One dead SV - any ideas?

[haggis]

Looking for inspiration folks.


I haven't been out on the bike for ages but was moving it back into the shed and it turned over ok but wouldn't start.... flat battery... no problem - whipped it out to give it a charge.

It's a couple of weeks later now and I finally got round to charging it. Just tried to start it tonight and it's not turning over. Not at all, nothing. Fuses are ok.

The battery took the charge, lights, clocks etc work. I've checked the clutch switch, sidestand, neutral, killswitch... all seem ok.

So what's left to check? Maybe trace the wiring?

Tried a couple of bump starts but the roads too greasy (and flat!) so it just locked the rear.

[rockster]

bearing in mind that a) i've been in the pub all night and b) i don't really know what i'm talking about, is it possible that you've got varnished fuel in the carbs?

[pawl]

not had no real problems yet, without sounding sarky, douuble check eveything, can you hear the fuel pump prime?

[haggis]

I'm bearing it in mind thanks.....:D

OK possibly another thing to check but why would it not turn over though? I'm thinking electrical problem.



PS, did you enjoy your pint?

[pawl]

i had my stand switch sticking very occassionly, pig to fathom

[rockster]

actually, reading that again, probably not given that the starter's not turning over. Note to self, don't offer opinions on stuff you don't understand, especially under the influence.

[rockster]

actually, reading that again, probably not given that the starter's not turning over. Note to self, don't offer opinions on stuff you don't understand, especially under the influence.

[haggis]

Don't you love it when drunk people forget what they've just said, lol. :smt036

[Red Herring]

Don't bite my head off, but as it's been a while since you last rode it......do you need to pull the clutch in on a curvy for the starter to engage...(mines a pointy and I've sat on the bike a couple of times scratching my head because I'd forgotten this).

Is it possible to reconnect the battery the wrong way round?

[haggis]

Don't worry, i wont bite anyone's head off. That the sort of stupid thing i could easily forget....but not this time.

However, I did sit on the bike and think "What the heck am I not doing here????" :D


It's not easy to hook up the battery wrong, the leads are very short and wont reach if the battery is @rse about tit. Oh, and I think things would start to smoke right away..... bit of a giveaway that, lol.


Thinking back, I didn't hear the solenoid click so maybe that's stuck. Something to check tomorrow night.

[rockster]

Sorry for the double post. As my mammy never said, if a point's worth making, it's worth making twice.

As a newbie to spannering, I only really know about two things, a) cleaning carbs and b) rebuilding brake calipers. Don't suppose it's cos your brakes need rebuilt? Nah, thought not... I'll get me coat...

[squirrel_hunter]

If you have a battery in and changed but nothing happening and no clicking I would start at the fuses.

However you said you've checked these. I assume you have checked all of them, the ones under the seat and the main fuse (right hand side of the bike on the solenoid (left, the right is the spare)). If you have I'd go to the clutch switch.

You said you've checked this also, I assume you used a multimeter, but have you considered bridging the switch with a split pin and then trying.

If this fails I would then wonder about the actual starter switch. You can by pass this (a little trick I learned from the AA when my switch failed) by bridging the connectors on the live side of the solenoid. But be careful there are a couple of volts running through there and it will arc. If that turns the engine over I would assume the switch and would disconnect this for testing.

However I assume that you have removed the left hand seat bolt and checked the wiring here as the bolt will rub through and will do some interesting things to the electrics.