Got juice but doesn't start

[Raverez]

Left her out in the rain all day yesterday. Was going to to go to the store, but bike was dead.
Ok, battery was dying, got the clicking noise. Today tried to get a boost. Waited for about five minutes after connecting to a car. Still nothing. Click when I hit the start button. Tried to push start. Still didn't start. I'm at a lost...She got real wet, but she's been wet before. 

[John Schmidt]

How old is the battery, that would be #1 in my book. Put a meter across the battery posts and see what it reads, should be slightly over 12v. If it reads that high, hit the starter and see how much drop in voltage you get. If it goes below 10v, the battery is NG...time for a new one, shouldn't drop nearly that much. Often with an old battery, even if it only drops to 11v it doesn't have enough reserve to turn it over. There are other things to check, but do this for a start, others will chime in with additional areas to check....the list is long.

Oh....and before you do the above, pull the plugs just in case you're looking at hydro-lock. Remove the small timing belt cover in front and turn the engine over with a socket....just in case.

[Raverez]

Battery is just over a year old(Wally World- should have known better). I've noticed lights get brighter when revving engine and I'm stopped at a light. I was going to have to replace it, but not this soon.
Now what is hydro- lock. Is it fluid(unburned gas) in cylinder or something else?

[Pete]

Battery is just over a year old(Wally World- should have known better). I've noticed lights get brighter when revving engine and I'm stopped at a light. I was going to have to replace it, but not this soon.
Now what is hydro- lock. Is it fluid(unburned gas) in cylinder or something else?

Yes

[John Schmidt]

Now what is hydro- lock. Is it fluid(unburned gas) in cylinder or something else?

It happens when the bike is shut off, the petcock leaks raw fuel down into a cylinder because it's messed up internally....i.e., you shut off the petcock and fuel still gets past it. Next time you try starting the bike, it will turn over just a short amount until it hits the full cyl. on the up stroke. You're still holding the start button so the gears in the back of the engine where the starter engages tear up. You have to pull the engine to repair it. Big bucks...more if a shop repairs if for you.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Walmart batteries are made by Yusa which is what comes in most bikes as OEM. I  just put one in my bike and the charging instruction were by Yusa. I've gotten good service from them over the years. OMV

[Chrisj CMA]

Battery is just over a year old(Wally World- should have known better). I've noticed lights get brighter when revving engine and I'm stopped at a light. I was going to have to replace it, but not this soon.
Now what is hydro- lock. Is it fluid(unburned gas) in cylinder or something else?

If you got the battery at WalMart.........it was the kind where you pour the acid in yorself....at that time it may even have enough power to start the bike, but if you dont put a full trickle charge on it, well that battery will only last about a year..........YES< I did prove that theory too

I would check the starter relay behind the right side cover..........easy to maintain expensive to replace

[Raverez]

The battery did not seem to have enough juice when first had the problem. But putting jumper cables did not help.
Can't quite connect to trickle charger.
Going to pull a few of the spark plugs to see what they look like


Here's a pic of my "garage".

[smurf]

i just had some issues with mine also...its the battery..when i put the charger on boost to try and start it ...it will turn over and not fire....the battery has to have 12 volts to start i cant explain it..even with the boost i still had to take the battry out and out put it on the trickel charger overnite and i havent had a problem since..

[Raverez]

Here's an update.   Now the problem began when she was left out Sunday in the rain. The second highest rainfall in a 24 hour period in this area.

So I hooked up the jumper cable to charge the battery. While I did, I removed the spark plugs, wanted to check their condition anyway.  # 2 was wet. Smelled like gas. Now, John said remove the plugs and turn the engine. Well, I turned the key and hit the starter instead. Had a geyser of WATER come out of #2 cylinder. Yep, smelled it and it was not gas.  So I checked the gaps and replaced the plugs. She started right up .

But, how does the water get into the engine ??? ??? Could that cylinder have been at TDC when I parked it? With the amount of rain could it have dripped through the air box?

[Pete]

Intake system or sparkplug hole.