1999 Aprilia RSV won't start

MarkJ · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Apr 2006 Karma :

Evening all, bought a 99 Aprilia RSV on Tuesday. The guy started it up fine when I went to pick it up, he didn't do anything special just started it up and it ran fine. I trailer'd it 30 mins home and tonight I've gone to start it.

It has a Datatool Veto alarm, so I disable it and turn the ignition on and get the usual whirring of the fuel pump. Make sure it's in neutral, full choke/idle adjuster, clutch in, thumb the starter button and... all I get is a clicking sound that comes from around the battery/rear cylinder area.

I also have an 02 RSV so pulled the battery out of the 99 and into the 02 - the 02 started fine with it. Why would a 30 minute trailer ride stop it working?

finpos · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Sep 2005 Karma :

Probably this is what can be summed up as "Have the knackered battery on charge right up to the point where the buyer knocks on the door, then whip it off. The bike will start once, he'll stick it on the trailer and then it's SEP I've saved GBP70"

Try jump starting it off a car battery first. If it works, go buy new battery.

f.

DrDonnyBrago · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Jan 2010 Karma :

That ^

It's a big twin, it takes a lot of juice to turn it over. Jump it from a car, if it works it's probably your battery.

MarkJ · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Apr 2006 Karma :

All the symptoms look like a duff battery, but why would it work fine on my other RSV? It currently has the working battery from the 02 in it and does exactly the same.

Will jump it from car tonight when I get back. Also noticed that the starter solenoid seems to be on backward (it has a mounting point on the undertray but it can't fit on because a connector that should be pointing up is pointing down), would this matter?

The clicking noises are the starter solenoid and starter motor.

MarkJ · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Apr 2006 Karma :

Pretty sure the starter motor is doing something, you get that click/pushing sound from the front of the bike around where the starter motor is, can't confirm this 100% though. I can confirm the starter solenoid is doing something though as I've felt it click when thumbing the starter button.

MarkJ · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Apr 2006 Karma :

Fair point, makes sense. It's most strange that it worked fine when I was there. He didn't have a jump pack on it or anything.

When jumping from a car you can just bridge from battery point to battery point can't you? Don't want to frazzle anything. I know that the car engine needs to be off.

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Have you definitely disabled the alarm correctly?
Though it seems odd, got a feeling a datatool would get a relay somewhere clicking (but not the starter) if it still had the imobiliser set. Sure you haven't just set it to 'service mode'?

I'd definitely get a multimeter out if you've got one.
Also, could try shorting the battery positive to the starter for a second - make sure you use a big cable though, of course (ie a jump lead or similar).

I've always just done battery to battery from a car - should be just like having a bigger battery in your bike, basically.

MarkJ · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Apr 2006 Karma :

As sure as you can be with a Datatool! Tried starting it in service mode and normal unarmed mode and it's the same. There's also a wire connected to the battery +ve with a fuse on it (think it's 10amp) which sets the alarm off if you pull it out. Fairly sure the alarm isn't spiked as I thought they don't disarm if they're spiked.

MarkJ · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Apr 2006 Karma :

Fixed! It was the starter solenoid (battery was fine). I think one of the connectors has got a bit too much corrosion on as I bridged the gap of the threads with a screwdriver and got nothing. Un-screwed one of the terminals and touched the other with it and it sprung into life Thumbs Up

finpos · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Sep 2005 Karma :

perhaps too cynical Smile

f.

MarkJ · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Apr 2006 Karma :

Nah, I too thought it was a "just put any knackered battery in for the sale" job too. Only thought it was something else because the batteries worked fine in my other RSV!

MarkJ · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Apr 2006 Karma :

Ugh! Still sort of have a problem. The bike starts up fine all the time if I just touch the two contacts together, so the problem definitely lies around the solenoid area. However, I took the solenoid off the 02 RSV which definitely works and put it on the 99 and still had the same problem! Put it back on the 02 and the 02 starts up fine.

What could that be? Does my 99 require a bit more juice to start which the working solenoid can't provide? Both solenoids give a good click when I thumb the starter button. I'm tempted to buy a new uprated solenoid but don't want to waste my money. It can't be the thick leads if the starter motor turns over when they are manually touched together, can it?

Casper · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Jul 2010 Karma :

Change wire from battery to selinoid.

MarkJ · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Apr 2006 Karma :

It was the switch. The unit is sealed so can't get inside the block with the contacts, can only see the soldered wires on the top of it so I had to use my other bikes switchgear. Never mind, can get a new switch gear instead.