Need help fast!

[txredneckmedic]

Well I went and traded the valk out a couple nights ago to a good buddy of mine. He had been riding it around the past couple days without problems. Last night he went to leave walmart, turned the key and there was no power at all. Not even the neutral safety switch would turn on. I checked all the fuses on the right side panel and couldnt find anything burned out. Checked the battery with a multimeter and she read 13 volts. Anyone have any ideas??

[roboto65]

Try taking the battery terminals off and cleaning them you may have dirty leads check your ground real well. Might also check the battery while turning on the key .

[txredneckmedic]

battery terminals were fine

[roboto65]

So nothing comes on no lights nothing!!

[txredneckmedic]

correct. I even figured i would try and jump the starter relay and nothing. Where am I loosing the connection?

[roboto65]

Not to say you have not but have you Taken the terminals off the battery and checked them not just tighten them just asking it would not be the first time. Did you hear anything or was it just DOA

[txredneckmedic]

I took the terminals off the battery last night and they were fine. No corosion or anything. Scraped them a little with a flathead to see if that would help...but still nothing. Bike was trailered home and is still DOA

[roboto65]

So you have 13 volts to the starter selinoid right I mean it come off the battery and to the selinoid could possible be the starter switch may have to clean it up 2 screws here is a write up on it http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/VSGPages/starterbutton.htm

[txredneckmedic]

No I have 13 volts at the battery. Went and tried to jump the starter relay and it didnt do anything.

[roboto65]

So you are telling me that the battery has 13 volts but no power to the selinoid. Meaning the 6 or 8 inch battery lead is sending voltage to the selinoid ? When you shorted the terminal did it spark as in voltage at the selinoid from what i am hearing or the way i understand it the starter did not even turn when you shorted it correct.

[Thunderbolt]

They sometimes get too hot and open up and melt the plastic if the connection is not good.  The fuse is larger physically than the ones in the fuse panel for the lights etc.  It is the older type.

[txredneckmedic]

yes nothing at all from the sylenoid. Im thinking of having my buddy drop off the battery at my house and trickle charge it for the heck of it. Thunderbolt. I never did see a oversized fuse last night. Where might it be at?

[roboto65]

Should be a fuse in the selinoid I think not looking at mine LOL But my Magna had and other bikes have a fuse right on the selinoid. If you had no spark nothing then I would suspect the battery even though you have 13 volts does not mean the battery is good could dump as soon as you turn the switch !!

[roboto65]

Have you tryed jumper cables to from a car to the bike do not start the car .

[Robert]

check the ground on the engine also turn on the key and check the voltage at the battery and make sure you still have 12v. If not the battery is dead.

[txredneckmedic]

Well unfortunately Im stuck at work the next 11 hours and then on call. Hoping to go to my buddys house tonight. I did try to jump it...with the truck off of course and it didnt help. I havent checked the ground yet...was in wallyworld parking lot working on it. I looked at the fuse behind the sylenoid and it looked fine...same size as a car fuse. Is that the one you are referring to?

[roboto65]

Yep on the fuse like Robert said the battery may be bad .

[txredneckmedic]

I looked at it last night...wasnt burnt or anything and looked good. I will try replacing it tonight and double checking the ground

[Thunderbolt]

It is 30A and yellow if I remember right.  That whole assembly with the small fuses etc. is mounted on some rubber grommet like attachements and will pull out so you can get a better look at it.  Use a test light or voltmeter to verify that you have 12V on both sides of the fuse.  If that is not it, put the clip of your test light on the neg. post and check for 12V from the pos. post down the wire, and trace it to where you lose it.  Do the same with the clip on the pos. post, put the clip on there and use the probe end to go from the neg post, then to the frame. 

[MarkT]

I have had trouble 3 times from the ground to the back of the aluminum engine block.  After the third time I moved that wire to the steel frame - it reaches without mods to the left rear footpeg bracket bolt.  No more trouble.

Secondly, I have had the connection to the fusible link, hot side, corrode and cause the same problem - electrical DOA.  Cleaned it up, slathered copper connection compound on the threads, then sealed the whole assembly with Liquid Electrical Tape.  Never a problem there, again.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

You said you didn't have any lights either right? Did you check the large fuse that is is the main charging system? Just a thought. A good test light and meter will become your best friend  in this problem.

[Timothy Lentz]

I've had it happen where I ran over something and the kickstand kill switch came loose. I pushed it back on and walla.

[sandy]

I worked on a Valk with your problem. The neg cable was corroded inside the insulator where it attached to the engine block. I made a new cable and installed it. No more battery issues.

[Ghillie]

Has anyone considered the ignition switch might have gone bad. Turn the key no lights????

[txredneckmedic]

ok well I talked to my buddy today....he went through again today and cleaned all connections and it started right up. Im thinking problem is in the starter relay.

[R J]

I had a DOA twice on MGM.   Once it would turn over but no fire.  This was the cause of that.



This part from HDL solved that problem.



The other time my ground on the engine had corrosion up inside the bolt hole.  It happened the 2nd time so I added a 12" strap from the engine to the frame.  I picked up the engine point just to the rear of the left side cover.  It is on the starter bolt.   No picture of that one.    Make sure you use a large enough size cable.   I used brass lugs to solder on the cable.   Will have to get a picture of it one of these days.

[unclelar]

yeah!!
i love a story with a happy ending               

[txredneckmedic]

well it wasnt the starter relay....found out last night for sure it was the ground cable.

[Jeff K]

I have had trouble 3 times from the ground to the back of the aluminum engine block.  After the third time I moved that wire to the steel frame - it reaches without mods to the left rear footpeg bracket bolt.  No more trouble.

Secondly, I have had the connection to the fusible link, hot side, corrode and cause the same problem - electrical DOA.  Cleaned it up, slathered copper connection compound on the threads, then sealed the whole assembly with Liquid Electrical Tape.  Never a problem there, again.

Moving the ground wire from the motor to the frame may cause problems in I/S Vlaks. The I/S has rubber engine mounts, it will have to find a ground path for the starter motor. I believe that is the reason the ground was put on the block in the first place. I added a ground to the frame as well, but kept the motor ground. Though I have never had any problem with the motor ground.

[Geeza]

I have had this problem twice now. It has been the Starter Relay pt no#38501-GN2-014 both times! one minute it starts fine, the next it's dead! I'm guessing it's a design fault as I ride my bike every day and wash it regularly. When it has died, it looks really corroded. Put another Relay on and Yahoo, we're off again. Hope this helps
Geeza