Ignition Issue

Hello Winter Riders


Bike cover frozen in shape and padlock frozen shut this morning in London (WD40 to the rescue)!


Advice please.


K5 isn't starting well since the cold/snow/wet last few days.


Electronics come on but then engine does not start. A couple more attempts and it kicks into life but dies, then one or two more and it starts and holds idle revs. Ok when running. I fear it may not get to that point soon.


It is used daily, so it must just be the winter weather.


Is this likely to be a spark plug problem - replace those first?


Thanks guys

[Bibio]

battery or reg/rec connector.

[Talking Heads]

How old is the battery?
The CCA (cold cranking amps) value can drop with age.
So an older battery may not be able to deliver enough energy to the starter during freezing cold conditions yet be perfectly OK during normal weather.

[Blapper]

Yep, my money is on the battery. I went out to my garaged bike today, unplugged the battery tender and started it but boy, the battery struggled with the cold start, then the engine kept dying even with full choke. After about 5 goes it started fine. Right up to the end of November it jumped into life on cold starts.

[SV650rules]

With fuel injection if it is turning over and coming to life but won't keep running it may be temperature sensor playing up and not supplying enough extra fuel for very cold start. May be battery but this can be proved by a jump start from a known good battery.

Battery not so old, 2-3 years.


Stopped by garage and they said it started fine for them so didn't do anything to it.... They suggested maybe the clutch sensor (ie the bike didn't register that being pulled in first go).


Still not starting first time in the mornings, or evenings after work, but it has got there eventually.


I guess crack on and investigate further if it gets worse or is still doing it in the spring.


Thanks for the suggestions.

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by zombie

Battery not so old, 2-3 years.


Stopped by garage and they said it started fine for them so didn't do anything to it.... They suggested maybe the clutch sensor (ie the bike didn't register that being pulled in first go).


Still not starting first time in the mornings, or evenings after work, but it has got there eventually.


I guess crack on and investigate further if it gets worse or is still doing it in the spring.


Thanks for the suggestions.

I've had batteries fail in less time, dont rule it out. Mine is on the optimate when its not being ridden.

Cold weather kills batteries

[SV650rules]

Keeping a battery on constant charge can kill them as well, it is known as 'float' charging and only special standby batteries are designed to be float charged due to their special plates and chemistry. Yuasa recommend that you 'exercise the battery' within the top 20% of its capacity (never let it discharge too much as this permanently damages the battery), a battery that has been allowed to sit in a 'flat' state for any length of time is damaged. It is actually heat that kills the chemistry and all cold weather does is confirm the diagnosis when you ask your battery to supply more current to start a cold engine and power accessories like heated grips etc. In some hot countries batteries only last 18 months to 2 years.

I tend to hook a slow charger up every two to three weeks (when I remember) or so for a couple of hours or until the green light comes on, then take it off charge, as long as you don't have any parasitic loads on the battery they normally discharge at about 1% a day, less in cold weather more in hot. I have found after two weeks on my AL7 that the green light comes on after less than 15min after 3 weeks being left, so it must not have any slow drainage from bike electrics ( an alarm can drain battery fairly quick, even on standby).

http://www.yuasabatteries.com/motor_battery.php

[Blapper]

True enough it is always best to use most things within ideal limits, but a battery that is let go much below 85% charge for a while is going to die a lot quicker than one which is floated - that is my experience anyway. I have yet to kill one on float, whereas 3-4 months without charge and its a goner.

[SV650rules]

Originally Posted by Blapper

True enough it is always best to use most things within ideal limits, but a battery that is let go much below 85% charge for a while is going to die a lot quicker than one which is floated - that is my experience anyway. I have yet to kill one on float, whereas 3-4 months without charge and its a goner.

Most of the better 'battery tender' type chargers are smart enough to turn the charge on and off and even discharge it a bit, so they don't actually float the charge. Some like Accumate will handle bigger batteries so can be used for car as well. A lot of modern chargers have voltage detection and reverse polarity checking (you can push the clips together and it wont spark or short out, and if you connect it the wrong way it wont supply any voltage), unfortunately this means they wont charge a completely flat or very low battery and you may have to connect another 'good' battery in parallel for a while to get it to supply a charge (probably wasting your time anyway as a battery that has gone completely flat is a gonner anyway and will never be any good even if you bring it back from the dead). The charger I use has switches for 'car or motorbike' battery and 'sealed or normal' and switches from charge to trickle when it detects battery is fully charged, but is not smart enough to cycle the charging - been using it for many years and loathe to spend money on a new one as my batteries seem happy and last for many years.