Doesn't start - then it does

[Jon]

I have a 2007 FJR with 20,000 miles on it.  It has had the recall services for the ignition key, ECU and spider ground.  Yesterday, after an hour ride, the bike would not start.  With the key off I hooked up jumper cables.  The bike started to crank so I turned the key on and it started, ran for a minute and then died.  Jumping again got the bike to crank but not start.  While cranking the tach and speedo needles swung back and forth.  The bike sat for about 30 minutes while a cussed profusely.  Then it started and ran fine.  Any help diagnosing and repairing this problem is greatly appreciated.

 

[Fred W]

Loose battery connection?  
 

Has happened before and gave similar symptoms.  Maybe get lucky with that.

 

[dcarver]

Loose battery connection?  
 

Has happened before and gave similar symptoms.  Maybe get lucky with that.

and or ground at lower right engine case.

While cranking the tach and speedo needles swung back and forth.

How old is battery? Gauge sweeps can happen with low batt volts e.g. when pulling high current (cranking) and marginal battery.

 

[Fred W]

I seem to recall that the low battery symptom included a reset of the clock and trip meters on the dash.  But that may have been Gen 1’s only?  

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

I had issues somewhat like that two years ago.  Just for laughs, take the battery terminal screws completely out.  Once you have them in your hand, thread the nuts onto the screws, and make sure they go all the way up to the head of the screw.  The threads on mine were corroded near the top, and wouldn't clamp the terminals tight enough to have good consistent contact.  They FEEL like they're tight when installed, but they are not.  I hope the problem you have is that simple.  Pretty easy to check.

 

[Jon]

Thanks for the replies.  The battery is only two years old and is kept on a tender.  The battery connections are tight. 

I ran the error codes and, on D61 got three codes:

   12 - Crankshaft position sensor error

   14 - Error in the inlet pressure sensor (sensor disconnected or faulty)

   30 - Error drop sensor (triggered or faulty sensor)

Seems odd that I'd have three separate errors.  Perhaps bad connectors in the harness?  Any ideas?

 

[dcarver]

I've had multiple erroneous error code 12.. 

You have recorded the codes.. I'd clear them, try a restart, see which codes come back, if any. 

Unfortunately, AFAIK, the codes don't carry a time stamp so they may have occurred way back in time...

...and, just for fun, slap another battery in there. KISS method first!

I seem to recall that the low battery symptom included a reset of the clock and trip meters on the dash.  But that may have been Gen 1’s only?  

Seen it on my gen 2 too, Fred.

 

[RossKean]

OK. 

30 - Drop sensor.  Clear it and see if it comes back.  If so, you have a faulty sensor and the bike won't start if the sensor is actively triggered.  The history of a drop stored in ECU won't prevent a start.  The drop sensor decides that the bike has been dropped and kills the engine.

12- Crankshaft position error.  I have had this come up but it has only happened when having difficulty starting with a low battery.  Clear it and it probably won't come back.  Most likely not an issue.

14 - There's your problem, I am betting.  Read this:

Fault Code 14 Gen II - Solved - Technical/Mechanical Problems - FJRForum

Note:  No real need to keep the battery on a tender unless it is typically weeks between rides.  NORMAL parasitic draw for an FJR is VERY low and a modern AGM battery in good condition has a self-discharge rate on the order of a few percent per month.

 

[Jon]

Guys, my login problems continue here for reasons no one can figure out.  I'll be on the other FJR forum until the problem gets fixed. 

As for the bike, I tore off all the plastic, checked every spider, the MAC sensor, all of it's vacuum hosing, the troublesome connector up front and everything else I could see.  Nothing!  I got the tank and battery back in, cleared the codes (12, 14 and 30) and ran the bike for 30 minutes.  Checked again -- no codes.  Bike repeatedly starts and runs fine.

I'm replacing the starter solenoid -- process of elimination.

I'm posting about my ongoing battle with the FJR on the other forum.  I can get into it.  I'll be back here if the login problem gets fixed.

 

[Jon]

It was the solenoid.  Corroded connectors.  Bike starts fine now.