| Author | Message | ||
     Wke4estguy |
First post, so go easy on me... I thought my battery was low due to slow cranking over the past weeks (~40F in the mornings)(checked voltage v= 11.7) Yesterday my engine wouldn't turn over, so I pushed the bike and popped the clutch to start it, and it was fine. My bike then died because I forgot to turn on the fuel, so I repeated the push and pop procedure and got the bike to start again. I drove it all the way to work, and parked it for the day. That afternoon I tried the push and pop once, but my rear tire locked and I didn't get it to start. Thereafter, whenever I put it in 1st it doesn't matter if the clutch is pulled in or not, the bike won't roll if it is in gear, but will roll in neutral. The clutch cable seems to be fine, because I can see it move along the length of the cable housing whenever I squeeze it. The lever springs back in place whenever I release it. My question is, do you think it is the clutch cable, clutch release mechanism (the ramp/release bearing), starter ring gear, transmission or something more sinister and expensive that is causing my problem. | ||
| Swampy |
You probably don't have a problem with your clutch cable or mechanism. More than likely your clutch is working fine. I would bet your primary chain adjustment is too tight causing your clutch basket to not be parallel and the discs are not releasing all the way. | ||
| Wke4estguy |
I forgot to mention that I can't start it either. The starter just clicks regardless if it is in gear or neutral, clutch in or out... I had the 5000mile service done 500 miles ago, and all was well. I assume they checked and adjusted the primary chain to specs, although that may be a bad assumption. (Message edited by wke4estguy on January 02, 2009) | ||
| Ezblast |
Check and tighten your front and rear grounds - things get loose due to vibration; still - it could be a bad battery also. What Swampy said for the rest. EZ (Message edited by ezblast on January 02, 2009) | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Welcome Mark! If its the original battery, its toast. In the warm weather you can nurse a bad battery for a long time. Once the weather gets cold, it'll show you how bad it is! Cables may be loose, dirty or bad, but if its the original battery, replace it. The clutch situation is probably normal. They tend to be very sticky when cold, especially in 1st gear. A cold Blast, engine off, in 1st gear, is not likely to roll and using the starter will make it lurch forward. All the adjustments in the world may not change this. Lastly, push starting most motorcycles in 1st gear is almost impossible. The rear tire will lock up (if you can even get it to roll). Use 2nd or 3rd gear, depending on the bike. | ||
| Reuel |
Sounds like you have charging issues. Is the headlight nice and bright, or is it going dim? The Blast tends to be difficult to push start. I had the same issues when I tried. | ||
| Wke4estguy |
Alright I gave up fixing it myself. I tried adjusting the clutch cable to no avail, and I didn't have a gasket to seal up the inspection window, so I didn't bother with it any further. I was also going to adjust the primary chain as suggested, but I didn't have the adapter for the torque wrench as shown in fig 6.6. What is that thing called anyway? As for fixing it, here is what I know thus far. 1. The battery was dead, but the bike started when jumped. When the jumper cables were removed, it ran for ~20 seconds, and then cut off as if there was no spark. The technician promptly checked the rectifier, declared it bad, and told me that the battery was no longer charging because of it. Cost including parts and labor = $60.00 2.There is something wrong with the clutch, but I left before it was diagnosed. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Torque wrench adapter is called a 'crows foot' (and it is an -inch pound- torque wrench, in case you misread it as -foot pounds-very important). Sounds like you made out all right with the rectifier. Hopefully all goes as well with the clutch at the dealer. An easy way to check if the primary chain was adjusted is to see if it still had the "C" spacer on the adjuster bolt from the factory. If it has the spacer, its never been adjusted. Also not sure if you're the original owner or not, but the clutch is fairly reliable. Most of the problems are caused by an incorrectly adjusted primary chain or clutch. From your posts it sounds as if you have enough working knowledge to be competent working on your Blast. We're here to help and I cant remember us ever beating anyone down for their lack of knowledge, understanding or skill. I think it was a good choice to take it to the dealer if you felt in over your head though. That feeling will fade as you get more comfortable working on the bike. Again, we want you to enjoy your Blast as much as we enjoy ours. (Message edited by gearheaderiko on January 16, 2009) | ||
| Fast1075 |
Welcome to the boards Guy! The symptoms do indicate a charging problem..sounds very reasonable to replace the rectifier..and don't be suprised at how hard it is to push start the bike...mine ran out of gas once at speed...i reached down and flipped to reserve and while rolling at about 30mph in 3rd gear...I popped the clutch..engine did not turn over...the rear tire skidded...once I stopped a quick jab at the starter button and I was on my way again. You will find that the bike has a few quirks (all bikes have quirks) but is an excellent bike all in all...out of the box, they are excellent commuters..with a few mods, they are really fun in the twisties..enjoy! | ||
| Ezblast |
rectifier? - What is that? lol - never mind - regulator! EZ (Message edited by ezblast on January 04, 2009) | ||
| Reuel |
I figured the rectifier was a reference to one of those things you turn around in your fuse box to see if you have a switch problem. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
"A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current (AC) to direct current"- I assumed he meant the regulator, which probably contains a rectifier. Are we all confused now?  | ||
| Fast1075 |
Now this is funny...I wrote a post explaining the devices...by the time I posted it, Erik had beat me to it. Beat me to it by 7 minutes!!! | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
LOL! Sometimes I get lucky! Nothing like spending 30 minutes on a post and finding someone beat you to it. I thought your post was informative, you should have let it stand. | ||
| Fast1075 |
OK Erik, I'll repost with slightly different wording....the alternator produces AC current. The electrical system needs DC current to function and charge the battery. (you cannot charge a battery with AC current). The rectifier converts AC current to DC current..the Blast has a permanent magnet alternator this is known as a "fixed field" unit...the higher the rpm the higher the output in both amperage and voltage...since you cannot control the output of the alternator...you have to get rid of excess current by shunting it to ground...the regulator senses the voltage and sends the excess to ground through a resistor...the resistor converts the excess voltage to heat where it is eliminated by the finned heat sink on the regulator assembly. If the rectifier portion fails, the battery will not charge...the ignition module requires clean DC to work so if the charging system fails the battery will go down..eventually there is not enough power to run the ignition and the engine quits (even though the alternator is still working, but is producing AC current)... If the Regulator portion fails either the voltage will run too low to be of use, or the voltage will run so high as to burn out the electronics or light bulbs. | ||
| Reuel |
Let me pick your post apart now.  Don't take it personally. That's what I do when I've had too much Southern Comfort. By putting the word "current" after AC or DC, you are being redundant because the C stands for Current, but that's not why I'm posting. You described a generator. An alternator has two sets of coils. The current generating coil is regulated by the secondary coil's current being adjusted to provide the appropriate output. Therefore, the Blast has a generator. Wow! Am I confused, or has someone passed a generator off as an alternator on us? Time for another drink.  | ||
| Swampy |
A BIG high amp diode, with cooling fins | ||
| Reuel |
Well dip me in sh** and call me stinky! For all these years, that was my understanding! Turns out, sure enough, that the difference is AC and DC. I guess it has something to do with how I've always heard that thing you get for emergency power for your house is called a generator, when, in fact, it is an alternator! Unless it generates DC which is converted to AC. (Technically, I was right, however, what the Blast has is somewhere between an alternator and a generator.) How much power is lost in this inefficient alternator? What would it take to put an alternator in that's like automotive alternators? Now we would have to worry about another set of contacts and a set of brushes... I'm done drinking now. (Message edited by reuel on January 04, 2009) | ||
| Fast1075 |
They are both alternators owing to the fact that they both produce AC...the difference is in the field control...we have already discussed the fixed field or permanent magnet alternator. The other type is called "excited field" in which the the field coil is an electromagnet..the voltage regulator controls the output by varying the voltage to the field coil...this varies the magnetic strenght of the field which in turn varies the output voltage...in either case, both types need a rectifier to convert to DC. And in the case of excited field alternators, there are two types...brush type (like in most automotive alternators) and brushless (which have the advantage of having no wearing parts other than the bearings. 1975-1980 I worked at an auto electrical shop and attended Delco alternator school  | ||
| Reuel |
I'm sober now, and you're right. | ||
| Fast1075 |
Hey man this is what it's all about...sharing information...now if I just knew all about LED's...and electronics....and....and....and. | ||
| Reuel |
Now I'm learning about HVAC and building controls! Woohoo! I think this is the wrong thread for this sort of talk...} (Message edited by reuel on January 06, 2009) | ||
| Wke4estguy |
Alright, bringing the thread BACK on topic. I got it fixed, regulator(which rectifies power, i guess).....$37 Clutch was severely out of adjustment Clutch cover gasket....$2.50 Labor for both 1hr...$65 Total... $104.50+taxes I also got a set of all the rockerbox gaskets (I bet I still have the infamous paper one), a couple primary cover gaskets, and a couple of clutch inspection cover gaskets so I can try to wrench on it myself next time. BTW: Have you guys seen the 1125CR up close yet??? SEXY! | ||
| Fast1075 |
Glad it worked out for you Guy...try getting that same work done on a "import" for that cheap...and I do wander off topic at times...it must have something to do with my youth in the 70's  | ||
| Mjf1979 |
i have a 01 blast that will not go in gear with clutch lever engaged or not? what could be wrong. thanks | ||
| Swampy |
Hi MJF1979! I need to ask a few questions: Is this a bike that you have ridden before or is it a buy it and fix it? Give us a little more info, does it seem like the trans mission is shifting into gear or does it seem like the clutch is slipping. If you cannot get the shifter to move the gears, you probably have some bent shifter forks and that will require some big work. If it seems like the clutch is slipping then you might just be able to get away with a clutch adjustment. Let us know, good luck. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Concur! and Welcome |
