SV400 Dead...temporarily

[SV400Rob]

Hey guys.

Just looking for help...again. I went out last night on the SV with my mate on his Hyosung. Went on over the cat and fiddle and then over long hill back through Kettleshulme and Pott Shrigly. So was a fairly good run for the bike. Got back near home and my mate over takes me and takes me on to a side road so he could have a fag.

As he pulled up first I went and pulled up in front of him pressing the kill switch before I stopped and rolled to a stop. After he'd had his fag and we were ready to go the bike wouldn't start and the battery appeared to be dead. I thought it could have something to do with hitting the kill switch but I noticed the front indicators weren't as bright as they normally were as we pulled into the side road. I left the bike 5minutes in the hope it might cure it but it didn't, So we bumped it down the hill and it started. I then pulled over and waited for my mate and as I put the bike in 1st from neutral the bike cut out. So we bumped it again and it was fine until I indicated to turn at a junction when it cut out again. I managed to roll round through the junction and got off the bike.

This is another bit I can't work out. Sunday I filled up with petrol pretty much to the top and didn't really use that much when I was out on the bike before it broke down. When I'd got through the junction, as mentioned above, the fuel light was flashing so I checked the take just incase and it was pretty much full. Then the light went solid yellow. So I gave in and rang the recovery people. They came out no problems and the hooked the bike upto their starter pack and it started second time, after being stood for a good 3/4's of an hour. Then it cut out again. So on to the truck it went said sight.

Forgot to mention that the bike is now on a trickle charge.

Has anyone got any ideas as to what could be the problem or could have a guess?

Cheers Rob

Sounds like you might have a dodgy connection in the kill switch or another of the kill switches (clutch or side stand). The fuel light error again points to a fault in the loom somewhere. Unfortunately intermittent faults are hard to isolate. my first idea would be to bypass the side stand switch to rule that out (the relay on mine went crazy and my bike showed similar symptoms other than the fuel light). Then, I'd check all the connectors in the loom are correctly seated and none are furred up with corrosion.

[SV400Rob]

I thought maybe kill switch but it started when I bumped it and the engine ran fine for a few minutes before I put it into gear again and it cut out which could be the clutch switch. The batteries krackered at the moment so its on charge. It was a new battery in March too. The bike was fine up until I used the kill switch I think we stopped two or three times before this happened as well.

[rictus01]

sounds like a reg/rec problem, check the output to the battery with the bike running at about 5,000 revs, should be between 13.5-15v, if it's below that you'll need to replace it.

also worth doing a ground leakage test to whilst you're there.

Cheers Mark.

[SV400Rob]

The batteries completly dead at the moment but its on charge so will try again later.

Had another thought though. Going through the tank is a metal pipe which allows water that has collected in the filler neck to escape and drain out. Mine recently corroded and was letting petrol through and so I've blocked the pipe at the top and blocked it off at the bottom so that it wasn't leaking petrol and so that water didn't get into my tank. Could that have anything to do with it and also is there anyway of getting air into the tank so it doesn't air lock?

Sorry to hear about your lil' 400

GET IT BACK ON THE ROAD Dx

I'd suggest checking all the idiot switches as others have said.

[rictus01]

Originally Posted by SV400Rob

The batteries completly dead at the moment but its on charge so will try again later.

Had another thought though. Going through the tank is a metal pipe which allows water that has collected in the filler neck to escape and drain out. Mine recently corroded and was letting petrol through and so I've blocked the pipe at the top and blocked it off at the bottom so that it wasn't leaking petrol and so that water didn't get into my tank. Could that have anything to do with it and also is there anyway of getting air into the tank so it doesn't air lock?

If the battery is completely drained after a run, then either it wasn't being charged or was leaking voltage to earth (the two tests I mentioned above will show which), as the the tank, if the vent whole in the filler cap it blocked you will get a "hiss" after a run when opening it as it draws in air.

Cheers Mark.

[SV400Rob]

I have had the battery on charge for a while and have just gone to start it and it started no problem. This was with the charger still plugged in and so I took the charger out and it was still running. I then turned it off and got the "hissing" sound. I then went to start it again and it wouldn't start.

[SV400Rob]

Hey. I left the bike on charge last night and I started it no problem this afternoon. I put a multi-meter onto the battery and it read 12volts at tick over. I then up-ed the revs to 5500rpm and it still read 12volts. Up-ed it again to about 9-10rpm still read 12volts.

Is it safe to say that the battery isn't at fault? Is it a new reg/rec jobby?

Cheers Rob

[rictus01]

Yep, sounds like you're just using battery power and once it's gone the bike dies, which suggests no charge is going back into the battery from the generator.