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Hi Guys,

Went to start the falco to go to the gym today but it wouldn't start up. I removed,charged and replaced the battery, hit the starter button but the starter motor wont even turn over. There is a click from the ECU, then the starter relay, then nothing. Annoying becuase the starter was turning the engine over before i removed the battery.

The falco has been outside so far this year because the garage at my student accomodation is full of building materials, old matresses and other pieces of shit, leaving no room for the bike. So it has been getting cold. The starter relay appears to be working (hence the click) and the fuses seem fine.

Im not very good with electrics, so can anyone provide some info as to why they starter will not turn dispite having a full battery? its a bit cold to be poking around with a voltmeter but i will try it in the morning.

Thanks,

Dale

it sounds like the battery , i kow you charged it but but if you dont get more than 11.3 volts it wont go ,
it might turn the statrter but wont provide a good enough spark ,

Hi Joe,

I shall get the voltmeter out and see what the battery is outputting.

Dale

Ok, the battery is putting out about 12.52V. Interestingly, i tested the starter motor (by connecting the multimeter negatative to the battery and the positive to the starter motor positive and whe the starter button is pressed, only 0.01V is getting to the starter motor.

What is between the relay and starter motor?

Dale

Edit - itappears the second click is the fuel pump relay, not the starter relay. shall go and check the starter relay...

Remove the battery leads, clean the terminals with sand paper, (The battery poles and leads) re connect and try it

Thanks, i did that but still no luck.

I have cleaned up lots of terminals which were quite dirty. I then checked the starter relay. It is clicking, but when i tested it with the multimeter the results are no9t what i would expect. When testing the input voltage (from the battery to starter relay), it was normal at 12.13V, however, when testing the ouput of the relay (from the relay to the starter, it was only 0.02V. So, a i testing wrong (by earthing directly to the battery) or is the starter relay buggered?

Dale

Problem detected.

I bridged the two power cables on the starter relay and it fired up straight away. So the starter relay must be buggered. Will b uy a new one and replace it. Not too bad considering the starter relay is the original and the bike is 10 years old...

Dale

May i suggest an uprated starter relay, i do believe Griff sells them, he will post one out to you 01827285500.

Incidentally, as an aside,
a good Volt meter reading doesn't tell the whole story.
I've had a battery show +12V on a voltmeter but still unable to start until I stuck a nice brand new battery in.

If you consider a load of AAAs in series will give +12V but they won't start a big V twin.

I already bought a pattern part from scooter assassins (money is tight atm).

Also, because i bridged the starter relay and it started, i think the battery is ok, atleast for the time being.

Thanks for the information though.

Dale

You will be fine with the Scooter Assassins version of the starter relay Dale.
It is a higher rating so will turn over the big V/Twin faster, which will also help you with your regular cold starts.
Hopefully all will be back to normal soon!

HowardQ wrote:You will be fine with the Scooter Assassins version of the starter relay Dale.
It is a higher rating

Yes it is

HowardQ wrote:..... so will turn over the big V/Twin faster

No it won't (well only if the standard one is incorrectly specified of has started to degrade)

The rating is the amount of current that it can flow - the current that actually flows is determined by the voltage at the battery, the reverse EMF from the spinning starter and the impedance in the circuit. In all probability a relay with a higher rating will have a lower impedance but in comparison to the other impedances in the circuit it will (normally) be insignificant.

Is the starter relay (150amp) the item that all of the threads recomend you change to. According to the parts list I looked at this is the one AP8124636

They have it down as fitted as standard is this correct or do I need to check mine.

Tonyunn wrote:They have it down as fitted as standard is this correct or do I need to check mine.

If it's working fine, don't sweat it. If/when it gives problems, buy the uprated version.

You need all the money you have for the upgrade programme we have planned for you...

hey he said Student accomodation putting 2 and 2 together thats his loan for the next few years fecked