Stupid Restart problem

[jim777]

So, I have this odd problem with my '97. It starts right up every morning, and does the 110 mile commute like a champ. Parked for 9 or 10 hours, she starts right up to go home as well. Drive for maybe 20 minutes, stop for gas, and she's dead as a doornail. Won't start back up without a boost.

If she sits for an hour or two, she'll start right back up, but if she's off for two or three minutes after having ridden for a bit, she just won't start, or even jump start. She needs a boost from another battery or booster. :icon_wall:

Does this ring a bell with anyone? I need to get this fixed or I can't continue riding her to work, that's the bottom line.

Thanks in advance!

[Redbird]

Regulator/rectifier.

[jim777]

Regulator/rectifier.

Is this an inexpensive, easy to do yourself kind of thing, or do I need to bring it to a dealer and get them to do it at whatever price?

and thanks for the quick response!

[rockmeupto125]

Check your battery first.....it may be as simple as a nearly exhausted battery.

[mikesail]

What EXACTLY happens when it does not start? Does the relay click, do the lights stay on, dim, or go out entirely?

I would be very surprised if it is the regulator, much more likely either a battery or a connection problem. My first step would be to loosen, clean, and tighten the battery, starter relay, and starter motor connections.

Let us know the symptoms.

[jim777]

I'll have to kill it and take notes, but I'll check that out. Thanks guys!

to the best of my recollection, the lights do stay on, the dash lights up, but after attempting to start and failing (the engine might turn over once before stopping) the lights all dim severely like the battery is dead.

[Redbird]

My experience is not XX specific, but your symptoms are exactly what my old V-max was doing when the R/R was on it's way out. It was also eating batteries. That said, I'd never argue with Joe or Mike, especially when it comes to electrical issues.

[cbrxxquad]

take the battery to a autozone like place and load test it

[JB4XX]

+1 on battery

[blackhawkxx]

I have had car batteries do this to me. It would start fine no matter how cold it was been would be dead if you stopped for a few minutes. Just enough time for the engine heat to soak the battery.

[redxxrdr]

I've seen bad starters in cars that would do this. Hot they wouldn't crank over, cold they were fine.

If you don't have a volt meter, borrow or buy one. This link is great for charging systems.Charging troubleshooting

Rough voltages from mine with a good battery. Battery voltage no load 13.5 volts. Battery voltage ignition and light on, engine off 12.8 volts. Engine running 14.5 volts. Voltage at start ( need a fast or recording meter) 10.8 volts.

Also look for loose connections on the battery and starter. Be careful when tightening connections. Remove the ground cable on the battery first, tighten any other leads then reattach the ground. This will prevent sparks and fire. You probably know that, but some people don't.

[RXX]

take the battery to a autozone like place and load test it

And by load test, Stan means LOAD TEST...... unless you specifically ask them to do it, they will just "test" it for voltage.

(Thanks again, Stan!)

[cbrxxquad]

take the battery to a autozone like place and load test it

And by load test, Stan means LOAD TEST...... unless you specifically ask them to do it, they will just "test" it for voltage.

(Thanks again, Stan!)

[Hobicus]

take the battery to a autozone like place and load test it

And by load test, Stan means LOAD TEST...... unless you specifically ask them to do it, they will just "test" it for voltage.

(Thanks again, Stan!)

He's smart, and sexy!!!!

Here's how you test the charging system. There's also links to replacing the stator, too:

http://www.cbr1100xx.org/forums/index.php?...st&p=619130

[Helvet]

Also it could very well be the starter-motor.

I've had a customer with the same problem. When the bike was hot the startermotor jammed, and would not turn. The lights went out due to overload in the electrical system, and nothing happened. It was easy to push-start the engine, even though it was an injected bike (there was enough juice in the battery left for the fuel pump and ECU).

After replacing the starter motor everything was OK.

His battery died a few weeks later, probably because of the beating it had taken with all the effort it had to make to start the bike before.

[jim777]

Tons of good stuff, thanks guys. I'll let you all know how it turns out.

[fredx]

+Scheven on the battery

It is not the ignition

[BearXX]

Also it could very well be the starter-motor.

I've had a customer with the same problem. When the bike was hot the startermotor jammed, and would not turn. The lights went out due to overload in the electrical system, and nothing happened. It was easy to push-start the engine, even though it was an injected bike (there was enough juice in the battery left for the fuel pump and ECU).

After replacing the starter motor everything was OK.

His battery died a few weeks later, probably because of the beating it had taken with all the effort it had to make to start the bike before.

That happened to my car. The starter had a needle bearing, and one of those fuckers got out inside the housing and short circuited the whole thing.

Ruth thought the battery was flat, and she got jumper cables connected t another car on idle. When she tried to start the cables caught fire and

melted, and the starter was glowing red and all oil and dirt covering it burned off. The garage tried the ignition when they got it and the volt

dropped down to 4 when they tried to turn it. The damn thing sucked up all the juice.

[Para045]

I have had car batteries do this to me. It would start fine no matter how cold it was been would be dead if you stopped for a few minutes. Just enough time for the engine heat to soak the battery.

+1 I had a battery do this in my 78 F100 V8, would start fine in the middle of winter down to ~4c but if I drove 30+km and stopped then NOTHING, leave it a few hours and it would start right up :icon_wall: