it won't start

[FatAl]

My 1990 R100GS won't start. The battery is fully charged, there is power getting to the solenoid, I can hear a clicking noise that sounds like it may be coming from the relay, I swapped the relay over with a spare old relay and got the same clicking sound.
I took the starter motor (valeo) to an auto electrician who said it was ok. I have refitted everything, but still no go.

Any suggestions besides selling the bike?

 

[(RIP) Proff]

Check earth lead @ g/box
dahmhik

 

[John Armstrong]

Tried jump starting it to exclude a battery that appears to be fully charged, but isn't up to starting?

 

[forest biker]

Is there fuel in it

 

[Eng]

Starting

My 1990 R100GS won't start. The battery is fully charged, there is power getting to the solenoid, I can hear a clicking noise that sounds like it may be coming from the relay, I swapped the relay over with a spare old relay and got the same clicking sound.
I took the starter motor (valeo) to an auto electrician who said it was ok. I have refitted everything, but still no go.

Any suggestions besides selling the bike?

I have a 96 100 GSPD that was tricky to start, but now starts first push EVERY time. Here's how I did it:

Buy a Hicap starting kit (new earth lead and power lead to starter), new HT leads, new iridium plugs, new cylinder head to carb rubbers, new float bowl cork gaskets/choke gaskets, clean the enrichener jet in the float bowl/clean the carbs. Ensure choke cables adjusted correctly and the valve clearances are set right. Ensure battery is the correct type and in good condition. If the relay and starter are good, it should now start first time. I found it was not much of any one thing, probably a little bit of all of the above. Anyway starts first push from cold EVERY time (god, I have said it now , you know what will happen next time I go to start it - I'm sure they listen and understand)

 

[Flipfly]

I have a 96 100 GSPD that was tricky to start, but now starts first push EVERY time. Here's how I did it:

Buy a Hicap starting kit (new earth lead and power lead to starter), new HT leads, new iridium plugs, new cylinder head to carb rubbers, new float bowl cork gaskets/choke gaskets, clean the enrichener jet in the float bowl/clean the carbs. Ensure choke cables adjusted correctly and the valve clearances are set right. Ensure battery is the correct type and in good condition. If the relay and starter are good, it should now start first time. I found it was not much of any one thing, probably a little bit of all of the above. Anyway starts first push from cold EVERY time (god, I have said it now , you know what will happen next time I go to start it - I'm sure they listen and understand)

Sounds like an airhead repair, replace everything and it'll work again

Are there any airheads that aren't triggers broom?

Love em

 

[cookie]

I have a 96 100 GSPD that was tricky to start, but now starts first push EVERY time. Here's how I did it:

Buy a Hicap starting kit (new earth lead and power lead to starter), new HT leads, new iridium plugs, new cylinder head to carb rubbers, new float bowl cork gaskets/choke gaskets, clean the enrichener jet in the float bowl/clean the carbs. Ensure choke cables adjusted correctly and the valve clearances are set right. Ensure battery is the correct type and in good condition. If the relay and starter are good, it should now start first time. I found it was not much of any one thing, probably a little bit of all of the above. Anyway starts first push from cold EVERY time (god, I have said it now , you know what will happen next time I go to start it - I'm sure they listen and understand)

none of that's going top help if the starter isn't turning the engine over, as appears to be the case from the OP's post.

sounds like a bad connection in the big live wire to the starter, or a bad earth as suggested by proff.


..or your auto electrician hasn't tested the starter properly

 

[Kenny]

If your not careful Al, I'll get in touch with Taffy

 

[cobbster]

If I understand correctly, your starter is not working?

Only thing I could add to above is when you press the start button do you still get a clicking sound even though you have refitted starter?

I would check the starter off the bike yourself, the magnets have a habit of coming loose.

 

[flatdog]

If I understand correctly, your starter is not working?

Only thing I could add to above is when you press the start button do you still get a clicking sound even though you have refitted starter?

I would check the starter off the bike yourself, the magnets have a habit of coming loose.

I'd go with Prof's advice on this.

Check all electriclal connections to starter / battery. Make sure engine is turning over manually.
Try different battery.
Then dig into the more expensive stuff.

 

[FatAl]

Thanks for the replies boys, I'll check it over again tomorrow (arthritic hands permitting). My feeling is it's a problem with the solenoid but the auto electrician reckons he's checked it all and is ok.

Kenny, does Taff still have his big hammer?

 

[FatAl]

I'm at my wits end....

I've got the battery fully charged, another relay, new battery leads, connections checked and cleaned...still no joy.
I took the starter motor off again, and via another battery checked that the motor worked.
I used a wire from the live terminal on the starter to excite the solenoid via the small spade terminal on the back of the solenoid, hey presto(lite) it spun the motor.
When all was refitted to the bike nothing happened again. There is current coming from the small black wire that connects to the spade terminal on the solenoid but for some reason this current wont pass to the solenoid. I've cleaned the connectors but no joy, I've used another wire linking the black lead to the solenoid spade terminal, but nowt happens. The only thing I can hear is the relay clicking.
What I don't understand is why current can be sent through the solenoid spade connection using a seperate wire when off the bike, but current doesn't seem to go in via the black lead.
I bet this is something glaringly obvious and simple but it is eluding tiny mind.

 

[(RIP) Proff]

I've known this before, it was my ignition switch contacts, shew 12 volts on exciter wire, till button pushed, then it clicked and didn't have enough umhphh to pull solenoid in, turned out to be loose connection back of ignition switch

For around a month I had a wire from + on battery through lucas flasher switch, gaffa taped to bars, to exciter on solenoid... never missed a beat

Bit of a BASTARD if you leave in gear and catch flasher switch as you're getting on
works without ign won't start but can give you a start

DAMHIK

 

[fayeslane]

For around a month I had a wire from + on battery through lucas flasher switch, gaffa taped to bars, to exciter on solenoid... never missed a beat

Bit of a BASTARD if you leave in gear and catch flasher switch as you're getting on
works without ign won't start but can give you a start

DAMHIK

This solution earns you honorary Aussie status Proff

 

[Beemerboff]

I had the similar poor/no starting problem with my well used (300,000km) G/S when I bought it, and I eventually tracked it to the ignition switch, which in my case affected the starting and ignition circuits intermittently.

Found it after I had replaced the starter, leads, battery, starter relay and starter switch.

I bought the starter from Caltric on Ebay for around $90- , the cables and relays from EME, a Motobatt battery locally, and the switches from Motobins, so it wasn't that expensive.

Probably a quarter of the cost of a Nippondenso/ OEM starter, Oddessy battery, ebay Hi cap cables and local switches.

I also did most of the things Eng suggested, and probably a few more.

All the cheap bits have performed perfectly since they were fitted 70,000 km back. and starting is now instant, hot of cold.

 

[FatAl]

I finally sorted it out over the weekend, well an electrician pal did. Was only getting around 10.3v at the solenoid connector, but 12.8v at starter relay,( my mate said it was some ort of resistance leak or whatever, all this electrical mumbo jumbo may as well be chinese) Theres a duff connection in the loom were the starter relay and solenoid wires meet. Had a rummage around for the actual connection but was unable to find it, so have run a direct live feed from battery to starter relay, working ok at moment.
Thanks to everyone for their input.