Starting problem with my D4

[sotirisp]

Hello guys,

Something strange happened today going back at home from work...
I think i have an idea what might happening but i'd need your advise on this...

The story is like this:

I started the bike in the morning and went all the way down at my work office. Nothing strange happened en-route.

When i arrived at my office i parked the bike and set the alarm.

Leaving the office in the afternoon, i de-activated the alarm, turned the ignition key on and then pressed the start button.

Well nothing happened, the starter motor didn't run and i only hear a "click" somewhere under the driver's seat...

Looks like that "click" noise comes somewhere from the area where the battery or the CDI box is placed.

I had experience this situation a couple of years ago, but, back then i did nothing to fix it because it was fixed itself (meaning the after repetitive press of the start button, it finally worked).

Do you think that it's a defective starter motor?
I didn't check anything yet because i was tired and didn't want to mess with it tonight...


P.S. I forgot to mention: i jump-started the bike and it run absolutely fine. That's how i went back home

It's only the starter* motor (?) that refuses to bring it in life ...or something else...i;m not sure


I'd appreciate any answer cause the search facilities of this forum doesn't bring me relative results (or i don't use it properly maybe...)

[charlietbird]

Is your alarm OK? Or , is your battery weak?

Charlie

[charlietbird]

OR are the starter relay connections dirty? (a common problem)
Sorry for the double post!

Charlie

[sotirisp]

Alarm seems fine...actually i disconnected it and didn't make a change.
Battery is also almost new...

I will check the starter relay tomorrow...

I think that it is located somewhere under the right side cover ? Near the CDI unit?

[bighairymuppet]

hit the starter with hammer or comething (ive used my disc lock before) and retry may be brushes sticking in starter. could also be dodgy battery made worse by current weather.

recharge overnight and retry and if it works could be battery or charging circuit.

to check this check voltage across battery with nothing running should be 13. something then run bike with lights on and battery should eb giving out about 14 ish

if its giving out more then your charging circuit working.

another not so accurate way to check charging is park ur bike running with light shining on wall rev to 4000 revs in neutral headlight should get a little brighter (NOTE: might not notice much diff on these bikes though )

mine was a dodgy battery and although giving out 13.6 was losing charge overnight.

[bobh]

I had exactly the same just after I got my 900 and it was just a loose battery connection (the negative one if memory serves). The current draw of the starter somehow causes the terminal connections to open up and prevent further current from flowing, even though they are apparently touching. Worth taking them off, cleaning and greasing them and maknig sure they're tight.

[sotirisp]

guys thank you all for your help.

Today i decided to work on my D4 starting problem.

Guess what, you were right -> battery is dead.

It tricked me in the first place that it was OK because the day i had the non-working starter problem, all the other electricals on the bike were working fine...

After about one week (that is today) and while we had a weather change here (cold) battery is now completely dead...

I connected the bike with my car's battery and everything works...

So i have to buy a new battery..

Damned things

[bighairymuppet]

glad to hear your all working. its frustrating with these things. i had the same fault. sticky brushes in starter motor and then a dead cell in battery so it would hold charge for a day and show a good voltage 13.6 but then would drop overnight especially in the cold.

cleaned the brushes changed the abttery no more bump starts :-)

[bobh]

Bring back magnetos I say!! And acetylene lamps, and beaded edge tyres and men with red flags - nurse, quick, the commode.....

[CD]

Most likely bad connectors, but it might be the generator. Check it's giving the correct 14 volts at about 4000 rpm with all the lights one etc. If it has failed, and cooked the battery a new battery will only go the same way.

Talk to www.electrexworld.co.uk/