86 VF500 wont crank, just clicks when starting.

Discussion in '1st & 2nd Generation 1983-1989' started by spokexx, Jul 25, 2010.

  1. spokexx

    spokexx New Member

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    Well the battery is fully charged (according to the Battery Tender) and when i push the starter button i only hear this clicking sound coming from under the seat (about where the CDI box is) and the lights dim as well as the tach needle twitches but the engine wont turn over. Is there a starter solenoid under there and is this what it does when it goes bad?
    I last rode the bike about 2 weeks ago and it only has 12,000 miles on it. This has never happened before and never even gave a hint of coming. What do ya all think?

    much appreciation
     
  2. TOE CUTTER

    TOE CUTTER Mullet Man

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    You need to verify that it is the starter relay that is clicking, it is what the positive battery cable goes to.
     
  3. spokexx

    spokexx New Member

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    yes, its the starter relay. I got in there closer and even felt it clicking while pushing the start button. Do you think this is whats broken or is there something else in the line thats making it click and not letting the engine crank? If the starter motor is seized, would it make the solenoid/relay click? Im just trying to determine if the relay/solenoid is the only part causing this. I think I remember an old trick with Fords where you take a screw driver and short it across the battery terminals going into the solenoid/relay to make the starter motor turn the engine over. Is this an ok thing to try on my 500, or not recommended?
     
  4. TOE CUTTER

    TOE CUTTER Mullet Man

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    I was going to suggest that very thing.
     
  5. blitzas

    blitzas New Member

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    It is most likely the battery. If lights dim significantly while attempting to crank, the solenoid is ok as current is flowing via the solenoid towards the starter, so the solenoid does the job it is supposed to do.
    If the starter has failed, which is unlikely from your description, there will be hot spots from current excess flow. Inspect poles and starter cable if they are warm there might be a chance of a failed starter.
    Don't get fooled by the charger indication in certain conditions it can be misleading. If available just use a spare battery and jump cables as first test.
     
  6. spokexx

    spokexx New Member

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    well, i did the screw driver across the relay terminal "test" (key on, push button, short with screwdriver) and still no cranking. The headlight dims much when i do this (which makes me think a big draw on battery power), so im starting to believe my starter motor is frozen/bad. I gave the starter motor a few whacks with a hammer and still nothing. Isnt there a way to test the amperage draw of the starter motor with a multimeter? Ill take a look in the Clymer. I do have a spare battery and hooked it up inline with the battery in the bike (just like I would using jumper cables) and still no cranking.
     
  7. Dukiedook

    Dukiedook New Member

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    Have you advanced the crank yet by hand?
    It sounds like you haven't tried that yet. If you can't crank it by hand you may have a seized engine on your hands.
     
  8. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    A seized engine with only 12k on the clock seems very unlikely...
     
  9. spokexx

    spokexx New Member

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    i just bump started the bike and it runs fine.... hmmmm...
     
  10. spokexx

    spokexx New Member

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    Battery!!! DUHHHHHH!!!!!! I said earlier that I already tried a spare battery, but when I used it for jumping i was using a fused Battery Tender cable which blew as soon as I pushed the starter button (its only a tiny 7.5 amp fuse). I just tried jumping from the spare battery again but this time I used REAL jumper cables. Bingo!!! Bike fires right up. But damn, that battery in the 500 isnt that old... maybe a year and half. Maybe the fluids are low, gonna check them.... Yep, battery was dry as a bone. Thanks for all the help guys. :)
     
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2010
  11. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    Glad you were able to troubleshoot this.

    If your battery has given up the ghost - I've read good reviews on MotoBatt AGM's:

    [​IMG]
     
  12. karazy

    karazy New Member

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    Glad to see you got it figured out.

    To use the multimeter for this, you must use the special clamp style adapter. As you found out with your battery tender cables, there is too much current draw for such small cables. Don't feel bad if you don't have one of these, as most people don't. They are not cheap.

    The easiest thing to do, is hook up the voltmeter to the battery to see how much the voltage drops, when the starter is engaged.

    A clicking relay usually means one of three things; weak battery; bad connection; or faulty solenoid. A frozen starter will not cause the relay to click. It will burn stuff up, due to prolonged increase in current, as it is normally 30-50% higher at start up. A relay clicks because the electromagnet can't overcome the tension of the return spring for a prolonged period of time.

    A battery shouldn't go dry that fast. I would check the charging system, to ensure that it is not overcharging and boiling the fluid off.

    :crazy:
     
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