Starter issue continued....

[davidhollinger]

Figured I would post this quick video since I can't describe the sound. I checked the battery connections and relay. All good. Is this the starter going out? Switch seems to be good. I am trying to get freed up for a long ride this weekend by not is this thing is gonna leave me stranded.

[redjay]

I am by no means an electrician but icould it be a bad ground ?

[macmac]

Originally Posted by davidhollinger

Figured I would post this quick video since I can't describe the sound. I checked the battery connections and relay. All good. Is this the starter going out? Switch seems to be good. I am trying to get freed up for a long ride this weekend by not is this thing is gonna leave me stranded.

That sound to me is like dry and beat up starter motor bearings. I would dis connect the battery ground at the battery and pull the starter and open it up. With the starter just off the bike grab the shaft and see if it flops around some It shouldn't really. The bolts holding it on need to be clean the surface where the bolt come out of the motor and the engine case where these surfaces are on the motor and case need to be clean too because this is starter ground (starter case to engine case)

Also it is probably time to get new starter graphite brushes. Usually these are generic and most any auto store worth 2 cent will have these in a selection case in the shop somewhere. Of course since it is Ma Kawi they could be special.

I am 99% sure you will find bad bearings, perhaps other damage from it.

[davidhollinger]

Thanks guys. I think it is getting worse as the days go by. I don't have the expertise to do this so it looks like it is headed to the shop.

[macmac]

Bummer.......... Why don't you disconnect the battery and pull that start motor and see if the shaft is floppy? If it is then take the motor to a shop, maybe not a ma kawi shop.

[Silent Sam]

Well I didnt hear anything having to do with bearings etc...However my hearing is shot !

What your video sounds like is the same thing that happened to me...dont know if it will help but cant hurt and is SIMPLE !

Crack the throttle housing open..dont dismantle it..just get it open enough to stick a spry tube of pressure can of Electrical Cleaner in there..and wash the switches out real good...

After I did mine it has worked like new ever since.... GOOD LUCK.

[macmac]

Sam you don't hear that dry screech. My hearing is shot too Rarely I can hear a blue jay screech if it's close, I can hear ravens call and crows. That's it for birds. I can't hear the chatter of an alarmed red squirrel at all no matter how close it is. Good thing IMO. I miss mountain Dulcimer music though because for me the notes are just to high and it ends up as air guitar. What bugs me most is because of my hearing I might be wrong and waste time and cost money wrongly. But that starter dragged 2 times before it turned the engine.

So I still say dead bearings, probably bad brushes, maybe dead armature and shaft after all it is a 2002.

[MAS Tequila]

That is exactly what mine did last year.

That starter is SHOT. They go bad slowly and it is almost unnoticeable until you start having to push the starter button more than once.

Go to ebay and buy any starter for a 1500/1600 and replace it.

Pinwal will stand behind anything they sell, plus they list the miles of the donor bike.

I paid around $40.00 for mine.

It's a little tight down there, but the job is fairly easy.

MT

[davidhollinger]

Thanks Mas/Mac, I will look for a starter before I take it to my buddy's shop.

[Silent Sam]

..Maybe the video/audio, started a bit late on my crac-puter.. ??

But considering its a 2002... well now I have to look into that possibility ! So far (@50k miles) mine is doing fine., but I am considering the cam-chain ajuster's

As For Bad Hearing...The high pitches are un-heard or a shrill jumble..like most modern music, and those modern nut bustin women !

I sure do enjoy music featureing backup by the Jordanaires

[davidhollinger]

Figured I would give an update.... I have been waiting on my mechanic friend to get back in town and replace the starter for me. Yesterday my buddy rode over on his bike and I was telling him about it. He asked me to start it up so I went and hit the button. He said the starter is fine but he thinks I have an electrical problem (he is an electrician by the way). As I would hit the button the fuel pump would cycle also. He knelt down and listened as I tried it again. After we pulled the side cover and coolant tank off he removed the junction box and held it as I tried the button. I could hear it rattling like crazy, like it wanted to work but wouldnt. It sounded like bee hive in there. He uncapped it and looked for any burns or markings but other than the relays or fuses on the board itself there was nothing. I decided to order the junction box and see if that is indeed the problem. Should be here middle of next week. I will let you know.

[macmac]

Originally Posted by MAS Tequila

That is exactly what mine did last year.

That starter is SHOT. They go bad slowly and it is almost unnoticeable until you start having to push the starter button more than once.

Go to ebay and buy any starter for a 1500/1600 and replace it.

Pinwal will stand behind anything they sell, plus they list the miles of the donor bike.

I paid around $40.00 for mine.

It's a little tight down there, but the job is fairly easy.

MT

Of all people I am surprised you didn't rebuild the starter. Why not? Can't we get bearings / bushings, and graphite brushes?

[macmac]

Originally Posted by davidhollinger

Figured I would give an update.... I have been waiting on my mechanic friend to get back in town and replace the starter for me. Yesterday my buddy rode over on his bike and I was telling him about it. He asked me to start it up so I went and hit the button. He said the starter is fine but he thinks I have an electrical problem (he is an electrician by the way). As I would hit the button the fuel pump would cycle also. He knelt down and listened as I tried it again. After we pulled the side cover and coolant tank off he removed the junction box and held it as I tried the button. I could hear it rattling like crazy, like it wanted to work but wouldnt. It sounded like bee hive in there. He uncapped it and looked for any burns or markings but other than the relays or fuses on the board itself there was nothing. I decided to order the junction box and see if that is indeed the problem. Should be here middle of next week. I will let you know.

Have this guy pull the coolant bottle off and look behind it where the + cable goes. Either there IS a wicked voltage drop at the battery , the start relay and or the starter is dead.

The fuel pump cycles on with the key and primes the system to pressure. When you are cranking it runs too, but mostly people can't hear it over the rest of the noise. It better be running then too.

[davidhollinger]

I will see if he can get back over today. I bought the multimeter but I am sure he has a better one. I just want to get it fixed. If I have to replace the box and the starter and the relay I will but I hope to not have to.

[cnc]

Dave what do you mean, the fuel pump cycles on again when you hit the starter button just like when you first turn the key ( speedo needle moves all the way to the right and back ) or maybe the seedo does not do that on a 1500 fi?