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Starting troubles for a noob

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DavidF View Drop Down
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    Posted: 11 Mar 2018 at 17:01
Hello and thanks for considering the first of what promise to be many questions. I just acquired a 78 Convert. My plan is to make it a solid daily rider, nothing fancy. But first I must start it. It started when I bought it. I can start it with a jump start. But using just the starter switch I get a lot of clicks and no effort to turn over. The battery is a new BikeMaster 53030. Any ideas?
David
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Jim Mac View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jim Mac Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2018 at 18:01
See the click no crank thread here
[URL= ][/URL]http://www.guzziriders.org/click-no-crank_topic23.html

Great bike the Convert. You will enjoy it - when you can get it started
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jerry atric Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2018 at 20:01
Welcome. I think Jim Mac has already answered your question. Good luck with your convert.
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Brian UK View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Brian UK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2018 at 21:36
When you say a lot of clicks, do you mean constant like a machine gun? Or do you mean a click every time you press the start button?
The former is usually a discharged battery, the latter is covered in the other topic mentioned above.
 
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DavidF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DavidF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 2018 at 09:25
Thanks for the replies. I had found the click no crank thread. There is a lot of good hints in here. 
When I press the starter there is a big clunk and then a lot of clicks like a machine gun going fast and then slowing down. Each time I try to start, slower clicks. Then I charge the battery and it happens again. When I jump start with a spare car battery hooked up to the existing bike battery, it fires right up. My guess it is a bad battery. The battery appears new but it may have been sitting for years. The bike was last inspected in 2003. It shows 15k on the odometer.
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magwa View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote magwa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 2018 at 09:59
Well welcome to Italian electrics.
I've followed the click no crank thread religiously.
I decided to sell the bike and buy a triumph.
good luck and welcome
Magwa
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Brian UK View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Brian UK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 2018 at 10:31
This is nothing to do with Italian electrics, it's clearly a dud battery.
Brian.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ken-Guzzibear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 2018 at 11:40
It is not a black art, thing is with elektrikery it is logical and reasonably simple the weak point always has been the start relay.

Easy to replace with a modern micro relay and fixed base have a spare even the good ones can fail.

If the battery connections are slightly off or the earth has become loose/corroded it will not start the beast. The starter on the older bikes Bosch is very robust BUT it is as big as one on a Merc Van.
Possible other reasons for it not throwing over From My personal experience over the last 26+ yrs.....

99% of the time it IS the start relay

Dirty connection on Battery

Earth lead they put it to Battery tray and that can crack causing bad earth

The Ceramic fuses can fail you have to actually take them out clean the contact replace, If you consider replacing the relay with modern one (Pyro Dan is your man) then consider replacing fuses with blade type ones.

Rarely the start solenoid BUT look at the starter to solenoid you will see what is an earth braid between them only a few mm from solenoid to starter I have had that crack took me ages to find it.

It is worth having the starter and solenoid re furbished there are often Bosch service agents and ours in Leics charges around £70 for a refurb well worth it as a set of brushes from Guzzi are expensive, daft as older BMW use same parts and are way cheaper BUT a real difficult job to do the tools cost too much.

The only other weak point is the 3 way block at the headlamp and the actual switch innards can corrode if the bike has stood.

As in your case it fires up with a boost then that my friend is a duff battery ......on that note there are many options BUT as I and others found out with a V1000 the OEM is best .....it quite simply works.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bomber one Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Sep 2018 at 12:54
hi Ken,
Need a new battery for my v1000. Currently has 28ah exide (model no. Rubbed off) which has lasted 5 yrs.
When I looked on Tayna for a replacement for guzzi model it had the polarity positions opposite.  My positive is front left, negative is rear left.  Do you know if this is std or modified please?
Thanks Frank
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Brian UK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Sep 2018 at 21:40
If that's the way the battery cables are fitted, then that's the type of battery you need to buy unless you want to alter the cables.
Tayna will have a battery of the right dimentions (measure yours) and the same terminals.
Brian.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jefrs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep 2018 at 13:42
The code on a battery tells the stockist many things, size & shape, amp-hours, and position of terminals - left & right, front or back, side or top connection. The chap told me but I promptly forgot.

There's only two or three companies that actually make these batteries, one is in South Africa. All the other brands are all re-badge jobs. You might want brand X but brand Y will be identical.

Best bet is to take the old dead battery to a stockist and declare, "I want one of these".
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