Trouble starting

Hi to everyone

Yesterday I got stranded again by a non-starting 1999 SV650. When pressing the starter button, you could here a soft buzzing sound but I’m not sure about the clicks (too frustrated to remember). Anyway, I managed to jump start-it and arrived home. Back in the garage, I left it resting for about an hour, took out the multi-metre and got the following readings:

Engine off = 12.69 volts
Engine on at idle (with lights on) = 13.4 volts
Engine on at 5000 rpm (with lights on) = 13.8 volts

Please note that mine is a Japanese import, therefore lights are on with the key. She has covered 17.5K km, replaced rectifier @ 16K km last December and battery has been with us for around 2 years. Any suggestions please? All help will be greatly appreciated and keep up the brilliant work.

Cheers

The charging voltages seem fine.

So my main suggestion is to measure the voltage again. But this time whilst you turn the ignition on (and hence lights), but before starting. In doing this you are trying to put ‘load’ on the battery to see if it can hold its charge. If the voltage drops below 12v quickly, then the battery is suspect.

If the battery was the culprit, wouldn’t restarting around ten times put it under suitable load? Whilst testing yesterday, I restarted a number of times and in occasions could only hear the usual click a bit hesitant. Could the starter be playing up and maybe needs a good clean up? I’m going abroad with the bike next week, so I need it in perfect condition, but I’m a bit hesitant to start disassembling stuff now just in case something goes back on wrongly and it starts giving me trouble in Sicily. Thanks a million for any advise.

OK, these are my new findings:

Key off, lights off = 16 volts going down to 14 volts slowly
Key on, lights on = 13 volts drops down to 10 volts quickly and up again to 13 volts
Engine on - idle, lights on = 14.3 volts
Engine on – 5K rpm, lights on = 13.7 volts

What you guys reckon? I managed a couple of short trips since Sunday with no problems. So, was it the battery or the starter or should I be looking at something else? Thanks in advance.

Definitely a hammered battery. Just not holding the charge...

ok, tonight, do this-

http://www.thegsresources.com/garage/gs_statorfault.htm

then you will know!!!

the key to the tests is knowing the accuracy of your multi-meter.....

When pressing the starter button, you could here a soft buzzing sound

Does it sound like the starter is spinning and not the engine? If so it could be the sprag clutch is knackered and not engaging.

or you could have a dodgy starter relay / solenoid, ive had this on bikes before, sometimes it will engage, sometimes it wont. i normally find its when people have removed the lead going to the starter without holding the bolt underneath the terminal, thus putting strain on the inner working of the solenoid when trying to undo it.

if you replace the battery and still have a problem, i would check your starter relay next.

Originally Posted by ugp

...sometimes it will engage, sometimes it wont. i normally find its when people have removed the lead going to the starter without holding the bolt underneath the terminal, thus putting strain on the inner working of the solenoid when trying to undo it.

Can you explain this a bit better "UGP"?