Starter Motor Sounds like a Machine Gun!

[flytoolow]

Ok,

I know there is a similar thread in here (somewhere) that relates to this, but after being laid up in the garage for about 6 weeks - The bike (1150GSA) wont start. At first I figured it was the battery since it died over the winter months, so last night decided to remove the tank, and the (not so) quick links etc etc. After finally getting the battery out (1150GSA) and giving it a quick check on the charger - the charger informed me that it was full charge - So my next item to check is the starter motor. I figure the starter motor is behind the plastic cover on the LHS of the bike. and yes it is certainly not engaging (click click click.....)

Now Im not that mechanically minded and need the bike for 1st week august in a very reliable condition (first trip).

How big a task is it to remove the starter and perhaps, just re-grease the starter - or should I just get it into a local shop & let them sort it out?
(From past experience (25 years ago!) this sort of sound from cars usually just involved re-greasing the starter motor?)

Even though the charger said "full", and the battery says it should have been replaced 2 years ago (stamped on the battery) - Is it still possible that the battery just doesnt have the juice ?

Any opinions?

Flytoolow

 

[oblertone]

Yep ...

... yer battery is goosed; easy to check with a jump start though. If it goes with a jump then your battery is not producing enough pixies to make the whotsit spin fast enough to engage the fly-blown wheel. If tested under load, you'd probably find your battery fading from 12V very quickly

 

[Fanum]

Battry is fekked or too low.

The machine gun noise is the solenoid chattering in and out, as you've deduced.

Don't muck about with taking starter motor apart, it won't be that, with what you say about the battery date...just replace battery with a gel one (BMW OEM one is actually damn good, or Oddysey or any of the other makes...a quick search here will tell you a lot on that)

The battery charger isn't telling you it's fully charged by the way....it's actually telling you it has charged it as fully as it can.....subtle difference

 

[MattW]

The battery charger isn't telling you it's fully charged by the way....it's actually telling you it has charged it as fully as it can.....subtle difference

Exactly!

 

[stolzy]

I see a new battery in your future.

 

[flytoolow]

Bl**dy Good advice fellas

Absolutely wonderful advice...must get around to subscribing again augie)


Just got to get the tank off again now

 

[robc]

Flytoolow,
It's easy to remove the starter motor so you should do so and give it a bit of grease too. Mine needed greasing after it seized and the symptoms were similar to yours. It's only a 10 minute job.

The other guys may are probably right and it's just your battery but from my experience it could well be both things.

Regards

Rob C

 

[IanPorter]

my bike started with similar problems the other week,

wouldn't start, relay chattering,

progessed to battery not charging, to killing brand new battery and then was diagnosed as a duff starter (when you hit the starter button it dragged a good suply down to 5v)

starter motor replaced, decent battery, all now good.

and all under wananty so it fealt even better knowing someone else was paying

 

[Welshman]

my bike started with similar problems the other week,

wouldn't start, relay chattering,

progessed to battery not charging, to killing brand new battery and then was diagnosed as a duff starter (when you hit the starter button it dragged a good suply down to 5v)

starter motor replaced, decent battery, all now good.

and all under wananty so it fealt even better knowing someone else was paying

But with the loose magnet starters you generally get laboured starting for a while clocks resetting abs not initialising etc..