VALK WON'T START

[fnsmoak]

It's been so long since I talked "valkyrie" that I can't remember some of the jargon.  But I know there's no better place to ask for help.  Miss you all.  I still ride almost daily.  Just too busy to step off my path.

PROBLEM:
Brother's Valk, just removed/cleaned/reinstalled Carb bank due to flow restriction from NOT RIDING.  It took two hours for disassembly & SEVEN MONTHS for reassembly.  I'm that distracted.

Valk started like my daily driver, or even smoother.  Boy was I happy.  I never use the word but I actually may have been ecstatic(?)

Dislodged Alternator and replaced O-ring.  (Ain't that a sweet job.)  Once reconnected, I fired up again.  RUNS LIKE A BRAND NEW VALK.......  for about 30 seconds and shuts off.

Starter button gives a GEE-dunk sound w/ each press.  GEE-dunk GEE-dunk GEE-dunk GEE-dunk that's all I get.  Headlights dim, nuetral light is Green, clutch in, kickstand up, GEE-dunk GEE-dunk GEE-dunk .

I tested the starter relay as described in the Tech Manual, tested the Kickstand switch, GEE-dunk ,GEE-dunk ,GEE-dunk .

If I jump the Starter relay, the engine spins as if there are several 12v batteries in series.  No Fire???  I checked all fuses.  GEE-dunk GEE-dunk GEE-dunk .

I need some ideas of where to look., what to test, etc.  I really need this thing out of my Doghouse so I can work on other projects.

ALL HELP IS APPRECIATED.  Feel free to add humor IF IT DOESN"T HIJACK THE THREAD.

[salty1]

Do you have lights? Possible bad ground? Boy these things can be frustrating!   

[Chrisj CMA]

Connect some jumper cables to your car battery.  If it starts its just a weak battery.  The fast spinning but no start is a classic sign

[fnsmoak]

Battery is charged fully.  I mentioned Lights Dim when I push Starter button, as normal.

I'm going out to check coils now.  HOpefully, I'll bump into a bad ground and be finished w/ this.

I will update.  thanks for responses.

[Chrisj CMA]

You asked for humor......I wish I had a dollar for each time someone said "it cant be the battery"  and it WAS the battery


Just for giggles and fun I would still jump it to your car battery.......wouldnt it be funny if it started   

[salty1]

Seriously doubt you had a/all coils go bad. I think ChrisJ is right, it's your battery. How old is it?

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

These things will spin over like a sewing machine with less than 10.5 volts but the coils will not fire at that low of voltage. Hook it up to a non-running car battery and try to start it. It is easy to do and will let you be sure whether it is the battery or you have a bigger problem.

[fnsmoak]

RUNNING LIKE NEW AGAIN.

Noticed approx tbspn of 710 under alt on floor.  Had another O-ring so I removed the Alt again and found I had crushed the Oring yestereve.  Replaced very carefully taking time to be sure all connections were 100%.

Starts w/ approx 1/10 second on the start button.  Unbelievably smooth run now.

OOOPS.  Now the dash shows the time and fuel level but nothing else.  Radio was working fine before I started today's evolution.  The Interstate is NOT my favorite.

I'll work on the Radio/dash pwr situation tomorrow.  Started raining just as I was getting ready to run the street for a minute.

Battery fully charged, loose connection on the alt, or a grounded wire across the rear of Alt was apparently the culprit.  I made sure to not disturb anything else today.

A Blessing to say the least.
More later.

[Chrisj CMA]

Congrats.......glad shes back running again

[salty1]

Way to go fnsmoak! 

[fnsmoak]

Starts and runs like a top.

Now console/dash displays nothing but clock and fuel level.   Radio volume, Station, & mode levers ignore me.  What wire have I displaced??

Since I rarely sit an Interstate I have no idea what should be showing sitting still, nor what wire group to check.  Last evolution was re-Oringing the Alt.

fnsmoak

[gordonv]

Maybe start a new thread?

No disrespect or anything, but is the radio turned on? Do you have the owner manual?

I wonder if the display shows if the radio doesn't have power? I would start there, check your radio for power. Maybe a fuse.

[Ricky-D]

Maybe start a new thread?

No disrespect or anything, but is the radio turned on? Do you have the owner manual?

I wonder if the display shows if the radio doesn't have power? I would start there, check your radio for power. Maybe a fuse.

Actually, you are spot on.

With the radio "off", the clock and fuel gauge are the only visuals.

***

[hubcapsc]

Howdy Frank, glad you got it running... is that the bike you'll be riding to
Britman's Memorial Day Ride? 

I just got back from Charleston. The whole weekend is a blur, one of those
"can't talk - eating" kinds of weekends...



Remember when we went to  Bowen's Island and they were closed... they were
open, and hopping, and the shrimp and oysters were GREAT on Friday night... 



-Mike

[KSDragonRider]

Starts and runs like a top.

Now console/dash displays nothing but clock and fuel level.   Radio volume, Station, & mode levers ignore me.  What wire have I displaced??

Since I rarely sit an Interstate I have no idea what should be showing sitting still, nor what wire group to check.  Last evolution was re-Oringing the Alt.

fnsmoak

Had that on my bike saturday, pulled all the fuses, cleaned them up and put them back, problem solved... mine were pretty nasty and problem just started after washing the bike.

[Tx Bohemian]

These things will spin over like a sewing machine with less than 10.5 volts but the coils will not fire at that low of voltage.

10.5?  Is that the number? I heard it was 9 or lower.

This may be part of my problem. My bike won’t start if the temp is below 50deg.
It has over 10vdc when cranking but I’m not sure how much over 10. I just made sure it was above 9.

When I do use a car it will start but not right away, still has to crank a bit.
But it has also started without using a car – couple of times I was just about to give up cranking it and all of a sudden it fires up. That’s why I was thinking it’s not the battery, plus it’s a fairly new (1yr) battery and it’s on a battery tender all the time.

[fnsmoak]

There's an OFF switch for the Interstate radio???  WHERE?

The more I work on this thing, the more I love my Standourer.

[Ricky-D]

On the switch housing, (left handlebar) on the left end, at the top.

Push to turn on!

Push and hold to turn off!

It's marked "Power" and "Function"

A quick push when the radio is on will put you in accessory mode.

You can plug a mp3 player or something else into the accessory input located under the right side cover.

[fnsmoak]

Thank you, Ricky-D!  I'm wondering if my brother ever knew this information.  It's a shame he stroked the week after we finished a pretty near complete work-over/cleanup on the thing.

I'll try to get to this again tomorrow.

thanks again.

GUNSMOAK

[sugerbear]

These things will spin over like a sewing machine with less than 10.5 volts but the coils will not fire at that low of voltage.

10.5?  Is that the number? I heard it was 9 or lower.

This may be part of my problem. My bike won’t start if the temp is below 50deg.
It has over 10vdc when cranking but I’m not sure how much over 10. I just made sure it was above 9.

When I do use a car it will start but not right away, still has to crank a bit.
But it has also started without using a car – couple of times I was just about to give up cranking it and all of a sudden it fires up. That’s why I was thinking it’s not the battery, plus it’s a fairly new (1yr) battery and it’s on a battery tender all the time.

if it starts just as you let off the button, it's the battery. when you let off the motor turns just a little, but the extra voltage not used by the starter is sent to the coils.

even a new battery can be bad. make sure all connections are clean both on the battery and where the other  end attaches.

[fnsmoak]

RADIO WAS OFF.  I don't know that I might have simply forgotten the On/OFF switch fro the Radio.

It is a shame to see someone losing their memory, especially when the someone is the man in the mirror.

Thanks all for the help.  I'll be troubleshooting the McCruise tomorrow to make sure it's working, then trailering this thing back to its home.

Great Bike!  Great Club!