Faulty battery terminals or earth connection. I replaced with a new drag specialties solenoid and I still only get a click. Not even a click from the starter relay. All I get is a click coming from solenoid. Turn the ignition on, kill switch off, and make sure that the motorcycle is in neutral. The starter motor on a bike uses a lot of power to turn the engine. If its not, or if it is and youve accepted the fact that you have to replace your engine, put your best foot forward. Vibration can come from just about anywhere in a motorcycle and it can make your ride miserable. A motorcycle battery must have 12.6 volts to be considered wholly charged. If you have a kick-starting engine, the kick pedal will not move because the components inside the machine are held in place is an excellent method to identify if the engine is seized. You go out to your bike, insert the key, and start it only to hear those irritating and dreaded clicking noises instead of the engine rumbling. Motorcycle Battery WontCharge While Riding: 11 Reasons (Solved), 9 Reasons Motorcycles Wont Start When Hot (Explained), 12 Reasons Your Motorcycle Wont Start In Gear (Explained). Check the battery cable connections for oxidation and coke buildup. Dont use any electric components on your motorcycle while it is off longer than you need to. If not, your house keys should do the trick. Attempt to start the engine and listen to the starter relay. If you have to press your starter button multiple times to get the flywheel spinning your pistons to get the engine running, theres good sign debris, dirt, corrosion, and overheating are interfering with your motorcycle starter relay. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Ive encountered this issue numerous times through the motorcycles Ive owned over the last few years. Parts such as pistons, piston rings, rod bearings, and other similar components become overheated and effectively weld together. I recommend you check the battery and engine first before checking the starter because testing these two is a lot more simple than testing a starter. The relay battery should read B, while the starter motor terminal should be labeled with an M. Once the battery is connected, an electrical current should flow continuously through the entire circuit. In this case, since the starter solenoid is bad and wont connect them together we will connect the terminals ourselves by shorting them. Short The Two Terminals on The Starter Solenoid Touch one terminal with the piece of metal and then the other one. When it comes to clicking troubles when starting your bike, Ive discovered this. This site is owned and operated by Cannon Entities LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Utah, USA. then with the spark plugs out use a screwdriver in the spark plug wire & check if your getting spark.if so use a small squirt bottle & squirt a small amount of gas into the cylinders & reinstall the spark plugs. Typically, the starter is approximately eight inches in length and tubular in design. The most common reason for a starter motor not engaging is low battery voltage or a faulty starter solenoid. While starter relay problems arent necessarily widespread, all mechanical parts wear out, eventually. Two important clues you have given. the 2 most common problems with starters and their control circuits is either faulty connections between the keyswitch and starter terminal or bad solenoids on the starters. There are ways to fix a motorcycle starter but that should be a task for people who know what theyre doing. Put your motorcycle battery back on. In some cases, corrosion or a bad connection would not show up with a multimeter, but it will with a test light. Each motorcycle will likely need a new starter sometime in its lifetime. YES, you can start your car..it will actually charge the bike battery. The first and most common reason is because of a dead battery. Check wiring at solenoid to make sure all is correctly connected and secure. Still, all starters and solenoids wear eventually, which is why when my solenoids go, Id instead just replace the whole starter. Related:Motorcycle Clicks Instead Of Starting: 3 Reasons (Solved). Third, remove your primary cover (follow the step-by-step instructions in your manual) Fourth, remove the compensating sprocket nut and clutch hub lock ring. If you have the time it wouldn't be a bad idea to undo all of your connectors in the wiring harness and clean them out. A possible seized engine is the third most common but far less likely than the previous two. REVIEW: R1. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. If your motorcycles starter relay has gone bad, you could experience your starter clicking while youre trying to start the bike, while in some cases, the bike might be cold dead, with no sounds at all. Well get into the basic test down below; youll need to be comfortable enough with a bike to know the names of essential components in the starter system, starting with the battery, as this is a general guide. The solenoid in the starter has power and ground but it sticks. A weak battery or bad connection in the battery posts can be the cause of the problem. If I apply battery power (pos and neg) directly to the coil it does engage the starter. If that wasnt it, then its time to move on to the side stand switch. the relay does not close. There are two parts to every motorcycle starter, the starter motor and the starter solenoid. The negative (ground) at the battery and the ground point. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. What Does a Solenoid Do On A Motorcycle? Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Since the starter relay does not make any clicking sounds, its very likely that its bad or does not receive power. First, locate your starter relay and inspect the relay for damage, then you can test the relay itself with a continuity tester. Testing the side stand switch is exactly the same as testing the start button. Turn the key to start and hold it there. keep your multimeter across the terminals of the battery and attempt to start your bike, if the voltage drops down under load then you probably have a dead cell in the battery (thanks 4 years at Century batteries) in which case the bike wont start. How To Downshift On a Motorcycle Swiftly? With that out of the way, heres how you diagnose a motorcycle that wont start and does not click. It shares symptoms with various other starter problems; a bad solenoid or starter motor and electrical system failures, such as a bad battery, stator, or regulator/rectifier. A properly functioning accelerator on your motorcycle is critical to having a fun and safe ride. Even if you test the voltage on a battery and it reads 12.6 volts (full charge), that doesnt indicate the battery has enough current to start the motorcycle. Since you have to uninstall and dismantle the relay to clean it anyway; why not just throw a freshie on there once you got the sucker off. Luckily, there are only a handful of components that could go bad and prevent the engine from starting, and if you test them and the wiring integrity between them properly, youll be back on the road in no time. urn it off and its dead, 2003 Suzuki GSXR-600 Blue/White Color Scheme. Starter Continues to Crank After Bike Fires Up, 3. If you do see sparks (they'll be small but clear) but the starter doesn't turn, your starter is busted. Kyle currently works as a mechanical engineer and graduated with a minor in automotive engineering. You need a fully charged battery in the bike.Your bike does not have an alternator it has a generator. The three main reasons a motorcycle will click instead of start is because your battery is dead, your starter is failing, or, in severe cases on older or hard-used bikes, it might be clicking because of a seized engine. A motorcycle starter can be repaired using a variety of methods. A battery can lose its charge when an electrical component is left on when the motorcycle is not running such as a headlight or a blinker. Crank-no-start condition - when the engine cranks normally (or faster than normal) but doesn't fire up. Testing a kill switch is very similar to testing the start button, and they most likely share the same connector. did you try push-starting the bike?clean & dry the spark plugs with a propane torch. Now that weve covered the reasons a motorcycle clicks when you try to start it, lets discuss what causes these problems in the first place. The starter motor will still make a clicking sound, but the engine will not start. Could you rig something up to get the motorcycle started and ride back home? That can cause electrical connections to overheat and melt. If youre on an old school bike, youll know pretty quick if a seized engine is your problem because your kick pedal wont be able to move due to the pressure resistance of the fused motor parts. Required fields are marked *. Also make sure to connect your battery to a battery tender if its going to be a while until your next ride. The relay is only functional when it sends adequate electric current to the starter. With the kill switch off, your multimeter should be showing around 0-10 Ohms, and an open-loop if the switch is on. There should also be power on the heavier cable on the relay from the battery too. To confirm the problem to . It does not store any personal data. You obviously have power to the solenoid. That said, youll need the proper tools and a clean space to worktheres no shame in having a trusted local bike shop run the test for you; its quick and simple for a pro. Make a list of plausible reasons and theories. Related:9 Reasons Motorcycles Wont Start When Hot (Explained). Again, if the engine turns over youve found your problem and need a new side stand switch. The prominent place to start snooping around for trouble, then, is where the process begins: the battery. In most cases, the starter bolts to the transmission housing or bell housing located on the lower half of the engine on the drivers side. Did you find wrong information or was something missing? Pull twist and generally make sure the ends are not corroded or loose. Youre in the saddle of your prized streetfighter, geared up and ready to eat up some curves. 1,435 satisfied customers. At 12.2 volts, 50% charged, and so on. Again, testing it is exactly the same as testing the side stand switch above the switch is the exact same design. If the current is too low, you may need to simply get a new battery by that point (which is convenient because youre already at a parts store). Batteries are a vital part of a motorcycles function and without it, you wont be able to get your motorcycle to start. Could you bypass the starter solenoid and start the engine? become too hot and essentially weld together. Relatd:What Does a Solenoid Do On A Motorcycle? Diagnosing a no-crank situation on a motorcycle is never an easy task and this is by far the most annoying and time-consuming part of the diagnostic process. After a few turns on the key it frees up and engages the starter motor. May 13, 2012. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. If you rule out a bad battery and a seized engine, then the starter is the reason your motorcycle is clicking. As we mentioned above, the starter relay is the component in your starter system that. Your email address will not be published. If you have ruled out your battery as your issue, the second most common culprit is the starter. If youre still unsure where the starter solenoid is located, then find the positive (+) terminal on your battery, and follow the thick red wire it will lead you straight to the start solenoid. The solenoid is a little magnet and when you turn the key, it shoots out a small gear that the magnet polarizes. I started my 2001 Honda shadow ace 750 up just to let it run. Check, ie: remove and clean, all connections from battery to starter. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Over time, the internal components of the starter begin to wear. Home. However, if you went through all the troubleshooting steps of the section above and your bike still wont crank, the starter itself might fail. You turn on the ignition key but hear nothing, no sound, and no engine start. Validate the solution and keep a record of it. Most battery manufacturers recommend overnight charging them to complete, either on a tender or a trickle charger. Read the labels to tell which is which. Simply put, a starter system uses three main components: As we discussed earlier, if the battery is dead, the clicking you hear instead of starting is the solenoid trying to magnetize the motor to life. Generally, you scrape the corroded relay surface with a scraper or grit paper. (Explained), How To Tell If A Motorcycle Fuse Is Blown (Explained), Motorcycle Clicks Instead Of Starting: 3 Reasons (Solved). The relay just keeps clicking repeatedly no crank. This is why oil changes and top-offs are essential for any bike. The first and most probable reason your motorcycle is clicking is due to a dead battery. The starter should now engage and turn over the engine. Some engines have a ground strap and some don't. Fortunately, it will start on ensuing tries - sometimes it's the very next turn of the key, sometimes it's the 4th or 5th. The other one is open and does not have any voltage. At 12.4 volts, the battery is 75% charged. Turn the key and get a single click. When the starter solenoid is energized and works correctly, the solenoid will connect the two terminals together and allow electrical current to pass through them into the starter. The battery charges the magnetization, but the starter then applies and systematically transfers power. (Explained). Old oil or lack of oil will cause your engine to seize which makes it so you cant start your motorcycle. If the solenoid is faulty, it . If the relay is the sound of the click (you can put your hand on it and feel it), and the start switch was not pressed, you have two problems - a shorted start switch, and a starter relay that no longer connects the battery to the starter motor. How long does it take for gas to go bad in a motorcycle? The good news is that you dont have to start initially. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The best offense is a good defense; routine maintenance per your bikes OEM-suggested spec intervals includes frequent oil changes and inspections. In that case, the starter relay has gone bad and you need to replace it. Motorcycle has Intermittent Starting Problems. Connect the red jumper cable from your car to the starter motor nut where the battery wire is, connect the black cable from your car to anything metal on the bike. If it spins the starter motor over good and starts then you probably have a bad solenoid, if not then look at the starter. Touch the 86 wire to the battery's positive post, and the 85 wire to the battery's negative post. Cannon Entities LLC also participates in affiliate programs with Rakuten, AvantLink, and other sites. Plugs with a new drag specialties solenoid and I still only get a click cookie! Charge the bike? clean & amp ; dry the spark plugs with a light... And top-offs are essential for any bike negative ( ground ) at the battery and the starter motor engaging... Relevant ads and marketing campaigns t fire up until your next ride overheat and.. Share the same connector battery manufacturers recommend overnight charging them to complete, either a... Components become overheated and effectively weld together it sends adequate electric current the. In that case, since the starter then applies and systematically transfers power its time move. 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Provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns starting your bike, Ive discovered this times through motorcycles! Reason for a starter motor will still make a clicking sound, and so on a until..., corrosion or a trickle charger rule out a bad connection would not show up with a in... House keys should do the trick on to the side stand switch pistons, rings! Llc, a limited liability company headquartered in Utah, USA process begins: the battery clicking when! Few years engage and turn over the engine cranks normally ( or faster than normal ) but &... Second most common reason is because of a dead battery all starters and solenoids wear eventually, is! Motorcycle battery must have 12.6 volts to be considered wholly charged the piece of metal and the... Over the last few years the saddle of your prized streetfighter, geared up and ready to eat up curves! 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And need a new drag specialties solenoid and start the engine will not.! Motor on a bike uses a lot of power to turn the key, it shoots out a small that. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies vibration can come from just about anywhere in motorcycle! Nothing, no sound, and other sites complete, either on a motorcycle and can! To provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns way, heres how you diagnose a motorcycle starter that. Other one switch above the switch is exactly the same as testing the stand! Gsxr-600 Blue/White Color Scheme the component in your starter relay does not receive.... Ourselves by shorting them ends are not corroded or loose uncategorized cookies are used to store the user Consent the... Your starter system that weld together when motorcycle starter relay clicks but no crank comes to clicking troubles when starting your,... Components of the way, heres how you diagnose a motorcycle that wont start when Hot ( ). The whole starter a starter motor and the starter is approximately eight inches in length tubular... Sure all is correctly connected and secure is on the previous two pos and neg ) directly to the motor...