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Won't Start - Starter Relay Buzzing

32K views 16 replies 6 participants last post by  hooligan998 
#1 ·
I've spent all weekend searching (this and other forums), and haven't found a single solid solution.

Bought the bike about 2 months ago. The owner said the bike sat for a while, and the battery was dead. He charged it, but told me that he wasn't sure how much life was left in it, as he'd never replaced it in his ownership (was second owner). I ride the bike at least every 2-3 days, and the longest it ever sat without being started was 5. A few times over the first month I would try to start the bike, but the battery would be slow to crank, and not fire. Push starting it, the bike ran fine. After the third time of this happening, and getting tired of push starting, I said screw it and got a new battery.

I sprung for the $150 Megaboost battery sold at Cyclegear, after hearing great reviews. Bike started up great, ran fantastic for about two weeks. Three days ago, however, I went to start the bike in the morning and nothing. Press starter, and a single click, but nothing. Push started, and rode to work. Same thing happened at the end of work. Thinking I got a bunk battery, I returned the one I got to Cyclegear and got a new battery and charger. I charged the new one for 5ish hours, until it read 12.8v and installed.

Unfortunately, same thing is happening, even with new battery. Single click from the starter relay, and nothing. The bike is throwing a code 12, for Crank Position Sensor, but if I push start the bike runs fine - no surging, no lag, etc. Battery is reading 12.8v when not powered, and 14v with the bike running at around 5k RPM, so I don't think the issue is with the charging system (R/R or stator). The 50A fuse under the seat was corroded to hell but I replaced that. Now it's clicking/buzzing like a mother, but still no cranking.

I tested the R/R and stator according to the manual, and everything checked out normal. I've ordered a new relay, hoping that's the issue, which comes Tuesday. All electrical connectors are tight and no corrosion or burn marks. I can't find any shorts on the wiring, and the ground strap from battery to engine is fine (no corrosion or burns). All fuses are good.

At this point I'm at a loss. I have no idea what to do next, but I'd like the bike to run again... Where else should I check? Lots of people have starting issues, but most common answer is battery.. I've tried three batteries now and they all don't work. Jump starting from a car battery, with engine NOT running (as recommended) results in the same problem. Jumping the terminals on the starter relay also doesn't start the bike.

Anyone with similar experiences? Someone talk me down from the ledge? :boom
 
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#3 ·
Thanks for the suggestion. I installed the new starter relay, and same problem is persisting. I've ordered a new starter and hopefully will be installing that in the next week or so, whenever it gets here.

When hooked up to a known good car battery (disconnecting bike battery to bypass motorcycle battery completely) the same problem is occurring... single click at the starter relay. When I bump start the bike, it reads 12.8v - 13v while idling, and 14v at around 5k RPM. Charging system seems to work properly, which leads me to believe the problem has to be something with the starting system.

Will update as I progress.
 
#4 ·
Starter relay......There is a thread where he took it apart and it was all erroded. Basically when the relay goes, it droppes a bunch of voltage and won't provide the required power to the starter.....

The error code is because you are holding the starter button down, the ECU knows this, it trips a timer and thinks the engine should be running by a certain point, it gets no signals from the crank position sensor, then thinks that it is not getting a signal, throws the code, but is is really because the engine is not turning over in the first place.

Get a relay....charge your battery....ride....and be happy with life....

If it is not that, then the starter could be having some issues.....but the relay is a way easier thing to diagnose.....just look at the voltage across it....as in if it is good when you have the starter button pushed, it should be like 0V....if it is 5V then less than 7V are getting to the starter.....

Let us know what the battery voltage is when you push the starter button....then the voltage across the relay when hitting the button.....also the voltage between the output side of the relay and the negative side of the battery when you are pushing the button....
 
#5 ·
Thank you to anyone who tried to help. I replaced the stater, got it all back together, and it fired right up. So if anyone sees this thread in the future and had similar symptoms, my issue was the starter. Not sure what made it go out at 13,xxx miles, but it runs good now!
 
#6 ·
As much as everyone loves people making new threads I'm going to piggyback off this one.

https://vimeo.com/186197029 - Is this what your's was doing OP?
My bike has a little over 11k miles on it.

I've also read all the threads I could find and like you came with no definitive answer. I also first changed the starter relay with this part (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EEKKAKM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

I also read that you can just change the brushes on your starter motor, did you do this OP or did you replace the whole unit?
 
#7 ·
https://vimeo.com/186197029 - Is this what your's was doing OP?
Yes, that's exactly the single "click" I was getting. I removed the battery, and used jumper cables to a known good car battery (make sure the car is off!!!) and was still getting a click. This removed the charging system from the equation, and limited it to either the starter relay, the starter motor, or wiring somewhere. I traced all wires and couldn't find a short anywhere, and no wires looked burnt, damaged, or frayed in any way.

I also read that you can just change the brushes on your starter motor, did you do this OP or did you replace the whole unit?
I just replaced the whole unit. It was around $315 shipped from Partzilla for a brand new starter motor. Luckily this did the trick for me. I too replaced the starter relay with one from Amazon, though unfortunately that did not rectify my situation.

Let me know if you have any further questions... would love to help another rider out.
 
#11 ·
I charged the battery overnight, and it was displaying 13.5V, so I'm thinking maybe a R/R or stator issue overcharged the battery, and fried something? I'm going to go for broke and replace the R/R and the stator, as well as the starter relay again, and pull the tank off again and check the wiring harness best I can. I'll keep updating, though parts won't arrive for another week or so.
 
#14 ·
I should be able to hook up the negative to the starter case and the positive to the bolt and it spin right?



like in this vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAyFx55QeZ4
Should be able to, yeah, assuming the starter's still good.

I replaced the stator, the r/r, the starter relay (again), replaced the lead going from starter motor to starter relay, as well as battery negative cabel, swapped in a new battery, and the bike still not starting. The battery was reading 12.8V with ignition on, and when I hit the start button it was dropping all the way down to 3-4V! Not good. Something in the starter circuit was drawing way too much power.

Thinking I burned ANOTHER starter motor, I purchased a used one on eBay. It spun fine hooking up to battery, and I installed in bike. Joy of joys, it started up again! This time, however, it was whining like a mofo and stalled after 5 seconds. Also, any amount of throttle killed the engine. After 3-4 starts like this, with a really loud whining noise coming from somewhere, it now is refusing to start.

I'm getting 12.6V at the starter motor with the start button engaged, and 0V when it's not being pushed. Hooking car battery to the starter motor directly still won't turn the engine. Engine spins easily by hand, using a socket in the crankcase/right side of engine, so it's not seized. Bike will bump start, but whines, sputters, and dies.

I'm not sure what else to do. Anyone have any ideas? I've replaced everything in the starting circuit at this point, all connections are free of corrosion and tight. Thinking I'll throw in the towel and bring to a shop tomorrow...
 
#15 ·
Maybe the starter gear went bad. It uses a one way bearing to freewheel while engine is running, but locks up when starter motor turns it to crank the engine. If the bearing locks up, then the engine is spinning the starter motor, and the gear ratio of engine:starter is magnitudes greater than starter:motor and the starter motor gets spun too fast which is probably where the whine comes from.
 
#16 ·
DING DING DIN!!! You're exactly correct... took it into a shop this weekend, and they called later that day telling me this was what was happening. Waiting on a quote to fix it (probably way more than I can afford but hey, this is my only form of transport), though I hope this is the last time it breaks down in a while!
 
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