quick battery question

[gerpena]

i suspect i have a battery that needs replacement, so i took it to an auto parts store to have it recharged.

the guy told me the battery was taking a charge just fine and he thinks its still good. when i hook it up to my bike, all the lights go on but i still cant get the bike to start.

could it still be my battery? is there a way to know for sure before i spent 50 bucks on a new one?

[mustangski]

Does the bike crank at all? Or does it make any noises when you attempt to start it?

[gerpena]

Does the bike crank at all? Or does it make any noises when you attempt to start it?

thanks for asking....

the bike makes not sound whatsoever. the ONLY thing i hear is the solenoid click when i attempt to start, nothing else.

[Henriettaah]

...what is the next step for the engine following the solenoid..? - The starter wouldn't even turn if the battery was knackered.

[gerpena]

...what is the next step for the engine following the solenoid..? - The starter wouldn't even turn if the battery was knackered.

well i did try jump starting the bike but no luck. i also had the battery recharged and still no luck.

am i screwed?

[Henriettaah]

No! Never screwed. All it takes is to find out what the engine does after the solenoid.. I should know from my car.. but its been a tough day today.

Sooo.. sounds like the battery is fine. The solenoid is fine. Could be the starter motor..? I (hesitantly) think the solenoid turns the starter motor (Stepping onto uncertain ground.. c'mon blokes.. help me out here!)

Its as 'simple' as logical process of elimination.. (cough)

[Henriettaah]

If the starter solenoid clicks, but the starter does not turn, check the charge of the battery. If the battery is fully charged, connect the positive jumper cable directly to the starter cable. That's the big, thick, cable going from the starter solenoid to the starter. When you make the connection, there will be a big spark and the starter should turn. If it does, the solenoid is bad. If nothing happens, the starter cable is broken or the starter is bad. Try connecting directly to the starter motor, if possible. If the starter turns, but the engine does not, the starter gears or starter clutch is bad. If the starter does not turn, either the starter is bad or the engine is stuck

[mysta2]

all the solenoid does is close a loop between the battery and the starter so power goes straight to the starter and cranks it over.
if you put a voltmeter across the terminals of the battery and get somwhere around 12 volts (I usually get 13.something) then the problem's not the batt. Obviously power is not getting to the starter or it would make some attempt to turn... so the batt's flat to a point that the starter is actually getting power but so little that it wont budge, or maybe you have a short or opening in the system between the solenoid and the batt; inspect the big fat wire running from the batt to the solenoid to the starter. Last resort maybe the short or opening is actually inside the starter; then you would either need to replace or rebuild the starter.

As stated above you can artifically bridge the solenoid, but if it clicks... I really doubt it's bad. I'd only try that when all else fails.


I actually stripped the starter from my bike and am about to (hopefully) strip the battery too, so I really haven't had too much time messing with my starter.

[gerpena]

thanks guys for the useful advice, especially you, Henriettaah.

i am going to try these techniques when i get home today.

gerardo

[old-n-slow]

It sounds to me like you might have problems with the starter motor. I would check the connections to the starter first off, just to be sure that the problem isn't there. The starter draws so much current that it really requires a good connection.

Also just because the solenoid clicks doesn't mean that it is working. You could just as easily have a faulty solenoid. I recall that solenoids used to give problems years back though I have not had one fail in recent years. That don't mean it can't happen.