Electrical Issues - Starter Relay Problem?

g'day all.

i've got an issue with my bike at the moment and hoping you technical gurus out there can confirm what i think the problem may be.

scenario: key in, ignition to on, all lights and instruments light up as per normal, kill switch to on, i hit the starter button and all i hear is a 'click' or a 'pop'...all the lights go off, bike has no power.

i turn the ignition off, and back on again, still no power...nothing lights up.

once in a blue moon, i get power again when i switch the ignition to on...but once the starter button is pressed the same thing happens.

bike has been running fine, no problems at all, battery is fine and reading about 12.55V. i have not tested the bike with a new battery as yet as i do not believe it's a battery problem.

checked all fuses, none have been blown.

now here's the weird part which makes me suspect the starter relay is busted...

with the ignition OFF, the multimeter reads 12.55V from the battery.

with the ignition ON, the multimeter reads 0.20V from the battery.

is this pretty much an indication that the starter relay is busted and doing funky things?

anything else i should look out for before i replace the relay?



just wanted to see if anyone had any other ideas before i go and buy a replacement starter relay...i don't want to fork out cash for one to find out it wasn't the problem.

[pookie]

I'd try a borrowing a battery especially if the lights go out and stay out. I had a similar thing which turned out to be the electrics. http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=142106

[fastdruid]

Dodgy earth or bad battery connections.

Druid

Have had exactly the same thing and it was the starter relay - but as said could be myriad of other things.

Can rule out the starter relay (and trip connection from starter switch) by by-passing it.

If that solves it might also worth checking wire from switch to relay - mine had fried - so whether the short fried the relay or the duff relay caused the short I'll never know.


Not recommending any of the above - it's just what I did to my own fairly ratty carbed bike.

edit: to avoid being stranded in the middle of the night.

edit2: because it was raining too hard to bump it.

edit3: I'll stop now

mine used to be dead on key some times would be fine one min totaly dead the next... turned out to be the plug between the ING barel and the main loom ive hard wired it now and (touch wood) its never had that prob since later found out a mate has a sv1000 with the same prob and same solution!!

Originally Posted by 2hys

mine used to be dead on key some times would be fine one min totaly dead the next... turned out to be the plug between the ING barel and the main loom ive hard wired it now and (touch wood) its never had that prob since later found out a mate has a sv1000 with the same prob and same solution!!

I too had the fried green connector problem, but it doesn't sound like that's the case here.

got an update...

i took the battery out of the bike, topped it off with fluids and hooked it up to the trickle charger overnight.

put it back in the bike this morning, and with the ignition ON, i get power!!!!!!!!

however, when i hit the starter button the bike doesn't crank....all i hear is the starter relay clicking rapidly.


i've yet to try jump starting the bike (if it starts then i can positively say my battery is rooted)...

i assume that my battery shows sufficient voltage, but has lost any capacity it once had and doesn't have enough 'amps' to get the starter motor going?



and oh...i tried 'bypassing' the starter relay/switch as you said - i hooked up the starter motor wire directly to the positive terminal of my battery but it still doesn't crank or start. what does this mean?

Originally Posted by cornflakes

got an update...

i took the battery out of the bike, topped it off with fluids and hooked it up to the trickle charger overnight.

put it back in the bike this morning, and with the ignition ON, i get power!!!!!!!!

however, when i hit the starter button the bike doesn't crank....all i hear is the starter relay clicking rapidly.


i've yet to try jump starting the bike (if it starts then i can positively say my battery is rooted)...

i assume that my battery shows sufficient voltage, but has lost any capacity it once had and doesn't have enough 'amps' to get the starter motor going?

That would be my next guess - but I know nothing. Starter relay will just click when there's not enough juiice to turn the bike over. Battery could be the reason there's not engough juice.

Originally Posted by cornflakes

and oh...i tried 'bypassing' the starter relay/switch as you said - i hooked up the starter motor wire directly to the positive terminal of my battery but it still doesn't crank or start. what does this mean?

It's means your relay's almost certainly fine - (basically if the startermotor works if you bypass the relay then you know it's something to do with the relay - if not then it probably aint)

Edit - presuming the battery's charged anyway...