No start, just "click, click, click”

w4yne

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Hi, I’m new to this forum, I only joined a few weeks ago when I started looking for an “airhead”.

I finally got one but I’m worried I have a problem already. It’s a 1982 R100RT.
It had been stood for a while when I bought it, the seller said “the battery’s flat & no good but it’ll start OK on a “bump”.
Sure enough it did & seemed to run OK so I handed over my cash & took possession.

At home, I’ve got one of those chargers with a “Boost Start” setting that’ll jump start a car straight off, even with a flat battery.

I connected this to my bike but “No Go” all that happened when I pressed the starter button was a loud “click, click, click, click” noise!
The engine didn’t turn over – so now I’m worried that it’s a starter problem. Not just a new battery that I need.

PLEASE HELP – how do I test the starter?

I can take the battery off my car & use that, before I go paying out another £50~£80 on a battery for a bike that may be no good.

Please make all answers as simple to understand as possible (pictures would be nice:)

Any help you can give will be gratefully appreciated, even pointing me in the direction of where else I might ask.

Many thanks,
w4yne.
 
Sounds like your starter motor has had It. BMW motorworks do a recon exchange and they really arn't to hard to fit, just take the tank off and go In through the top cover. Maybe a good Idea to get a new battery as well by the sound of It.
Go on the website for prices. They can ship stuff out pretty quick.
 
Captain Black said:
Sounds like your starter motor has had It. BMW motorworks do a recon exchange and they really arn't to hard to fit, just take the tank off and go In through the top cover. Maybe a good Idea to get a new battery as well by the sound of It.
Go on the website for prices. They can ship stuff out pretty quick.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply. Yes I do need a battery & I'd allowed for that in the price. But I've already spent more money than I should have just buying the bike.
If it does need a starter or something as-well. I need to decide whether I can afford to fix it & do the job myself or just sell it on & look for another.

I'd like to keep it & hope it's something really simple & easy to do... but :nenau

I've already removed the tank & top cover to have a look. Am I right in thinking that the thing attached to the starter is the solenoid with the two fat wires bolted to it - should they be a constant live?
If my thinking is right, it should & I think the little spade connector near it with the black wire is what makes the whole thing work.

If so, powering that terminal, i.e removing the black connector & "jumping" the gap between the spade & the bolt with wires, eith a screwdriver or something should spin the starter & turn the engine?

Or am I completely wrong & will end up blowing the whole thing up :blast

Which is why I dare not DO anything without reassurance from someone who actually knows about these things.
2ed1dzp.jpg
 
Disconnect the bike battery and connect your car battery using a good set of jump leads. If it turns over instead of going click,click,click, you know that the starter is ok and you need a new bike battery. Also worth checking that the big leads going to the battery make good connections at both ends.

If you have a good set of jump leads and a good car battery and it still goes click,click,click, you will have to check out the starter.
 
Smug said:
Disconnect the bike battery and connect your car battery using a good set of jump leads. If it turns over instead of going click,click,click, you know that the starter is ok and you need a new bike battery. Also worth checking that the big leads going to the battery make good connections at both ends.

If you have a good set of jump leads and a good car battery and it still goes click,click,click, you will have to check out the starter.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is what I'm thinking.. But if it still doesn't work (given the result of my boost start & that the person who sold it refuses to answer his phone) I'm less than optimistic. HOW do I check the starter?

Is my thinking above correct?
 
Kenny said:
99% a flat battery ! Live to live and donor negative to bike frame :thumb2
Click to expand...

OH! So Live to the nut with the two fat wires & I EARTH the little spade with the black wire to make the whole thing work?
Good job I asked here first!

You know this 100%, before I go & actually do anything?
 
check the earth strap/ wire on the back of the gearbox. connect the - jump lead directly to the engine to discount problems with it :thumb2 If it still clicks and wont spin then it may just need a little tickkle with a hammer to remind it to work as it has been inactive for a while :sleep:sleep:eek:
 
bumpmuncher said:
check the earth strap/ wire on the back of the gearbox. connect the - jump lead directly to the engine to discount problems with it :thumb2 If it still clicks and wont spin then it may just need a little tickkle with a hammer to remind it to work as it has been inactive for a while :sleep:sleep:eek:
Click to expand...

OK - So I connect the NEGATIVE jump lead directly to the engine.
The POSITIVE lead, I'll join to the positive terminal on the bike. Turn the key, press the button & hope all goes well... IF I still just get a "click click click"
Can I connect the POSITIVE jump lead to that nut on the solenoid & to test the starter, DO I EARTH the spade connector with the little black wire on?
 
w4yne said:
OK - So I connect the NEGATIVE jump lead directly to the engine.
The POSITIVE lead, I'll join to the positive terminal on the bike. Turn the key, press the button & hope all goes well...
Click to expand...

Yes should do the trick :thumb2


w4yne said:
IF I still just get a "click click click"
Can I connect the POSITIVE jump lead to that nut on the solenoid & to test the starter,
Click to expand...
Yes you can do it that way :thumb2

w4yne said:
DO I EARTH the spade connector with the little black wire on?
Click to expand...
No that needs to go live. You could possibly short it to the bolt for the Bat + on the starter
 
I would say your battery is bolloxed. Just connect your jump leads to the battery terminals and to a known good battery and try it.
 
:JB Thanks for all your advice & help.

I think my biggest problem (aside from not having a good battery in the first place) was just poor/dirty contacts on the battery terminals.
I cleaned them up with a small file to make them all nice & shiny, I then gave up on the Negative/Earth one & clamped my jump lead nice & tight directly onto the gear box.

Hay presto, the starter span into life on the touch of the button.:thumb

So... my next step is choose a battery :confused:

Not as easy as it sounds, the bike never had a correct battery on to start with & depending where I look some places recommend 20Ah, others 30Ah. - I'm tending to think the more powerful the better as long as it'll fit in the tray.

Buster's do Motobatt Absorbed Glass Mat batteries for a similar price to some of the traditional lead acid ones. They sound quite impressive.
Anyone use them?
If I go that route, then I could also shop around some of the golf/mobility scooter stores to compare price/spec's.

All suggestions welcome & while I'm waiting I'll replace my Negative battery lead & check over the rest of the wiring. :thumb2
 
If I go that route, then I could also shop around some of the golf/mobility scooter stores to compare price/spec's.

These are not designed as starter batteries.They are meant to be flattened and recharged on a regular basis.
 
Norfolk Tiger said:
If I go that route, then I could also shop around some of the golf/mobility scooter stores to compare price/spec's.

These are not designed as starter batteries.They are meant to be flattened and recharged on a regular basis.
Click to expand...

Oh so they're a different type of thing then, not suitable?
They just sounded like a very similar design to the Motorbatt batteries being sold by Buster's for motorcycles.
I reckon, given the price then, that I'll probably go for a Motorbatt. - Plus Buster's have an eBay store so I can pay via PayPal through a cashback site & get a couple of quid back :)
 
Seriously, to get you up and running properly, contact one of the genuine suppliers ie motorworks; motoBins; Sherlocks etc and get the exact proper battery for your bike. May be a tad more expensive...but It'll fit and It'll work :thumb2

Battery is probably the most important part on an airhead :thumb2
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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