Hard Starting

[MancoIII]

I need help with a starting problem on my 1999 Valkyrie Interstate with 80K miles and a 4 degree trigger wheel installed in 2003.

In the last three weeks the bike has become extremely hard to start.  The starter turns the engine over quite briskly yet the engine will not fire up.  I have serviced the starter switch as described elsewhere.  If I put a battery charger on the battery and set the charger for jump start, the engine will light up more easily.  Once running the bike runs as normally as ever and usually starts right up during a days riding but, she will occassionally be difficult (sngine turns over easily as expected but fails to light).

I checked the wire harness diagram on HDL parts fiche and find there are four starter relays.  Is it possible that there are actually four starter relays on this bike?  I have ordered one relay for replacement.  Am I going to need to replace all four?

Any suggestions for other areas to check.  How do I test a relay for proper function?

MancoIII
AlWilsonIII@GMail.com

[Valker]

I'd bet it is just a bad battery. They have to be a higher voltage to fire the ignition than to turn the starter. If it starts right up on a jump, it's the battery.

[Chrisj CMA]

+1 on a weak battery.......before you do anything else jump it to a car (ENGINE OFF!!) and see if she fires up.........also make sure the cables to the battery terminals are clean and tight and the ground to the motor is tight.  It really sounds like a weak battery to me too

[MancoIII]

Thank you.  I guess load testing the battery is next in line.

Manco
AlWilsonIII@Gmail.com

[Ricky-D]

Thank you.  I guess load testing the battery is next in line.

Manco
AlWilsonIII@Gmail.com

That would be nice but it's a fallacy anymore!

Most all parts stores test batteries but load testing is assumption based on other factors.

If your battery is old you ought to go ahead and get a new one.

If you're looking for justification to keep the one you have, you sure will get plenty of that but you already have a suspicion that the battery is bad and it just may be you're trying to save some money.

The best battery to get is one that you fill yourself. That way you know it is new. You must also charge the battery according to the direction that come with the new battery. Failure to do this will reduce the battery life and also reduce the capability of the battery.

Go ahead and bite the bullet and get a new battery.

***

[JetDriver]

Assuming you might find confidence in numbers, and given the condition you describe, I'll add my vote to "you have a weak battery."  Certainly is an easy enough solution- better than checking relays.   

[MP]

+1 on bad battery.  Same thing happened to me.

MP

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

+1 on bad battery.  Same thing happened to me.

MP

+2, happened to me also.

[Farther]

+3 for me and it is starting to do it again.

[John U.]

Since the evidence tends to blame the battery, which opinion I agree with; here is a link to the cheapest source of a Yuasa battery to fit a Valk: http://www.tristatebattery.com/product_info.php?cPath=36_96_112&products_id=732
There are other makes of batteries but most of us have had good service life from Yuasa's.

[Farther]

Here is the one with the higher CCA rating:  www.batterystuff.com/batteries/motorcycle/YTX14H-BS.html

[Ricky-D]

Here's the url for the real deal!

http://www.shopmotorcycleonlinestore.com/productdetail.htm?browse=-19812&productId=-136143&shopBy=-2178&catalogId=-534

Scroll down to YTX-14BS   70 bucks and change

Best price you will find around and not some so called "other cover" battery.

***

[Farther]

Make sure to calculate the shipping cost if it is not included in the purchase price.  Some deals are not as good as reported.