91 VFR 750 Running fine, today it would barely turn over and battery died, now won't start.

Hi Guys

Apolgies if this has been asked a million times but i have a query that i'm hoping you can help me with. I'm reasonably mechanically minded, this is my 2nd VFR and my 16th motorcycle and i'm a qualified maintenance engineer...not a mechanic.

The problem i have is this. She has been running fine for the last 6 month since i've had her. Occasioanally you get that buzz noie when pressing the start button but fires up on the second try with a bit of choke. This to me indicates a potentially failing starter motor. However it is once a month at most it does it so haven't replaced as yet. I fired her up 2 days ago for no more than a few minutes to move her down the drive and all was well. Today i have gone to start her and the battery was clearly depleted as she would turn but without enoigh to fire her up. The battery was then dead to the point where the lights on the dash wouldn't even illuminate. I've taken the battery out, which felt hot, though it has been the hottest day of the year today, i don't believe it should be that hot sitting there. I charged the battery up for a few hours and replaced to test. Plenty of power to tuern over and lights as bright as you like, however she would not fire at all, with choke, without choke, open throttle or closed throttle, lights on or light off, just nothing. Eventually, not being charged that long the battery is drained again so sticking it on overnight. She is just into reserve fuel but this has never normally made a difference.

Completely baffled and any suggestions would be highly appreciated.

Thanks in Advance

James

 

Are you using a proppa charger with a 1-2 amp output ??

Probably need a new battery, doncha think ? As soon as you get a fully-charged (12.6 volts) battery installed, check charging system output measured at battery terminals while engine is running. Be sure to closely inspect the plug between stator (3 yellow wires) and r/r and the plug atop starter relay for signs of melting or other deterioration.

 

invest in a nice new battery and charge it up and then start the diagnosis. Keep us posted

 

And put some petrol in the tank--eliminate as many variables as possible when troubleshooting...

 

Also check the solonoid it could also be a problem, but it does sound a bit like a battery not too happy

 

Check yo regulator/rectifier output when you get a fresh battery in there. Call it a "honda hunch"

 

Hi guys, thanks for all your fast responses. I fully charged the existing battery overnight, and yes using a correct charger. I also put fresh fuel in the tank and took out and inspected the fuel filter which apear to be clean as a whistle. Again the same problem the constanst turning over from the push start but no firing. Will invest in a new battery, but to be honest from experience i doubt that is the problem being as a fully charged battery would still give it enough power to turn over, even if the battery is nearing the end, am i wrong?


EDIT: Tried push starting her in all the gears, 4th and 5th being the easiest. Would turn over but not enough to get it fired up before skidding to a halt. Don't know if this helps. Also when engaging the starter button it sounds like the starter motor is turning and the occasional pulse but no fire. Maybe starter solonoid? Or would it not turn over if that was the problem.?

 

Check for spark.

 

yoh have a spark tester? they are not that expensive. If you got spark, I would pull the starter motor, (its easy on this bike) and consider buying a re-build kit from Honda. Again, fairly easy, just keep track of the fibre washers and metal and the correct sequence. Brushes could be wasted, new re-build kit will cure this, while your at it, clean up the armature with some old 1000 grit sand paper and clean oot the ridges gently with a screw driver. You could also break oot your trusty digital multi meter and test the armature for shorts.

When your finished with the re-build you should be able to turn the gear on the starter motor to mate up with the larger gear thats behind the cover without having to pull the clutch cover off. Cheers and good luck. Keep us abreast of the situation :vtr2:

 

The fact it wouldn't fire with a push start to me indicates a bigger problem. Kill switch ? many people get caught with these on many bikes

 

Its true, lets see if he has spark. Sometimes its as simple as spraying some cleaner in the switch housing and rocking that kill switch. How is Mick?

 

Mick is fine last time I heard layful:

 

Today I moved my rec/reg out onto the footpeg frame so it is now going to get some air flow over it, glad I did because then I noticed the plug was showing signs it wasn't happy and somebody had already had to repair the wires further back, thinking about it that is probably where they joined the wires when they put a new plug on. Honda couldn't have fitted smaller wires if they tried to