
| Grovskopa |
Hahaha that thought reached my mind about 200 times now.. Push it down a cliff or something. I do have it insured but I can't find a similar bike over here.. Only the XB12s etc and those are not really by far as kool | ||
| Sportyeric |
There are rebuilt starters on Ebay constantly for less than $100. Or take yours to a starter rebuilding company. (There are local companies here that sell car starters that they rebuild in-house.) | ||
| 80rs427 |
I had that happen to my S1 shortly after I got it (scared the **** out of me). The PO had tried to loosen the nut on the solenoid stud where the positive battery cable attaches, ended up rotating the stud too, and it pulled the contacts in the solenoid out of alignment. I removed the 3 screws on the solenoid end plate and discovered the problem. I gently turned the stud with a wrench until things lined up again, and I've never had the problem again. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
So you can remove the plate without anything terrible happening! Good to know. | ||
| Grovskopa |
OK finally something that's easy to fix | ||
| Ratbuell |
The tubers also had (I'm 99% sure) a standard issue Sportster / XL starter, so a replacement, should it be required, should be pretty simple to source - even overseas. | ||
| Jos51700 |
WHen you pull that plate off (YOU DID DISCONNECT THE BATTERY, RIGHT?) there's a spring, and a contact plate. What has happened is the plate welded itself to the contact plate, and the spring cannot push it away from the contacts. (It could be other things, but this is most likely it, and the easiest to look into) Pull the three screws, and remove the plunder. Using a fine sandpaper, remove the nasty carbon, and make it look new (copper color) all around. Touch up the contacts, reassemble (The spring should push the plunger away from the contacts. a small dab of light grease on the plunger shaft will be good), and see what happens. Pull the battery cable if it hangs up again, and take it to a good starter shop. If it doesn't hang up again, it should be good! This bike is a freak. I'd love to have a week with it, talk to it, make love to it, and bring it back to life......  Maybe this helps. The cover and three little screws will be on top, and are not shown. I modified this image, so ignore the rest of the wiring, only the contact, plunger, and battery wire is correct.  Lots of times, the contacts get welded if someone just holds the starter button down for a long time, and keeps cranking and cranking, even if the vehicle won't start, but sometimes, they just stick..... | ||
| Werewulf |
i see those "no wire" starter switches, where you just push a plunger on the solinoid... i thought they were what i wanted to simplicy things...then i realized you have to sit on the bike and feel for the button next to the hot header.. | ||
| Grovskopa |
Jos you're nr1! Will do as you instructed! | ||
| Oldog |
Hey Grovs what was the result of the no 4th gear? BTW you have had some electrical problems Turning signals, and now starter hang up. You need a shop manual and some time to sort that bike out. sorry to hear of all of the problems. | ||
| Grovskopa |
Oldog: No result yet, decided I don't want to fiddle with it myself.. too complex stuff. I will have mechanic look at it while he has it for the rear shock recall. Engine mount, front shock, start engine and turning signals I will fix meself. |
