12 replies to this topic

[MikeyMex]

So, absolutely knackered pushing the beast 1 mile in the Mexican hot sun 12pm of course (mad dogs and Englishmen).

 

If I have a flat battery which I think I do would she completely die on me whilst riding?  I was just riding along at 10mph past a school and she just died and wouldn't restart, now the solenoid just clicks, not starting at all.

 

I know this is very basic, I can deal with carbs, pistons and mechanical bits but electrics defeat me, always hated them never tried to understand them.

 

Thank you all in advance.

 

[Studley Ramrod]

When it died on you, were you able to turn the engine over trying to start it before the solenoid started clicking ?

[fixitsan]

More likely a failed charge system..... the sequence of events goes > Charge system fails, engine keeps running on power from the battery until it drops too low, rider tries to restart and hears flat battery symptoms, thinks battery died.

 

A healthy engine is able to run without the battery, it only needs the battery for starting and for when there is a full load of all lights and accessories on, to keep things going when the revs drop.

 

As it's a mk1 it's more likely to be the voltage regulator, that's if it is a charge failure.

Edited by fixitsan, 06 November 2017 - 10:35 pm.

[James]

+1 on the regulator/rectifier. Easy to change.

Edited by Jim, 06 November 2017 - 10:50 pm.

[MikeyMex]

Thanks guys I had heard about MK1 regulator problems and the guy I bought it used from a month ago just had a new battery fitted, so I think he suffered the same problems just didn't tell me about it.  IMO he was a young dude who honestly didn't know what he was selling he just wanted rid of her.

 

Once it died when I pushed the starter button, the engine didn't turn over at all, nothing from the motor, just the solenoid clicking.  Also something I thought was strange the rev counter went up to 5 or 6k makes me think there's a bad connection somewhere, that's maybe contributing to a general fault.

 

I will start taking her apart tomorrow after a days hard graft in the sunshine.

 

Thanks

[Nog]

On all my bikes I fit a small voltmeter, couple of quid of Amazon/ebay and fix it beneath the dash so easily visible when riding.

 

You can then keep an eye on battery level (when the ignition on and engine off) and charge system (when engine on).

[dablik]

Had similar symptoms of the rev counter jumping before i found the melted reg/rec plug !

[MikeyMex]

Waiting for my friend with a multimeter to come by later, at first look 'this isn't the regulator I was expecting' appears somebody previously changed it for another part.

 

Duh me how do I upload an image?

[ChrisG]

If you've got another battery to jump start it with you can pretty quickly check the reg/reg with your mates multimeter.  Voltage should increase slightly with rpm up to a maximum of around 15 volts. There are 2 ways the reg/reg can fail, either nothing gets through (ie it'll stay at 12-13 volts), or the regulator fails and you get much higher voltages.  When mine died I was getting something like 17 volts at 3500 rpm and it knackered the battery.

 

http://www.electrosp...ing-diagram.pdf

 

Solenoid clicking means the battery's flat.  Enough power to activate the solenoid but as soon as it's connected to the starter motor the voltage drops and the solenoid opens again, which means the voltage goes back up enough for the solenoid to close...

Edited by ChrisG, 07 November 2017 - 03:56 pm.

[dapleb]

The way I checked it with as much electrickery knowledge as ewe Mikey is that there was no change in headlight brightness under revswhen rectumfrier pooped.

[MikeyMex]

So I put the bike on a slow charge at 7am this morning at 2pm this afternoon she started first button push, obviously, the battery was dead, so I am gonna keep riding and putting her on a trickle charge every other night, just to keep the volts up.  I have ordered a regulator from amazon Mexico and we should be up and running in a week or so at full charge.

 

Thanks one and all, if it wasn't for the helpful advice I get from you lot I wouldn't have slept at all last night.

[fixitsan]

The way I checked it with as much electrickery knowledge as ewe Mikey is that there was no change in headlight brightness under revswhen rectumfrier pooped.

 

It's still a good way of doing it....using the headlamp as a 'relative voltmeter'

[harvey krumpet]

Beware the rectumfrier...Asses to ashes and butts to dust. Oh wait, I'm on the wrong forum. sorry.

Edited by harvey krumpet, 09 November 2017 - 06:12 am.