Intermittent starting problem

[Simon Stockley]

Dear Friends,

I have a 63 plate DL650 (AL3) which has an intermittent starting problem. I try to use the bike most days and rely on it for commuting, as well as the fun stuff. The bike is kept outside and, over the last 2 months, has failed to start five times, all first thing in the morning. The symptoms are as follows:

Turn the key, press start, lights dim instantly and completely, no click from the starter motor.

I tried pulling the key in and out of the ignition barrel in case this was to blame and it appeared to work. Then the problem came back a week later and the key jiggling didn't work. My next thought was that the starter motor or solenoid might be sticking, so I put it into gear an tried to jump start. No joy, but the damned thing started on the next attempt.

This is one of those slippery intermittent problems that can be an absolute pig to track down. I've had my battery tested and it's 100% so I'm thinking that one (or maybe more) of the following are the culprits:

Damp in switches (which may tie in with this being an early morning issue)
Poor electrical connections 'somewhere'
Faulty ignition/steering lock barrel
Sticking starter motor
SM solenoid

Any advice and previous experience would be gratefully received!

Thanks, Simon

[BlackRockFox]

I had a similar problem
Had the battery tested, 100%

So tried all sorts of things 
Then decided it had to be the battery despite 2 bike "technicians" from different bike places testing it 

Got a new one for £35 from MDS as I was fed up with trying to work it out so willing to pay that

Replaced the battery...and the rest of the story you can guess!!!

I lived happily ever after 

[Simon Stockley]

Thank you BRF! I guess this would reflect the peak amp delivery of the battery which may not be picked up by conventional testing. I will not rule this out..TA!!

Yours ever,

SS

[Robotstar5]

Check and clean heavy battery wires to engine & solenoid, sounds like a lose or high resistance connection.

[greywolf]

There is a headlight cutout switch in the starter button circuit. The headlight goes out when the button is pressed. The contacts there are the weakest link in the headlight circuit and the main reason I recommend adding headlight relays. Too many bikes have lost headlights as they age. http://www.stromtrooper.com/information-vault/71046-headlight-problems.html

The first thing to do if you don't even get a starter relay click is to tighten all the bolts at each end of the large cables between the battery and starter motor/engine, especially the battery terminal cables. This is especially true if there was a pop heard the first time it didn't work. The high current can pretty much vaporise an area of weak contact and change it to no contact.

[BlackRockFox]

Simon

Have you added any after market electrical stuff?

As greywolf has mentioned relays, it made me think
I have added quite a few lights to my bicyclette and I tried installing without using a relay...had the intermittent problems
When I put a relay in and then changed the battery around the same time all was fine
It was suggested to me that I may have damaged the battery somehow adding the lights (not sure how true that might be)

BTW, I have my headlights connected to a relay now (just in case, as greywolf has suggested)

Also, make sure the terminals on the battery are clean and well greased
I regularly spray my electrics as well to remove any damp as I use it almost 365

[BlackRockFox]

greywolf

Do you know the in & outs of having 2 relays for the headlights (1 each) as per Eastern Beaver (if my memory serves me well)
...or just 1 for both?

[greywolf]

You need one relay for low beams and one for high beams.

[BlackRockFox]

thanks greywolf

[Simon Stockley]

Thanks everyone, this has been incredibly helpful.

I checked the connection to the clutch lever sensor and found that it was loose and slightly corroded. Cleaned it and everything appears to be working now. I'm not counting my chickens yet, but this may have done the trick.

All the best,

Simon

[Simon Stockley]

Quick update: This was definitely the problem, the bike starts every time now!

[MartinW]

Great. You could now go to INTRODUCTIONS and say hello.

[BlackRockFox]

Glad you got it sorted 

Get a canvas cover, if you don't have one
And put grease in all the places that may cause problems

I have so much grease on my bike it slows it down