83 GS750E starting problem.

[Flungmuk]

Hi guys.

So I have an 83 GS750E, ride her all year round (we dont get snow).
Comming home from a trip, I stop to get gas, as I'm ready to leave, hit the starter button...nothing.
Check to make sure no "helpfull" person at the gas station did hit the kill switch...try again...nothing. hit the kill switch off and on...try again.
Nothing.
Cursed and swore as I'm an hour away from home....didnt help.

After a few phone calls, one suggestion worked...put the bike in gear, push it a bit, back in nutral and try to start it.
It almost worked. The bike made an attempt to turn over.
But it turns out, every time I hit the starter, it created draw on the battery...it was dead enough to not start the bike.
Never having push started a bike before..I got her jumped...rode home with no problems.
Next day, same problem...only this time, the in and out of gear trick didnt work.
So right now the battery is being charged already to try again after work.

Any idea what could cause this?
I ride the bike daily, battery is just over a year old, its never had a problem starting before and only has 35k miles on it.
At 1st I was told side stand switch kill switch...but other than an indacator...there isnt one (someone that looks just like me rode away with the side stand down ).
Replaced the clutch cable twice on the 4 years I've had her...no wires there that I've ever seen.
Other than needing a tune up, I dont know what it could be thats causing this.
Any suggestions?

[babcockdonald]

Not really an expert on these bikes, but something that seems universal on bikes is that if the battery is draining then you are having issues with your charging system.

Check the stator and the R/R first as these are usually the culprit(s).

[Flungmuk]

I don't think its the stator r/r.
It charges fine when she's running...getting her running is the problem.
Every time I hit the start button, nothing happens...3rd or 4th try, the lights are MUCH dimmer. So it would appear, every time I hit the start button, even though the starter doesnt engage, its taking draw off the battery.
If I had hair I'd rip it out.

[babcockdonald]

So it would appear, every time I hit the start button, even though the starter doesnt engage, its taking draw off the battery.

Are you getting any sounds when you try to start the bike? Can you hear the starter motor turning? Does the engine try to turn over?

How many volts are you charging the battery to when jumping it from a vehicle? It should be charged to 12.5 volts.

What is the voltage on the battery when not starting it? What does is the voltage under load (trying to start)? Shouldn't drop below 10 volts.

Have you checked the voltage on the battery when it was running, and if so what was the voltage? At about 3 or 4000 rpms (maybe more depending on the bike) the battery should be charging at least 13-14 volts.

There shouldn't be that much "juice" being drained from the battery from just 3-4 attempted starts.

[Flungmuk]

Running the voltage meter tests when I get home from work.
The only sound the bike makes when I hit the start button, is the slight sound of a plastic button being pushed...Followed by a string of verbal abuse.

[babcockdonald]

Check the wire going to the starter motor. It could have wiggled loose and is why it is not engaging. My 79 GS1000 had the same issue with the loose wire and not starting. Tightned the wire up and it starts every time (unless it is a cold Maine morning 8-[ )

Also check to make sure that the starter motor is making good contact with the chassis as on some bikes this provides the ground.

[Flungmuk]

Thanks, I'll check the starter connections...It makes more sence that something wiggled lose.
It started perfectly at the begining of the trip home, seeing it was only a 2 hour trip along the hightway, and it died 1/2 way...I didnt think something had completely broken.

[Flungmuk]

Open mouth...insert foot.
It was the stator, 1 of the 3 leads only had 1/4 the normal volts on it.
Think I'll buy a new one and try and wrap the old one as a spare.

[babcockdonald]

Good job on finding the problem. About 95% of the time that a good battery gets toasted in a hurry is when the stator is acting up/in the process of dying.

Did you make sure to check the startrer motor wire anyway. They do have a tendancy to wiggle loose and that will cause intermitent starting issuses. Very frustrating if you don't know to check it.

[Flungmuk]

No, when I put the fully charged battery in and hit the switch, with no choak and having not run for 36 hours, she fired up like she was new.
Got 12.5 on the battery while running, brought her up to 3k rpm, volts only showed 12.7.
So we checked the stator, 3rd wire checked only had 1.3 v on it.