Starter issues

[Fred W]

Bike is buttoned up, cranks probably twice the RPM it had before. Gonna have some lunch, then go ride, get it warm, and come home to shut it off (just in case.)
Lost 15 minutes in reassembly because I had the airbox back in, then found the spring and washer for the idle adjustment screw, it was still disconnected from the throttle body. Had to take the airbox back out and take care of that. I hate being stupid! I wish it would stop.

Excellent news. Hoping the "hot test" goes as expected but I think the fact that the cold cranking speed is doubled says that you've found the smoking gun. ...or is that the deep throat? :blink:

Now, the next step is to take your old starter in to a electrical (starter) repair place and have them give it the once over. By the looks of yours, it should still be salvageable. I had a theory early on that got pushed aside that the magnet that came loose may have got banged around and lost some flux density. Trying to run a starter motor on ~ 3/4 of the field magnets is bound to make it run somewhat slow. I'm wondering if it could possibly be so easy.

You may be wondering if it is worth fixing the old starter. It will be to the next guy that needs one, and you can sell it to him.

 

[wfooshee]

Hot test is satisfactory. Bike is running almost as soon as I hit the starter button.

Got thoroughly rained on during my test ride, got to test my rain gear installation skillz.

 

[pmspaul]

Hot test is satisfactory. Bike is running almost as soon as I hit the starter button.

Got thoroughly rained on during my test ride, got to test my rain gear installation skillz.

Congrats on getting it all fixed up.

 

[dsmack]

Excellent, Foosh! So the starter was toast, eh? That SOB sure looked clean and nice. I hope it can be rebuilt so you can recoup some of your expense and trouble.

Glad you're back on the road with the ability to actually shut the damn bike off and not have to flinch each time you try to restart it!

Good on Ya for your perseverance!

Don

 

[wfooshee]

Just for fun, how the bike looked this week. Had all the plastic off so I could access the electrics as needed. Only thing missing functionally was the front turn signals. Wires down the right side supply an under-seat fuse box.

One fugly streetfighter!

You get this far, and you still can't see the starter:

No-load test. Don't have a bench for this, so I just bolted it to the side rail hanging out in space.

 

[swingman3]

I'm curious as to what is your theory is for why the starter would fire the bike up when cold, but not hot.

 

[Fred W]

I'll throw a theory out there.

These bikes always seems to take more juice to turn over when warm. When the starting system is marginal we see problems warm that we don't see cold. For most of us the problems occur when the battery is on its way out. We only see it sack out, with the attendant clock / odometer resets, when the bike is warmed up. WF's starter was (unfortunately) marginal and had barely enough oomph to get her going when cold. Had it been a little more dicked up it would have been much easier to troubleshoot, no doubt.

As to why it is actually harder to turn over when warm? Maybe because the top end is sealing better making more compression? Dunno... But if we put it on a conveyor belt I bet we could get some opinions on this...

 

[mscott]

Glad you got it figured out. Now, to be a good samaritan, have it repaired, and offer it to the next guy in line, who will install it, and have his repaired, and offer it to the next guy in line.....etc...Before long, we will all have good starters, and will have YOU to thank for it...

It was very interesting reading all of the ideas that were thrown out in this post, to say the least, I learned a LOT! Just like a friend of mine used to say "ALL OF US ARE SMARTER THAN ONE OF US". Good job working together for one goal.

 

[Grumpy]

Looks like Granny without clothes, but with her glasses on!

jim

 

[wfooshee]

I'll throw a theory out there.
These bikes always seems to take more juice to turn over when warm. When the starting system is marginal we see problems warm that we don't see cold. For most of us the problems occur when the battery is on its way out. We only see it sack out, with the attendant clock / odometer resets, when the bike is warmed up. WF's starter was (unfortunately) marginal and had barely enough oomph to get her going when cold. Had it been a little more dicked up it would have been much easier to troubleshoot, no doubt.

As to why it is actually harder to turn over when warm? Maybe because the top end is sealing better making more compression? Dunno... But if we put it on a conveyor belt I bet we could get some opinions on this...

Even cold, it got to where it had to be in neutral and with a some throttle. Neutral avoids clutch drag, and throttle reduces vacuum load, I suppose. But over the last couple of weeks it was getting steadily worse, had 2 cold non-starts.

I guess since it happened gradually I didn't realize how slowly the bike was turning over. It was just spinning barely fast enough to fire.

 

[swingman3]

Even cold, it got to where it had to be in neutral and with a some throttle. Neutral avoids clutch drag, and throttle reduces vacuum load, I suppose. But over the last couple of weeks it was getting steadily worse, had 2 cold non-starts.
I guess since it happened gradually I didn't realize how slowly the bike was turning over. It was just spinning barely fast enough to fire.

Ok, thanks. My symptoms are different. I see your bike is a 2003, so I'll pay attention to my starter performormance as time goes on.

 

[Patriot]

So, Walter, all is well with the bike now...loaner returned and purchased used starter and installed ???

<enquiring minds want to know>

 

[Constant Mesh]

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[RadioHowie]

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[Patriot]

...

 

[clocklaw]

Ok, I am subscribing to this thread since I have been having the same problems.....gonna tear into it after NAFO!

 

[wfooshee]

Not much point in that, since it's over a year old, and settled, as far as my trouble goes . . . . .

 

[Sportster]

Not much point in that, since it's over a year old, and settled, as far as my trouble goes . . . . .

Needs an epilogue.

What happened to the old starter? Faults found? Repaired? Set on to others? Still sitting on repair bench?

Sportster

 

[wfooshee]

Still sits on shelf in garage. Never bothered with it.

 

[RadioHowie]

Still sits on shelf in garage. Never bothered with it.

Shame on you..... :nono:

(this from someone who's had an AVCC for FIVE years and still not installed it!)