Ghost in my machine is back

Message

D-Rider · #16 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue May 01, 2012 8:16 pm

Kwackerz wrote:
D-Rider wrote:
k1w1boy wrote: Don at Southern Cross contradicted this forum by saying that the oem starter relay on the later falcos was good kit.
Dunno what might have given him that idea - he's in a minority of one with that view.
The later Aprilia ones that you can buy now (the 150A ones) are OK.

Maybe thats what he's on about.

..... but they weren't fitted to Falcos .....

randomsquid · #17 Post by **randomsquid** » Tue May 01, 2012 8:24 pm

My Falco was a late one and it had a manky 50amp one fitted.
I got an 150amp pattern one last month off Amazon for about 12 quid.
They don't seem to have any in at the moment though.

MartDude · #18 Post by **MartDude** » Tue May 01, 2012 8:33 pm

Ebay, Wemoto. Around £25.00

D-Rider · #19 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue May 01, 2012 8:50 pm

Scooter Assassins

k1w1boy · #20 Post by **k1w1boy** » Wed May 02, 2012 7:57 pm

D-Rider wrote:
Kwackerz wrote:
D-Rider wrote:
k1w1boy wrote: Don at Southern Cross contradicted this forum by saying that the oem starter relay on the later falcos was good kit.
Dunno what might have given him that idea - he's in a minority of one with that view.
The later Aprilia ones that you can buy now (the 150A ones) are OK.

Maybe thats what he's on about.

..... but they weren't fitted to Falcos .....

...aah, I see said the blind man. Need to ask the previous owner if he upgraded it or not before I go down that route. The loose ecu wire suggestion is a good lead (teehee, I made a pun) - will also look at this. Nevertheless, fazap, buzz-click and no start doesn't directly link to starter relay does it?

D-Rider · #21 Post by **D-Rider** » Sun May 06, 2012 12:43 pm

Kerry ...... have you been selling classic Honda parts on ebay?

k1w1boy · #22 Post by **k1w1boy** » Sun May 06, 2012 12:54 pm

...joking apart, I've just somewhat depressingly read all of F9s (the previous owners) posts about this problem, and the outpouring of wisdom of ridersite members, and the repairs he attempted, that still left him bridging the solenoid/relay/whateverit'scalled with a screwdriver to start it whenever this happened.

At one point he said he wanted to take to it with a hammer and set it on fire.. I just want a working, reliable Falco.

fatboy · #23 Post by **fatboy** » Sun May 06, 2012 7:21 pm

May be worth getting the starter motor off, they are good at ingesting road dirt.
The buzzing sounds like it may be shorting out,as the former owner had to short across the relay with screwdriver this may point to a 'lazy' starter motor
There are more than enough possible culprits but I'd look for a second hand starter motor that is verified working
Check all the earth and live connections, a bad earth can cause all kinds of havoc
Electricity is a form of witch craft....

#24 Post by **Kwackerz** » Mon May 07, 2012 12:44 am

That large drain when starting (f9 trois thread) makes it look like a lazy starter.. been umming n aahing the subject all afternoon. I'd do a parts swap faultfind session with a donor known to work falco and see what gives. saves expenditure needlessly. solenoid, starter, etc

randomsquid · #25 Post by **randomsquid** » Mon May 07, 2012 10:14 am

Mine was doing a thing where all the electric seemed to fall out as soon as you tried to start it.

I got the biggest improvement from taking all the plastics off and checking all the leads and earths for tightness. Then I broke every connector I could find and gave them a clean with contact cleaner. The one from the lh switchgear to the loom was pretty cruddy. Also did the switchgear.

I changed the starter solonoid and fitted switchgear with an off switch for the lights which also helped but the spring clean made a big difference to the readings on the dash.

Also checked all the blade fuses. The Guzzi used to do an interesting trick where they didn't blow but the vibes would cause the legs to separate from the middle bit and cause intermittent faults.

That was about a month ago and it's been starting fine since. It'll even start after being stood for a week without being on the charger which would have been a definite no before. It'll now wait until I'm in the middle of nowhere to be an arse again.

k1w1boy · #26 Post by **k1w1boy** » Mon May 07, 2012 5:53 pm

Kwackerz wrote:That large drain when starting (f9 trois thread) makes it look like a lazy starter.. been umming n aahing the subject all afternoon. I'd do a parts swap faultfind session with a donor known to work falco and see what gives. saves expenditure needlessly. solenoid, starter, etc

....well, I guess I have a donor bike still sitting there. I only assume that it was the sprag that was a gonner. Anyone ever swapped a starter motor?

k1w1boy · #27 Post by **k1w1boy** » Mon May 07, 2012 5:56 pm

randomsquid wrote:Mine was doing a thing where all the electric seemed to fall out as soon as you tried to start it.

I got the biggest improvement from taking all the plastics off and checking all the leads and earths for tightness. Then I broke every connector I could find and gave them a clean with contact cleaner. The one from the lh switchgear to the loom was pretty cruddy. Also did the switchgear.

I changed the starter solonoid and fitted switchgear with an off switch for the lights which also helped but the spring clean made a big difference to the readings on the dash.

Also checked all the blade fuses. The Guzzi used to do an interesting trick where they didn't blow but the vibes would cause the legs to separate from the middle bit and cause intermittent faults.

That was about a month ago and it's been starting fine since. It'll even start after being stood for a week without being on the charger which would have been a definite no before. It'll now wait until I'm in the middle of nowhere to be an arse again.

I do appreciate all these suggestions, like the one above. I'm just a little apprehensive when it comes to taking things apart and putting them back together (I usually pay a bloke to do that)...

Aladinsaneuk · #28 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Mon May 07, 2012 6:49 pm

Come to Shropshire meet - I am happy to sling some tools in the car and we can have a communal fettle....

k1w1boy · #29 Post by **k1w1boy** » Sat May 12, 2012 10:06 am

... anybody else used/heard of this guy?

http://www.motorcyclewiring.co.uk/frameset.html

...thoughts?

randomsquid · #30 Post by **randomsquid** » Sat May 12, 2012 10:33 am

I was flicking through some classic bike adverts the other day and one of them had, 'Just rewired by Ferret' in the description.
So I'm guessing owners of shiteoldbikes like the bloke.