Bike died, then re-started..??

[Guest]

I was out cruising around...then, came to a light where the bike died...pushed it off the road...(Geez, I'm really getting a work-out here!!) and tried to start it. All I heard was "click-click-click". The sounds it makes as though the battery is half dead...hmmmm...soooooooooooo...called the tow truck, waited about 40 minutes, then tried to start, and it fired right up...WTH??? Drove it the few miles back home, turned it off...waitied, and same thing...the clicking noise...I already replaced the R/R, and battery. Could the battery be low on water?? Is it the stator??
Any help is greatly appreciated..
Thanks..
Janice

[OklahomaPomade]

Click, click, click infers the solenoid is ok. Have the battery load tested at Sears or Pepboys. If it is ok, I would suspect either corroded connections at the starter switch, at the battery, at the solenoid, or...bad stator.

[speedzter2000]

Thank you OklahomaPomade...
I noticed the vent tube was producing a lot of "discharge"..all wet...I am going to take it off and re-fill the battery.
The bike starts after sitting for a half hour or so...after I came home it wouldnt start again, I waited, and started right up no problem.. :?
I'm reading through all the forums to find my problem...
I appreciate your help
Janice

[tconroy]

Thank you OklahomaPomade...
I noticed the vent tube was producing a lot of "discharge"..all wet...I am going to take it off and re-fill the battery.
The bike starts after sitting for a half hour or so...after I came home it wouldnt start again, I waited, and started right up no problem.. :?
I'm reading through all the forums to find my problem...
I appreciate your help
Janice

Did you rewire the r/r directly instead of using that plastic plug connector? My bike was doing that and it was the r/r. I know you replaced it but check the wiring again.Also check the ground wires out as well.

[speedzter2000]

Did you rewire the r/r directly instead of using that plastic plug connector? My bike was doing that and it was the r/r. I know you replaced it but check the wiring again.Also check the ground wires out as well.

Thanks tconroy...
I just bought a new R/R from dennis Kirk. I used the plastic connector. I dont like to hack into wiring harness'/systems if at all possible. Just asking for trouble IMHO
I'm going to go through all the wires tomorrow and use die electric grease on the few spots I missed...
I'm thinking about just getting the stator anyway... Eh, the way these bikes are, probably not a bad idea

[Billy Ricks]

Make sure you have a clean, solid ground on the engine. Just follow your ground from the battery to the engine to find where it bolts down.

[speedzter2000]

Make sure you have a clean, solid ground on the engine. Just follow your ground from the battery to the engine to find where it bolts down.

Hey, Billy... I am going to check that as well...when I changed the R/R I took some of the connections off, and put some die-electric grease on them. Now I am ging to go through EVERYTHING and do the same..
BTW...took out the battery, and all the fluid is in there...(at the fill lines, but when I look in the battery, I dont see any acid/fluid/whatever..is this OK?? Should I just go by the lines on the outside??)Will buy a voltmeter to check the charge...I read some of the stator papers, but my eyes cross after reading all that techno jargon....
I just think it's really strange it's doing this, because the other day I went for a 244 mile ride, stopped a few times, and no problems...today I go out for a 40 mile ride, and it dies...then starts up again...doesnt seem to be the battery (as I had hoped) so I am suspecting it is the stator. Bought one from Dennis Kirk..
I'll keep you guys posted...I think I am still going to go riding this weekend, but stay semi-local, where I can let it cool down and go off again... So much for my 400 mile ride on Sunday

[chef1366]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but won't a bad R/R boil the battery and not the stator? If this is what is happening.

[earlfor]

From your comment about the vent tube being wet/dripping. Your battery is low on water. Batteries do nnot boil away their water if the stator is faulty and not producing sufficient output. Bad connections reduce the amount of charge getting to the battery, so bad connections dont cause the battery to boil. If the battery is boiling dry, (as I see it) the only possibility is the R/R has its limiting side burned out and is not regulating the high end output. Your R/R is toast and you need a new one.

(for whatever its worth) On my 1150, I have replaced my R/R with a Ricks R/R. I ordered two of the Ricks R/R's and made a "Y" harness to connect them. Each of the three yellow wires from my stator connect to a "Y" and one leg of each "Y" is connected to each R/R.
What this does is double my R/R cooling area and reduce the electrical load on the R/R by 50%. I should never again have to suffer a burned out R/R and charging problems.

Earl

Thank you OklahomaPomade...
I noticed the vent tube was producing a lot of "discharge"..all wet...I am going to take it off and re-fill the battery.
The bike starts after sitting for a half hour or so...after I came home it wouldnt start again, I waited, and started right up no problem.. :?
I'm reading through all the forums to find my problem...
I appreciate your help
Janice

[tconroy]

Thanks tconroy...
I just bought a new R/R from dennis Kirk. I used the plastic connector. I dont like to hack into wiring harness'/systems if at all possible. Just asking for trouble IMHO
I'm going to go through all the wires tomorrow and use die electric grease on the few spots I missed...
I'm thinking about just getting the stator anyway... Eh, the way these bikes are, probably not a bad idea

Just take the r/r ground directly to the battery and the hot wire also and use the plug for the remaining wires and see what happens if you dont want to cut all of them. I think you have a ground issue.Then just keep an eye on your battery level every few days.You shouldnt have to add water but maybe a couple of times a year if you live in a hot state like I do right now.

[speedzter2000]

OK...the battery is fine...it just looked as thugh there was no water, but there definetly was!! The bike turned over first try, but then, on the second try the clicking noise...I cleaned and went through everything..tried to "bump" start it, sort of..and then it would start, and would start again, or would not...I'm thinking now it's the starter...soooo...Is this the root of the problem??
Thanks...
Janice

[chef1366]

Did you jump the solenoid to see if the starter turns?
Dudes Rule:-)

[speedzter2000]

Did you jump the solenoid to see if the starter turns?
Dudes Rule:-)

LOL
How do you do that??
Thanks!

[speedzter2000]

OK, I know I'm being a PITA...
Battery is OK I changed the R/R..cleaned all the terminals...again :roll:
Bike starts when it wants to...I can easily bump start it..no problem there...So, it's either the starter or solenoid...I searched here, but I cant find out how to test it..please make it as simple as possible for me... I'm new to this..
Oh, and the reason why the bike died...? NO GAS...Yes, you may lash me with a wet noodle

[chef1366]

There are two connections on the solenoid. Take a screwdriver with a rubber handle and lay it over each connection to jump the solenoid. If the starter turns every time you jump it I'd look at the starter button, if not it's the solenoid. I see these on Fleabay all the time.