Battery / Starting question

[unibar]

I have read through the posts re batteries etc, and stripped the starter.. all greased / cleaned and magnets intact.

New Battery fitted in May, and pretty much from Day one the ABS does not kick in immediately but after a 10 min ride it will, 4K miles later and it has started to happen more frequently, and the clock has reset twice which is never a good sign.
The alternator is giving 14.4V on run, and I pop it on the optimate once a week.

I am used to this happening after 2 winters as the bike lives outside, but this is silly, it "nearly" didn't start the other week too.

Suggestions would be welcome, is there somewhere I can get it tested under load?.. I live in Greenwich, another option I guess would be to put the volt meter across it but to stop the engine firing whilst running the starter.. but how to stop it firing.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions, battery was from Sherlocks Excide Gel and would rather get it tested locally before paying silly money to send it back only to be told it is ok its a 19Ah Gel sealed affair.

ta

Paul

 

[Old Codger]

Steptoe

Is only round the corner from you
Top end of the A3
Vale Crescent
May be worth a visit

 

[Timolgra]

Any garage should have a voltage drop tester to check the battery out

 

[unibar]

Neil does my servicing, I may just pop in and see him if work takes me that way

 

[Bendy toy]

Any garage should have a voltage drop tester to check the battery out

The charge voltage seems ok. What's it like with everything switched on and low engine revs?

Disconnect the alternator and test there is virtually infinite resistance between the +ve output and chassis. Anything less suggests the diode pack is failing and draining the battery.

 

[Fanum]

New Battery fitted in May, and pretty much from Day one the ABS does not kick in immediately but after a 10 min ride it will, 4K miles later and it has started to happen more frequently, and the clock has reset twice which is never a good sign.
The alternator is giving 14.4V on run, and I pop it on the optimate once a week.

On the face of it, sounds like it's duff......an optimate will help hide that fact though, as it will report that he battery is fully charged where in fact it means 'I can't squeeze any more juice in, so I'm going to say it's fully charged'

This often leads to batteries failing suddenly rather than giving the telltale signs of impending failure which yours is exhibiting.

another option I guess would be to put the volt meter across it but to stop the engine firing whilst running the starter.. but how to stop it firing.

Pull the spark plug caps, either both of them or all four if you have a twin spark.

Voltage shouldn't drop much below 10v after 30 seconds of cranking...and put all your lights on as well, main beam included.

The battery will still be under warranty, that's the good news

EDIT......an alternative would be to disconnect the 4 gang fuel pump/sender multiblock on the right hand side of the bike just under the lobe of the tank...you don't have to take tank off, but you may have to undo the 6mm allan bolt to loosen it and lift it.
Unplugging the spark plugs will work but will obviously leave a big dollop of fuel in the cylinders that may make it slow to start when you put caps back on.

 

[unibar]

Fanum, I already have the tank up on a small block of wood! so that connector will be easy to get at, I have one of those meters that can put a load on via a switch, but am far happier seeing what the starter is taking.

I will give it a crack tomorrow

paul

 

[Two wheels good]

Starter motor may need a clean - and check the magnets are secure.

 

[unibar]

Starter motor has been done, magnets are good, on second thoughts i should have packed more grease into the gears but in the short term I am happy with the starter, in fact Iis in very good nick.

 

[unibar]

OK I have done some tests

charged overnight, unplugged and voltage checked 13.39V and dropping slowly
lights on 11.98V, with full beam 11.87V

Discon fuel pump connector and cranked dropped to 8.? briefly then recovered to just over 10V after a few seconds.
Voltage taken again 11.98V

Re connect fuel pump and start up
3000 rpm no lights 14.04V
3000rpm lights 13.96V
plus grips 13.86V

I am now charging again as I plan to pop down to the local dealers with it so they can drop test it, I guess if its good I take the bike to steptoe at some point and get him to work some magic, if its duff i return it, lets hope its the later

 

[unibar]

Took the battery to local bike dealer they did a drop test on some old meter with a load button and results pretty much as at home with a similar device.. the cold cranking amps were around 300 on the scale, I called Exide and they said they didn't have a CCA rating for bike batteries but based on the 19Ah CCA would be around 260.

So the battery looks to be ok.

Lord knows where i go from here

Paul

 

[Womble]

Clean up all your connections and cabling/earth straps: follow the wires through from the terminals, to the solenoid, the starter and then the earth connections for the battery and the starter. What you are describing is typical of a good battery but a bad starter circuit.

 

[unibar]

Had all the connector blocks off and cleaned them up with contact cleaner, and cotton wool buds, one or two greenish ones, I doubt this will make any difference but whilst I had the tank off seemed foolish not to.

Also sanded down all the connectors to the battery and also the battery terminals themselves.

It started no problem, I am going to leave it off the optimate for the week as I will not be riding till Sat week.. lets see how it fairs

 

[Womble]

Sounds good - have you checked the straps/cabling to earth? I've had them harden/fray on other vehicles and it can be quite 'interesting', for instance when the earth strap on my Astra sparked red hot while turning over the starter.

Failing that, it might be worth checking out if the solenoid needs replacing.

 

[Greg Masters]

What bike?

What year?

 

[Fanum]

Sounds good - have you checked the straps/cabling to earth? I've had them harden/fray on other vehicles and it can be quite 'interesting', for instance when the earth strap on my Astra sparked red hot while turning over the starter.

Failing that, it might be worth checking out if the solenoid needs replacing.

Eliminate the need to check them by running a brand new, heavy gauge cable DIRECTLY fron the starter earth to the battery -ve

You can do it as a temporary measure but it will demonstrate whether it's an earthing issue or not

 

[unibar]

Guys

The starter is turning just fine!.. its an intermittant thing.. really effected by the cold.

out of curiosity where are the earthing points 1150GS 2002

Ta