Need help analyse startproblem

[Anthony]

Why does it have to happen to me at this moment?

Arriving at friends wedding party showing off the blower Bike.
Now Bike wont start.
When i tap the starter button, i hear a click, and i see THE voltage drop.
I can jump start it, have 14V when running.
Starter relay connector looks ok,
I tried to shortcut the leads On top off the relay: no sound, Only voltage drop.

Am i correct in the assumption my starter motor is toast?
Will i make it home jumpstarting it, for 220miles?

TiA,
Anthony

[BigBad1]

If it starts fine when jump starting, its most likely just your battery. If it were the starter, it would not start even when jump starting. I think the battery is toast.

[R J]

Sounds to me like a toasted battery.

If it  starts off a jump start, that eliminates the starter button, so, do you have a hell of a drain on the battery when not running.

[Jess from VA]

Understand the ignition module requires a good amount of power to start the bike, or it will not even try.  Even though the battery may still have sufficient power for the lights, horn, signals, radio, yada.... it may not start the bike.

Amazon did have a sale on the OE Yuasa (you need no better) a couple weeks ago.  HDL will price match too.

[Patrick]

You mentioned  voltage drop, but, not how much. If its below 10.5v, and , starts with a jump, I would agree that you probably have a bad battery.

[Anthony]

Voltage drops blow 8V when pushing the starterbutton.
It is charging when running, so i will try to ride her home in the morning.
Anthony

[Anthony]

Made it home, had to push start her twice.
How can i measure the capacity of the battery?

[Pete]

You will need access to a battery tester (for load). Take the battery to a auto parts store or auto service busines for a test. Or just try another 12 volt battery.

[Robert]

If you jump the battery and try stating and the bike turns over more than likely its the battery. If it doesn't then the starter. I would probably say that the starter is toast though with what you have already said. A battery dropping down to 8 volts when locked is pretty good actually.

[Patrick]

Your voltage drops to 8v ? You have a bad battery ! When installing the new one, charge it slowly and fully before starting the engine, and, clean the connections.

[Anthony]

I will get a new battery this week.

I just drove home for 300km home, with 14v from a good alternator.
I guess a good battery would have been charged by now.
Nope! I shut it down on the driveway with the kill switch, voltage drops to 8V, and comes back to 12V after a minute.
When i tapped the starter button, i only heared a small click, voltage drops down again.

What can cause such a sudden battery failure ? Battery is max 4 years old.
I have not seen / recognised any early indications of upcoming failure.

Anthony

[R J]

Anthony, that is a typical 12v battery.   When it is done it is done, NO early indication.

Okay, when jump starting it you use the starter button and it starts.
Apparently you have a volt meter on the bike, as you say it runs at 14.0 volts when running.
After riding awhile, you shut it off and it will not start.

Your battery is toast ole buddy, sorry.       
No matter what the store who sells ya a new battery tells ya, even if they say it is ready to go that it is fully charged. Take it home and put it on a 3 amp charger overnight.    Next morning, start it and ride where ever ya wish.

I had one do that 3 days out the door when I bought MGM.    I was getting ready to go West and do all the lower 48 states West of the Mississippi.     Took the battery out of my garden tractor, told the wife to take the bike battery to the dealer and raise some H**l if she had to.     They gave her a new battery without a bit of noise.  She and our youngest son put it in the lawn mower tractor and she kept the yard mowed while I was gone.

A 12V battery is in no way shape or form have the same characteristics of a 6 or 8V.

Happy Riding here as soon as ya get a battery in it.     In fact chase down the ground cable and make sure it goes to the frame and then the motor.     Chase the hot cable and make sure it has a good contact.   PS:  Make sure the ground cable has some good contact.

[Pete]

I will get a new battery this week.

I just drove home for 300km home, with 14v from a good alternator.
I guess a good battery would have been charged by now.
Nope! I shut it down on the driveway with the kill switch, voltage drops to 8V, and comes back to 12V after a minute.
When i tapped the starter button, i only heared a small click, voltage drops down again.

What can cause such a sudden battery failure ? Battery is max 4 years old.
I have not seen / recognised any early indications of upcoming failure.

Anthony

Occasionally a cell will bridge in such a way that it will show 12 volts on a gauge but when called on to produce 12 volts with amperage will drop 1 cell, producing 10 volts or less and low amperage. A load test of the battery will show it BAD.

[whitestroke]

[/quote]

Occasionally a cell will bridge in such a way that it will show 12 volts on a gauge but when called on to produce 12 volts with amperage will drop 1 cell, producing 10 volts or less and low amperage. A load test of the battery will show it BAD.

[/quote]

A cheap battery will be lucky to last 4 years, What Pete says above is correct. I'm lucky to get 2 years out of Walmart batteries for my jetskis.

[Anthony]

i replaced the original YUASA after 11 years, because 'it was time to', while the bike had seen some winters in an unheated garage.   

the next YUASA dies after 4 years, while the bike has always been stored dry, heated, trickle charged...     not the term i expected

new YUASA is on its way.

Apparently you have a volt meter on the bike, as you say it runs at 14.0 volts when running.

yes i do have a volt meter installed (Motosens) and i never realised i would be SO HAPPY to see that measurement, giving me the confidence that i would be able to ride her home.

I was getting ready to go West and do all the lower 48 states West of the Mississippi.     Took the battery out of my garden tractor, told the wife to take the bike battery to the dealer and raise some H**l if she had to.     They gave her a new battery without a bit of noise.  She and our youngest son put it in the lawn mower tractor and she kept the yard mowed while I was gone.

you lucky Bastard !
i don't think my lady is able to put a battery back in, ... or even let me out that long...

Anthony