Bike wont start, help ?

[chief]

If it is only the battery, it will start with a jump... remember DO NOT START THE CAR!  You may have to let the bike battery charge for a minute or two.

Bad batteries do weird things.

[lumper]

Thanks for the info, I am going to try and eliminate the battery as the culprit or identify it as the case may be and let you know.
Lump

[lumper]

Ok, thanks
really I had no idea yet which battery to go with, I just saw the claim that it was 450 cca and thought, wow thats pretty awesome if I am going to add more accessories, but I dont have the money until later this week and I will most likely get something local.

I found a 230 cca at autozone for 99.00 but I am going to look more carefully and learn more about what makes a good battery for my bike before I buy anything.

I am going out now to try and jump it after tapping the starter, wish me luck, I hope it starts but if not I really hope this is only a battery.
Nothing else makes much sense since it was fine when I shut it off and I cant see any signs of melting wires, odd things with the electrical, etc..
I will let you know if this works though.
Lump

[chief]

Left off the battery info...

http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/drifterparts.html

If the engine will not "crank" - crank means engine turns over there are a few things which might be wrong...

1) blown main fuse - but you have power, so that isn't it.

2) Discharged battery -

3) Defective starter, starter relay. You hear a click, so I'd rule out #2 before proceeding.

There are more serious engine problems which might be the cause, but you need to eliminate these first.

[griz01]

Lumper

Be careful of that battery for 2 reasons, first it is for the BUBF series, that battery is longer and narrower than the Drifter's. secondly it is a GEL Cell type; The Gel Cell excels in slow discharge rates and slightly higher ambient operating temperatures. The big issue with Gel Batteries that must be addressed is the CHARGE PROFILE.  The battery charger being used to recharge the battery has to be designed or adjustable for Gel Cell Batteries.  If you are using an motorcycle alternator to recharge a true Gel Cell a special regulator must be installed. A slower charge rate is necessary. Gel Cell Batteries must be recharged correctly or the battery will suffer premature failure

[lumper]

anyway I moved the recently relocated rectifier out of the way to reach teh starter and tried the tapping technique, but even then without a jump or something it wont crank at all, I have to go out for a few mothers day hours, but this afternoon when I get back I will try it again and try jumping it too.
Thanks for the tips and ideas, I am psyched to see if this works, I know in my old 75 lt camaro back in the day I would have to bang on the starter sometimes to get it to turn over, that was the last sign before I had to replace it , lol. ah the good ole days where a hammer started your car.
Lump

[lumper]

Hey Griz, heading out to the bike with a hammer now, lol that sounds ugly.

Yes I found this batter,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190280867481&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

claims 450 cca, I didn't read closely or anything I was just bookmarking batteries to get an idea of price.
Anyway that link goes to the one I wsa looking at.
Lump

[griz01]

Lump,

You found a 450 CCA battery! Which one is it? Best I have found is 310CCA.

[VN1500]

Lump,

What Troll said +...if connected correctly from an auto battery and it still wont crank?...You need to start tracing wiring to & from the Ignition switch,starter relay, check all grounds [closely],double check, that's double check,  all wiring for the safety switches, etc, & so-on.

If your not well experienced?..you might need to get some help from someone more familiar....Good Luck!!

Ron

[Troll]

This is gonna sound strange, but take a hammer, preferably a little one, and tap the starter motor at the commutator end ( end away from the engine) TAP it a couple of times...could have a stuck brush

[lumper]

never cranked, only clicks the starter but no engine crank at all.
Turn he key, the dash lights up and you can hear the system pressurize.
Then all the lights go out except neutral and the oil light.
Then I click the kill switch down and try the starter switch and only get a clicking from the starter and only one click per try, its not like a starter just clicking away.
What else could it be?
The battery shows only 120 cranking amps available through the tester.
I guess the cheesy jumper cables I have here could also be part of the problem but I dont know.
Let me know what else you think it could be.
Thanks
Lump

[chief]

What VN1500 said... and here's some info regarding the battery... you can look up the specs for the specific battery on the batt. mfg site.

[VN1500]

  Lump,

It wouldn't start? or wouldn't crank when you jumped it?

If you connected corrrectly it certainly should crank when jumping from a car,..good car batteries are 800-1000 cca.

Now if it cranked?, but wouldn't start.....that's a whole different problem.

Ron

[lumper]

Well battery is dead.
It only shows 120 cold cranking amps available and thats not going to cut it.
I am looking at batteries for next week when I get paid again, I found a 450 cca battery for the vulcan 1500 that I hope will work, I figure since I added air horns and I plan to add a light bar and a few other things I should just go ahead and get a higher rated battery now since I am replacing this one.
Stinks how sudden this came though without warning and shut me down I was really looking forward to riding this weekend

Lump

[lumper]

Does anyone know what the bikes specs call for for cold cranking amps when buying a battery?
IF I have that info they can test the battery for me.
I looked it up here but under specs I didn't see any mention of it.
Thanks for any info,
Lump

[lumper]

Ok, I went out after the rain stopped.
I can not start it even with a jump from two different cars.
I called autozone to see if they can test the batter for me and they said not without the cold cranking amps and stuff as they need the info for their computer and he said motorcycle batteries usually dont label that info, I checked and he is right it doesnt say anywhere on it.
So what now?
Just buy a battery and hope for the best?
Thats all fine and good and probably a good idea, I just cant afford one until Thursday so it looks like I am parked for the weekend an next week I guess, ugh.

[lumper]

Hey Chief,
So I went out again to make sure, and when I start the key the turn signals light but arent flashing.
Previously the left signal woudl be flashing when I turned it and I would have to cancel it.
I am not going to jump it unless the rain stops.
Lump

[lumper]

Yeah I noticed it yesterday when it didn't do it.

Normally it does, I put in the key and turn it and when all my lights come on and the dash lights up, the left turn signal was going, and I would have to cancel it.
Yesterday and so far today while messing with it, it hasn't done that.

Now that we are talking about it I am going to go try it again in a minute, waiting for the rain to let up, it keeps raining for 20 minutes and then clears up for an hour, on and off all day.
But I will go try it again in a few minutes and see.
I have my car here now, a chevy cavalier, with it off, will it be ok to try and jump start it?
Lump

[chief]

First, if you jump with a car, make sure the car is NOT running. Just jump from the battery.

Check the connections on the clutch handle switch box. It might very well be the battery. Sometimes, it will charge but not hold the charge under load.

Did you say whenever you start the bike the turn signals will be flashing and you have to turn them off?

[lumper]

Well I went back through everything I touched when polishing and nothing was messed with, I double checked all my plug points, sensors, and stuff, everything looks good.
I just found it strange to go like that, I didnt leave the key in it or anything, and it seemed fine yesterday.

I tried to pop it, lol no way thats happening.
I am going to grab a tender and if I can afford it and a new battery, but that will have to wait til next week.
Oh well, I cant get a hold of anyone right now that might have a tender, tester or something I can jump it with.
Thanks for the input I appreciate it.
Talk to you later,
Lump

[VN1500]

While you were polishing,..you didn't bump it into gear by accident did ya?.....[in other words, it is in neutral?]

Darn near impossible to bump start a fuel injected bike. Although the pump is running?...{IF} it is the battery, likely not enough current to purge & feed the injectors as well as fire the ignition.

Ron

[lumper]

Thanks for the reply,
That would be great if it is a dead battery.
I would hate to think of anything else it could be, I shut it off and walked away and went back to start it and it is dead so..

No I dont have a battery tender or charger I am going to call a friend now and see if he has one I can try.

I checked all the wiring I can think of and all the connections everything seems ok, everything else seems to work.
What about trying to bump start it, how fast do I need to get it going?
I have about 20 feet I can push it and try to pop it in 2nd.

Thanks again,
Lump

[VN1500]

Sounds like a dead battery....check kill switch, side stand & clutch switches as well. AND! the wires / connections to all of them.

Ask a friend? for a volt meter [DVOM] do you have a test light?..if so put it across the battery, wire clip to negative ,point to positive, see how bright it is ?

You can jump start from anything 12 volt,....but be extremely careful. Jumping from a mower,garden tractor would be better. [Caution] the larger cable clamps can touch things you do not want to touch Do you have a battery charger?..if so what kind? If it is a batt/tender,...or some other low output type,.. hook it up overnight.

Ron

[lumper]

Hi all,

So I put the key in, turn it on and all the lights come on and you can hear the fuel pressurize etc..
But my oil light stays on after all the other lights go out and when I try to start it I get nothing.

I can hear a slight click at the starter but I get no spark at all and no signs of starting.

What should I check first?

Normally when I first turn the key on my signals are on and I have to stop them, thats just how it has always been since I got the bike

I went for a ride yesterday, took a few stops and everything was great, the bike sounded and felt good.
I parked it and went to bed.
Today I went out and polished it a little while the clouds were clearing and after a while it warmed up so I decided to go for a ride.

But it wont start.

I looked at all the wires from the starter and to the battery, I checked the fuse and all the connections everything looks normal and seems to be the way it was.
Could it be as simple as my battery is dead?

I dont have a tester here.
can I jump it with a car? I didn't want to try that unless I hear it is ok to do.

Normally the bike starts right up, and yesterday especially yesterday I noted it started really nice.
So I am baffled at the moment, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Lump