No ignition sound

[DVicinskas]

hi guys hopefully you can help me. My bike has no ignition sound, just like if the killsswitch was on but obviously it isn't. The bike was running perfectly for like an hour then I came to a full stop engine shut off and that was the end of that. The temperature was more than fine it was just in the middle, and there is no smoke coming from bike or anything like that. My starter relay was changed a couple of days ago in a kawasaki garage... Any ideas what it could be??[/list]

[MahatmaAndhi]

First thing's first: I know naff all about anything bike related.
My Kawasaki recently stopped working. Turns out it was the starter switch itself.
It could be that? Here's the thread for my issue:
https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=315316

[DVicinskas]

I'll have a look into it I opened the fuses and made sure they are all connected this is what sound it makes now https://vid.me/TaOE

[MahatmaAndhi]

That sounds totally different to my issue. Mine made no sound at all.

[DVicinskas]

Yep mine was making no sound as well, now this. Is it more likely the starter motor or maybe even flat battery? I have no means to sort it out today so asking for tomorrow... thanks guys

[DVicinskas]

bump... any thoughts?

[Teflon-Mike]

Sounds like a machine-gunning solenoid.

I presume you hear it rattle like that when you press the starter.

Hints that your original problem wasn't the solenoid that was replaced, but that may have been a symptom of it.

Machine-gunning happens when the circuit made by the solenoid results in a voltage drop beneath what is needed to keep the solenoid engaged.

So, you touch the button, and the solenoid engages, and turns on the starter circuit, causing voltage drop that turns the solenoid of again, which lets the volts come back up enough to turn the solenoid back on; so it cycles through the loop as long as you have your finger on the starter button, very rapidly firing the solenoid back & forth like a machine-gun... or an electro-mech indicator flasher unit... that co-incidentally works on exactly that principle.

Causes of machine gunning?

1/ flat or fucked battery providing terminal volts high enough to trip the solenoid, but not enough amps to turn the starter.

2/ gummed or fucked starter motor, sucking more amps when turned on, than the battery can supply.

3/ jammed or fucked starter clutch, that stops the starter motor turning when it's turned on; so the high 'mechanical load on it puts high electrical load on the battery.

BUT, the causes & symptoms are inter-related.... eg:

Carbon brushes in the starter motor wear; the carbon dust coats the armature contacts, and conducts electricity, so that more than one or two windings in the starter get fed at a time, perhaps doubling the electrical 'load' drawn by the starter, whilst the starter looses efficiency the extra 'unwanted' windings making magnetic field pushing against the ones you want pushing.

Extra electrical load on the starter, sucks more amps from the battery, more quickly, so battery goes flat faster, BUT 'deep-cycled' heavy load supplied very very quickly, wears out the battery, quickly.

While the amps trying to be sucked through the solenoid, can see the it 'arc' accross teh contacts before they actually touch, both pitting the copper and oxidising it, making the contact area smaller and 'corroded', so it too adds to the electrical load, or starts refusing to pass any.

Tackling the obviouse first; you charge the battery up.. and with more juice in it, it doesn't suffer as badly, but, not the 'root cause' masks them for a bit, so you can carry on with the starter sucking higher current, wearing out more brush, and the solenoid erroding...... until it gets worse again, and charging the battery doesn't help... 'cos by now its buggered... and you buy a new one...... and like the machine gunning solenoid... go back round the loop.... until you look at the solenoid.... and clean, fix or replace that... A-N-D go back round the loop.. a repeat incident taking you back to the battery, you are convinced must be good 'cos you 'just' replaced it.... so you replace it again, and back round the cycle until you finally get to the starter motor. ... and with THAT reconditioned... start over, discovering that the second new battery and the first new solenoid were similarly buggered by the old starter!!!!

SO!!!!

It dont work... take it back the shop who haven't fixed it... or start burrowing into it DIY.

Removing the starter and testing the resistance readings as you rotate the armature can give hint whether the windings inside have broken down or worn through and the starter is a dodo that will have to be replaced or proffessionally re-wound. If Resistance readings 'consistant' if not great, then you may get away with just a clean and brush kit....

But that would be my starting place, after looking for any signs or obviouse spanner-monkey numptiness like a solenoid feed wire trapped under the starter motor mounting flange, being pinched and shorting when you turn the starter 'on' or something.
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[petalbriefs]

[Aceslock]

1st thing i would check is that your battery terminals are not loose.....
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Previous Bike: Skyjet SJ27
Sold: Yamaha YZF 600 R Thundercat. Sold: ZX636R
Current bike: R1 14B (Beast)

[Spamalittle]

Bugger all on the button sounds like it could be a switch problem of some kind.

Last time that happened to me the clutch switch had gone. Easy to diagnose with a quick bypass. Possibly side stand switch too...
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Story so far: RV125 VanVan > SV650 > Indian Scout > Triumph Thruxton, SV650 (again) & CG125

[DVicinskas]

Hey guys so the problem was the rectifier, it just wasn't charging the battery properly, will swap it out. Other than that bike is in top form right now, but trust me if I had known of how much troubles I would have with this bike I would have never bought it... Sorted and happy now though