Start clicks...

[stude31]

Okay..

Working on a guys bike and the start clicks a few times rather quickly and then turns the motor over.  I took the starter out and looked at the teeth on starter and in housing.  All looks good.  I jumped the starter while out and no noise.  I put the starter back in and jumped the starter and does the click click and turns motor over.  Any suggestions???

I am thinking it might be battery???  But why would it turn over after few rapid ticks or clicks..

Solenoid??  Not too familiar with the valkyrie starter.  Or could it be a relay??

Let me know what you think... 

I haven't wondered over to the tech side in quite some time... I hope everyone is doing well 

Thanks for your ideas.

Joe "Stude31"

[Challenger]

Check battery connections and ground point first, then get your meter out see if you are getting voltage through the relay when it is engaged. Good luck!

[greggh]

+1 on the battery connections..also make sure battery has full charge.
If that fails it could be the starter cyliniod?
I replaced mine with a goldwing cyliniod and all is well for the last 2 years.

[Patrick]

You didn't mention whether you performed the starter switch maintenance.. It should be in shop talk or archives..

[Chiefy]

Have had that more times then I care to remember on CARS.  Almost always turned out to be a dead cell in the battery.  Once or twice it was a bad or corroded (+) clamp on the battery.

Some places like Batteries + will test your battery for free.

[Grandpot]

Put some jumper cables between the Valk battery and a known good battery.  If it starts without clicks, you have a weak battery.

[Ricky-D]

Bad battery or under performing battery, it's all the same.

I suggest going ahead and getting a new battery, charge it according to the direction printed on the battery, and install it in the bike.

Him and hawing about it and stalling about getting a new battery can cause you to do things that may cause additional unintended consequences, thinking it's not the battery.

***

[stude31]

Thanks fellas... I will keep you posted on IF it was the battery.

[RP#62]

Here was my recent experience on this.  On about every 2nd or 3rd start, I'd press the start button and it would just click and nothing would happen.  When it did this, I'd press the button a couple of more times and it would always start.  I figured something's going bad, better fix it.  My battery was 6 years old, so I figured time for a new one anyway, might as well replace it.  Got a new battery, slow charged it overnight and put it in.  Tried the starter and it started right up, so I figured OK, I got it.  Third start, it clicked again.

Next, I took the start switch apart, (it looked fine), cleaned it, stretched the springs a little, polished the contacts regreased and put it back together.  Pushed the start button and it started right up.  That must have been it.  Third or fourth start later, it clicked again.

Next, I took the connector off of the start relay and checked it.  It looked fine - I had put silicon grease on it several years ago.  Cleaned it and put it back on.  Tried the button and it started right up.  Fourth or fifth starts later it clicked again.

Next, I replaced the start relay.  Hasn't clicked since and that was in May right before the Tucumcari trip.  (97 Tourer with 98K miles)

-RP

[Jason O]

Here was my recent experience on this.  On about every 2nd or 3rd start, I'd press the start button and it would just click and nothing would happen.  When it did this, I'd press the button a couple of more times and it would always start.  I figured something's going bad, better fix it.  My battery was 6 years old, so I figured time for a new one anyway, might as well replace it.  Got a new battery, slow charged it overnight and put it in.  Tried the starter and it started right up, so I figured OK, I got it.  Third start, it clicked again.

Next, I took the start switch apart, (it looked fine), cleaned it, stretched the springs a little, polished the contacts regreased and put it back together.  Pushed the start button and it started right up.  That must have been it.  Third or fourth start later, it clicked again.

Next, I took the connector off of the start relay and checked it.  It looked fine - I had put silicon grease on it several years ago.  Cleaned it and put it back on.  Tried the button and it started right up.  Fourth or fifth starts later it clicked again.

Next, I replaced the start relay.  Hasn't clicked since and that was in May right before the Tucumcari trip.  (97 Tourer with 98K miles)

-RP

The starter on this bike will make a loud clicking sound while it is starting the bike. I has never just clicked. Thank you for your advice.