guzziriders.org - moto guzzi forum Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Technical > General Electrical issues
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Click No Crank fixed (seems to be)
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Click No Crank fixed (seems to be)

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
Author
Message
TooJuicy View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 06 May 2015
Location: Guildford, Surr
Status: Offline
Points: 759
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TooJuicy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 May 2022 at 20:42
Heart  Love your motorcycle,

The original V7 has to be up there in the running of best looking bike ever.

Tony
Back to Top
tomgudgeon View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 17 Oct 2019
Location: London
Status: Offline
Points: 106
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomgudgeon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Nov 2022 at 15:37
I'm experiencing a similar problem with my bike. Difficulty is I have an M-Unit fitted which makes it hard to diagnose the problem. It may turn over a couple of times then click, click, click in quick succession. It seems to happen totally randomly as well.

I have a new Valeo starter motor fitted. From what I can remember when the problem occurs I've tried jumping it (making a connection on the solenoid) and sometimes it'll start but sometimes it still has the same problem. it turns over a couple times then click, click, click.

The last time I got stuck I connected it to a battery charger and it started immediately (while connected) and I rode happily for hours. Went to take her out the other day and a slow turn over then click, click, click. I gave up immediately.

This has always indicated a weak battery right? But I swapped batteries with another Guzzi a few years ago and that battery now works fine in that machine and now my current battery is doing the same thing (after working fine for a year or so).

It makes no sense at all.

Do you think getting a new solenoid will solve this?
Back to Top
Mike H View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 21 May 2014
Location: East Anglia
Status: Offline
Points: 8733
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike H Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Nov 2022 at 16:17
'click, click, click in quick succession' usually means knackered battery, it's not holding a charge. When the solenoid activates, the Voltage drops too low to hold it so it drops out, this allows the Voltage to recover, solenoid activates again, Voltage drops, solenoid drops out, and so on ad infinitum.

"Chicken nuggets don't dance on a Tuesday."
Back to Top
Speciality View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 31 Aug 2022
Location: Bucks
Status: Offline
Points: 229
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Speciality Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Nov 2022 at 16:31
Yes, I’ve had that on a BMW oilhead with Valeo starter motor. The solenoid contacts eventually weld themselves together if not addressed.
Back to Top
Brian UK View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar

Joined: 13 May 2014
Location: Surrey
Status: Offline
Points: 17641
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Brian UK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Nov 2022 at 20:39
Yes, that machine-gunning is usually the battery, exactly as Mike explained. Or you have some poor connection which causes the same result. That connection would have to be close to the battery, or the battery/frame connection. It would have to affect the 12v through the solenoid coils.

You said that changing the battery cured the "fault" for a year or so. No doubt this replacement isn't as good now as it was then.
Brian.

Better 5 minutes late in this world than years early in the next.
Back to Top
tomgudgeon View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 17 Oct 2019
Location: London
Status: Offline
Points: 106
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomgudgeon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Nov 2022 at 12:35
Makes sense. I've bought a new smart charger to see if I can repair the current battery. If the problem continues and it is indeed the battery and not a bad connection (which I've checked many times), do you have any recommendation that's bullet proof?

All of these batteries have eventually had the same problem over the past few years:

Odyssey AGM 18Ah
Excide AGM 30Ah
Excide wet 30Ah

It's worth noting that the 2nd battery I had is now in another Guzzi and works fine.

That part makes no sense to me
Back to Top
Ken-Guzzibear View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar

Joined: 13 May 2014
Location: Sileby Leics
Status: Offline
Points: 9454
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ken-Guzzibear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Nov 2022 at 12:41
There are Smart chargers available on e-bay £13-£17 they work on all batteries and will recover AGM batteries, mine did when the AGM battery showed under 9v .... a campervan had left interior lights on. 

It took over 10 hrs to get it over 12V ..... These chargers pulse a battery and show the actual Battery Voltage / The %age charge of Battery / The charge rate in Amps then Volts. 

Connect to a battery with no 240V input and it will display battery Voltage and %age charge.

I was undecided BUT after it recovered a very sorry AGM battery I was convinced. I use it to check my caravan leisure battery and to check the state of my spare leisure battery. I have the spare battery hooked up via a timer switch so it comes on overnight and keeps the battery healthy. Charging when needed, popping a load to create a discharge and pulsing to stop plates sulphating.

At one time a bike battery would last 7+ yrs but I have experienced modern batteries giving up in 2 yrs, in fact I had one that died in 26 months BUT had a 36 month Guarantee, The company I got it from did honour that too so I got a new battery for the cost of return postage.

Few people keep battery receipts, I always write the date fitted on a battery and where I got it keep them in with the log book
The Older i Get, The Better I Was
Back to Top
Brian UK View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar

Joined: 13 May 2014
Location: Surrey
Status: Offline
Points: 17641
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Brian UK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Nov 2022 at 13:25
If your old battery is still working on another Guzzi, maybe your bike is not charging properly. Or does it have a parasytic drain on the battery when left?
There is no doubt that allowing a battery to deeply discharge kills them very quickly, so if you do have a parasytic drain, better to disconnect the battery when leaving the bike for any time. Obviously it also pays to have a battery with the highest possible capacity in AH.
Brian.

Better 5 minutes late in this world than years early in the next.
Back to Top
Mike H View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 21 May 2014
Location: East Anglia
Status: Offline
Points: 8733
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike H Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Nov 2022 at 17:14
Originally posted by tomgudgeon tomgudgeon wrote:

If the problem continues and it is indeed the battery and not a bad connection (which I've checked many times), do you have any recommendation that's bullet proof?




"Chicken nuggets don't dance on a Tuesday."
Back to Top
Simond View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 May 2021
Location: Kent
Status: Offline
Points: 886
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Simond Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Nov 2022 at 21:09
Originally posted by Brian UK Brian UK wrote:

If your old battery is still working on another Guzzi, maybe your bike is not charging properly. Or does it have a parasytic drain on the battery when left?
There is no doubt that allowing a battery to deeply discharge kills them very quickly, so if you do have a parasytic drain, better to disconnect the battery when leaving the bike for any time. Obviously it also pays to have a battery with the highest possible capacity in AH.

This is right.  It’s one of the battery going flat due to a drain, or not charging, or a bad connection somewhere, if the battery has recovered enough to work fine in a different bike.


Back to Top
Brian UK View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar

Joined: 13 May 2014
Location: Surrey
Status: Offline
Points: 17641
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Brian UK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Nov 2022 at 21:20
Remember an electric clock is enough to discharge a small bike battery in a matter of weeks.
Brian.

Better 5 minutes late in this world than years early in the next.
Back to Top
theone&onlymin View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 14 May 2014
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 2072
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote theone&onlymin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Nov 2022 at 08:17
Saying this whilst touching wood so I am.
In the 90s my local car sparky did the mod to my bike. Sometimes it still just clicks. Time to change relay or clean contacts. Remember a wee dash of contact cleaner in the start button
What I noticed recently was that the power wire into the fuse box was loose.
 Added a new connector and so far ( still touching wood ) it has been more reliable.  Still keep the 4" nail in my rear footrest though.

Cheers
Min
Back to Top
Ken-Guzzibear View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar

Joined: 13 May 2014
Location: Sileby Leics
Status: Offline
Points: 9454
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ken-Guzzibear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Nov 2022 at 16:51
One other thing rare but has happened the earth strap on the battery box fixed BUT the tag had cracked causing intermittent failure top tip fix earth to gearbox bolt 

Also at one time the braided link from the solenoid to actual starter had a crack in it, these are rare BUT take time to actually find worth looking closely

The Older i Get, The Better I Was
Back to Top
Andyb View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 02 Jul 2016
Location: Nottinghamshire
Status: Offline
Points: 602
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Andyb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Dec 2022 at 08:30
Last year I had a starting problem on my BMW airhead which has similar electrics to Guzzis of that era - after fitting a new starter the problem turned out to simply be a bad electrical contact at the earth strap on the gearbox.  The bolt was tight but there was resistance between the cable eye and and the gearbox…..
The earth and power cables that carry the high currents to the starter can also break down with time and modern low resistance alternative cable sets are available, at least for BMWs.
AndyB

Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.03
Copyright ©2001-2019 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.156 seconds.