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Posted by Pilgrim
- April 12, 2019, 11:43:54 AMQuote from: Troll on April 08, 2019, 14:45:21 PM80K miles is a lot of sparks Troll...guess you just wore em out. Bet it runs good with those new ones.I hadn't really given any thought to your problem, as I don't have any way to experience the symptoms....but perhaps I just have. Today, for the second time since I own my Drifter, it refused to start. The first time was in 2010..right after I got it...and now, this morning. Both times, I replaced the spark plugs and it started instantly. The plugs I replaced today had about 80,000 miles on them. The gap was still within specs, and they were clean...but they just wouldn't fire. Just a thought...
Posted by Old Drifter
- April 12, 2019, 08:50:52 AMGlad to hear that you got it! Now go for a nice long ride. 
Posted by drifter-paul
- April 12, 2019, 02:49:11 AMStarting Update.
Getting cheesed off, so kept cranking it.
Puff of smoke off the positive battery post (had seat off, checking if the leads were tight). Melted top of positive post ! Bolt hot ! Had a lecky mate come around. Took the battery out and the underside of the plate ( that screws to the post) on the positive lead was really grungy - filed damaged post flat and both plates and reassembled.
Fired right up as soon as I touched the starter button, like flipping a light switch.
Lessons learnt: 1 - only hit starter for 2 to 3 seconds, let wires cool for 20 seconds, then hit again
2 - check underside of lead plates when fitting new battery, I don't know how they could get so grungy but they did.
Posted by Troll
- April 08, 2019, 14:45:21 PMI hadn't really given any thought to your problem, as I don't have any way to experience the symptoms....but perhaps I just have. Today, for the second time since I own my Drifter, it refused to start. The first time was in 2010..right after I got it...and now, this morning. Both times, I replaced the spark plugs and it started instantly. The plugs I replaced today had about 80,000 miles on them. The gap was still within specs, and they were clean...but they just wouldn't fire. Just a thought...
Posted by Bucko
- April 08, 2019, 13:02:01 PMA long time ago, I did some very unscientific testing with 25W, 35W and 50W bulbs. I couldn't tell the difference between any of them in terms of brightness so stuck with the 25W bulbs.
Posted by Old Drifter
- April 08, 2019, 10:42:26 AMQuote from: mittico68 on April 08, 2019, 09:34:36 AMThanks Marco, I seem to remember that. I still have the 25w bulbs in though.Me too, but as far as I remember, some time ago Ratman (R.I.P.) posted that his attempt to use LEDs was a failure, due to their lower brightness than standard bulb lights.
Posted by mittico68
- April 08, 2019, 09:34:36 AMQuote from: Old Drifter on April 08, 2019, 09:08:57 AMI was going to switch out the standard 25w spotlight bulbs to 50w and didn't for this reason. I'm now considering LED bulbs.
Me too, but as far as I remember, some time ago Ratman (R.I.P.) posted that his attempt to use LEDs was a failure, due to their lower brightness than standard bulb lights.
Posted by Old Drifter
- April 08, 2019, 09:08:57 AMQuote from: greenbarn on April 06, 2019, 10:23:03 AMI was going to switch out the standard 25w spotlight bulbs to 50w and didn't for this reason. I'm now considering LED bulbs.The Drifters do not have a real large charging capacity. Do you do have any extra accessories? or larger wattage lights? - you could easily exceed the capacity of the charging system -- I switched to slightly higher wattage spotlights on my light bar once, and ran the battery down- while riding on a long ride-- and it would not start at a gas station.
Posted by Bucko
- April 08, 2019, 02:47:10 AMThanks GB.
Posted by Trall
- April 07, 2019, 20:33:09 PMQuote from: greenbarn on April 07, 2019, 09:52:27 AMGood to know. Great tipI looked and don't immediately see them still on Ebay, but they might still be there somewhere. You can see it mounted on the top of the triple tree, to the right of the center nut. I wanted something 1) unobtrusive and 2) easy to read going down the road at a glance. This one does not give you a digital read out of the volts (e.g. 14.0 V), but has red and green LED lights that light up across the face. I know which light is "normal" so it's easy to monitor. There are a TON of gauges to pic from on Ebay:
Posted by greenbarn
- April 07, 2019, 18:02:32 PMHere's my volt meter in use. The higher the voltage the more green lights . At road speed, I get 3 green lights, which is 14 V. So I can keep an eye on the system.
Posted by greenbarn
- April 07, 2019, 09:52:27 AMI looked and don't immediately see them still on Ebay, but they might still be there somewhere. You can see it mounted on the top of the triple tree, to the right of the center nut. I wanted something 1) unobtrusive and 2) easy to read going down the road at a glance. This one does not give you a digital read out of the volts (e.g. 14.0 V), but has red and green LED lights that light up across the face. I know which light is "normal" so it's easy to monitor. There are a TON of gauges to pic from on Ebay:
Posted by Bucko
- April 06, 2019, 12:19:49 PMQuote from: greenbarn on April 06, 2019, 10:23:03 AMGB: can you post a pix of what you've done or a link if you've already posted it?I suggest (for everyone) to install a small volt meter so you can monitor the charging / battery condition whilst riding-- might keep you out of a jam. I have one on both Drifters.
Posted by greenbarn
- April 06, 2019, 10:23:03 AMHard to tell with no more information than we have, but sounds like maybe it's not charging. You say, if you trickle charge it, then it will start? If you do not, then it "chugs away but will not fire". ?? The 1500 fuel injection system is very sensitive to a low battery. They can turn over what SEEMS to be plenty fast enough that you would think they SHOULD start... but will not. If you think it's cranking slower than normal, it probably is a low battery voltage, and the fuel injection isn't getting enough voltage to work properly.
You need to do some testing to see exactly what it is or isn't doing. The battery voltage should always be around 12.6V for a charged battery. This is with the bike not running. So after trickle charging - you need 12.6 or close to it -- or else you have a bad battery (I don't care if it's "new", there are bad new batteries sometimes). Once it's running - your charging system hast to be somewhere ABOVE 12.6 V. Around 14.5 is considered "normal", but could be somewhat less. Check this with no extra "accessories" running -- such as driving lights, GPS, heated seats, any extra lights, etc.
The Drifters do not have a real large charging capacity. Do you do have any extra accessories? or larger wattage lights? - you could easily exceed the capacity of the charging system -- I switched to slightly higher wattage spotlights on my light bar once, and ran the battery down- while riding on a long ride-- and it would not start at a gas station.
I suggest (for everyone) to install a small volt meter so you can monitor the charging / battery condition whilst riding-- might keep you out of a jam. I have one on both Drifters.
Posted by drifter-paul
- April 04, 2019, 03:26:37 AMMy starter motor went out, at 167,000 and took the battery with it. Replaced both and trickle charged the new battery and took it for a 150K run (have a Vstr5om 650 which is much less effort for an aging bloke) so I no longer ride her daily. When I try to start , she chugs away but does'nt fire. New plugs, a little choke and I'm lucky if she starts/ dry plugs , sit , (maybe) trickle charge and away she goes.
Pain in the ass. What am I missing ? New leads ? Faulty alternator ? Anyone else had this ?
Thanks 