Starting issues...

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GregD-UK
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Starting issues...

#1 Post by GregD-UK » Mon Oct 03, 2016 3:00 pm

Hi all,

Was in bonny scotland last week on our bi-annual 5 day jaunt round the west coast. Got to Fort William first night, wet as usual, went to start in the morning, wouldn't fire up :smt013 Tried bumping it, no joy. Called AA, as my eight amigos rolled out of the car park waving goodbye :smt010

Local recovery guy came quite quickly, seat was off and tried putting a booster on the battery. Would crank, but, no ignition. Took rear spark plugs out, all wet, dried them and even heated them up. No joy, done the spark on the cylinder head and found the spark to be weak...

Gave up, and got recovered home, some 14.5 hours later got home. Still starting issues, checked battery 12.45v and when pressed starter switch, the clocks dance like a cheap whore and no crank :smt009 Changed a spare set of coils I had as thought the rain over night might of affected them. Fired up, then over the last couple of starts eventually gave up again. Even tried shorting my starter solenoid. Nope, petrol pump primes every time. The initial recovery guy did give it a 20-30 secs on my starter switch with his heavy-duty clamps and booster on mind :smt012

I have put an R1 rectifier on a couple of years ago and chopped out the brown and white plugs and just soldered the joints together. Any help appreciated. Oh, have the frame powder-coated, so have done an earth onto the engine block to my frame(not very thick wire though). May make a heavy-duty wire tomorrow, just incase...
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#2 Post by fatboy » Mon Oct 03, 2016 6:18 pm

Sorry to hear of your woes...
Mine does something similar but usually gets over it, the first starting attempt results in a non start, second attempt results in no cranking, clocks go mad, dash resets to default, turn off ignition but clock needles still swing like a strippers tits for a few seconds, third or fourth of fith or sixth starting attempts work.
This happens despite battery voltage being at premium,all leads look to be good, not the ECU as I have a brand new O/S one fitted,has done the same with 3 other ECU's.
Ghost in the machine..... :smt012
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GregD-UK
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#3 Post by GregD-UK » Mon Oct 03, 2016 8:02 pm

Hi all,

Methinks a bare wire in the starting loom :smt017 Friend coming round manana to help swop over a partial loom swop. Have a full loom in my stores box :smt002 Failing that, new solenoid and refit my old starter motor that has new bushes in....

Will report back after copious tea and biccey breaks :smt001
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#4 Post by Falcopops » Tue Oct 04, 2016 6:41 am

There's a bloke on facebook does nice thick battery wires, the difference in starting is amazing, buggered if I can recall his name now though, might be Ian?

The clocks dancing and resetting is a drop in voltage, so likely to be the battery, check it out as it's cranking to see what's going on under load.

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#5 Post by GregD-UK » Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:43 am

Hi all,

OK FP, will have a butchers on google/facebook see if I can find him, cheers. Have an Oddessey battery in the garage spare I think...
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#6 Post by Firestarter » Tue Oct 04, 2016 9:43 am

I know the guy, let me know if you have trouble contacting him (John Walker, posted in the Aprilia Performance group regularly)
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#7 Post by Falcopops » Tue Oct 04, 2016 9:53 am

John Walker, thank you, where the hell I got Ian from I've no idea.

I bloody pm'd him back and forward a few times and got two sets of cables from him!

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#8 Post by fatboy » Tue Oct 04, 2016 6:34 pm

Falcopops wrote:There's a bloke on facebook does nice thick battery wires, the difference in starting is amazing, buggered if I can recall his name now though, might be Ian?

The clocks dancing and resetting is a drop in voltage, so likely to be the battery, check it out as it's cranking to see what's going on under load.
Thanks for the info Pops, bit wierd as it's a random affair, it can happen after a long ride when I know the battery should be fully charged, the battery will enable 99.5% of starts without any issue, maybe a wiring issue or starter motor, it comes and goes... happens when the bike is warm and starting should be a 'low' load..
Dont want to think about it now, 12 hour day and I've just holed oil cooler No. 3. ( but that may be the cooler guard abrading the cooler body ), the to do list is not getting any shorter :smt009
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#9 Post by spiderwheels » Tue Oct 04, 2016 6:43 pm

Mine has reset its clocks few times. I only happens when warm. If it's going to do it it will be just after filling up. :smt017
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#10 Post by flatlander » Tue Oct 04, 2016 9:43 pm

There's a guy on rsvr net does uprated cables John I think it is from Wrexham
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#11 Post by GregD-UK » Wed Oct 05, 2016 4:10 pm

Hi all,

OK, attacked my wiring, was having intermittent starting issues with clocks dancing and resetting to Kms! Looked at alarm wires and all over the place. Did a earth check from starter motor, not great, have bought some 16mm cable and putting a lead from starter mount bolts back to battery negative. Think my powder-coating is causing an issue, even though I done a cable from engine block back to sub-frame on rear. Anywho, have ripped out alarm, did cause a few issues and need to earth the solenoid better as well. Battery poor, so, just charged my oddessey one and gonna chuck that in along with new yamaha solenoid. Have you got the contact details for this John bloke? Cheers...
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#12 Post by Firestarter » Wed Oct 05, 2016 7:10 pm

I'll ping him a link to this thread and ask him to get in touch
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#13 Post by GregD-UK » Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:02 pm

Hi all,

Cheers firestarter :smt002
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#14 Post by fatboy » Thu Oct 06, 2016 6:06 pm

nice one Mr Arsonist !
I'm sure there are a few watching this thread, hoping to be rid of starting hassles, me included !
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#15 Post by hiscot » Mon Oct 10, 2016 6:16 am

I used to have the same problem , Even with a brand new and upgraded battery
It would strike very random , maybe just around the corner or after filling petrol at the station after a long ride . It just went click and reset the clocks as if a flat battery , sometimes it would turn over very slow before going click and after frantic pressing of the button it would spring to life and start however being in north Scotland it was a worry
I changed the starter solenoid and did the recitaflier wiring mods ( splice extra lcables ) . My chargeing rate ( shown on clocks ) has vastly improved and this year no problems whatever
I now have the confidence that it will always start and won't leave me stranded

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