Starter/Battery/altinator problem

[thijones]

So I was riding on Saturday in the late evening and in Michigan it was around 40degrees. I stopped in the parking lot, grabbed some stuff at the grocerie store and when I went to start the bike the starter had a HELL of a time. Push down the button and it would try a couple times then slowly quit. It got to the point where I would hold down the starter button and nothing would happen. So the bike would not start. The only way I could get it to run is by push starting it.

So to my questions:

1.a Has anyone had any experience of the bike not starting in cold weather?

1.b Any lessons or solutions?

2 Will a push start hurt the bike?

[Steve]

1.a Has anyone had any experience of the bike not starting in cold weather?
No, none of us has ever had any problems starting our bikes, in either hot or cold weather.

1.b Any lessons or solutions?
Yes.

2 Will a push start hurt the bike?
No.


Actually, I don't think the weather had anything to do with your lack of starting in this case. Usually, when the bike has trouble starting, it's for lack of electrical energy. Your battery appears to be not fully-charged. First thing to do is to grab your multi-meter (you do have one, right?), then look through The Stator Papers. They will tell you how to test the few components in your charging system so you will know whoat needs to be fixed/replaced. Hopefully it's just a bad connection somewhere in the system, but basically you need to make sure that the stator is putting out the right power, and that the rectifier/regulator (r/r) is controlling that power to charge the battery. The Stator Papers will help you determine what and how to test.

Another reason for a bike to not start when the bike is cold would be if the valves are out of adjustment, but you said you had already run the bike, then stopped it, so I would not suspect valves at this time.

And if you have to push start a bike, try to use third gear, or even fourth. Much easier on you and the drivetrain.

.

[tkent02]

So to my questions:

1.a Has anyone had any experience of the bike not starting in cold weather?

1.b Any lessons or solutions?

2 Will a push start hurt the bike?

1.a Yes, we all have.
1.b Keep a good battery, charging system and a well tuned engine.
2. Not unless you drop it.

Slow cranking can be a poorly charged battery or one that has too much internal resistance, just too old. Cold weather brings this out. It can also be a bad starter, or a problem with wiring. Charge your battery, do the tests in here:

http://www.posplayr.100megsfree3.com/FH012AA_Charging/Stator_Papers_Phase%20A.pdf

Most likely a problem with the battery or the charging system, these bikes are thirty years old and have issues with charging if the electrical systems are not cared for.

[Speedo]

thijones - i'm an OSU guy, but whatthehey, gonna try to help you anyway

As usual, Steve offers dead-on advice. If your starter just cranks slower and slower until it doesn't work like u described, it's the battery. The question is why did battery go flat, so you must do your "homework" and testing per Stator Papers as Steve said....testing is in #IV if want to cut to the chase and skip the theory.

I have ridden in equally chilly OH wheather and as long as battery was charged never had a problem in cold.

Ah the days when "bump starting" was "cool" and often necessary......nope won't hurt your bike. The older gs's like mine even have a kick starter (which can really mess u up if you do it wrong). I use 2nd gear but whatever works for you. Try to time your butt hitting the seat with letting the clutch out (for traction)....

[thijones]

Thanks you guys, looks like i have some work to do during the winter/off season.

[Redman]

Thi,

When colder the engine is harder to start, gas doesnt not vaprorize as well.
When colder the battery has less power, most any chemical reactions is slower when cold.
So the cold is working against you in multiple ways, but that is not the problem. THe problem is something else, and the cold wether is just making it worse.

Maybe can just ask if you know how old the battery is?

Do you have a trickle charger? (one amp or less).

YOu will want to check the charging system. Need a volt meter for that.

Where in general in Michigan are you?

.

[thijones]

Thi,

When colder the engine is harder to start, gas doesnt not vaprorize as well.
When colder the battery has less power, most any chemical reactions is slower when cold.
So the cold is working against you in multiple ways, but that is not the problem. THe problem is something else, and the cold wether is just making it worse.

Maybe can just ask if you know how old the battery is?

Do you have a trickle charger? (one amp or less).

YOu will want to check the charging system. Need a volt meter for that.

Where in general in Michigan are you?

.

I don't know the answer to most of the questions about the bike. I do know that I live in Rochester, MI.

[Eliseo Monteverde]

...maybe is time for a good carb clean, rebuild and adjust.
this solved me to many problems related to hard start in cold weather..
Try to follow the carbs clean up procedures in this page.

Good luck!