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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Kent in Upstate NY on April 13, 2021, 04:57:26 PM

Title: Starting problem
Post by: Kent in Upstate NY on April 13, 2021, 04:57:26 PM
Getting my 2001 Cal Special out of mothballs. Charged the battery and tried to fire it up. No go. Battery was old so I went and got a new one. A couple cranks and nothing except that the positive terminal got hot. Put the old battery fully charged back in and tried it again. Fuel pump is strong, Loud solenoid click but no crank and a warm pos terminal. Am I looking at a bad starter which is easy to fix or couild it be something tricky?
Title: Re: Starting problem
Post by: John A on April 13, 2021, 06:43:00 PM
The starter is not well sealed against water and they get nasty inside. They are easy if you are familiar but may not be a good place to learn. https://www.euromotoelectrics.com/category-s/1670.htm  Is a place I use for parts or complete assemblies. Maybe some of the electrical wizards that reside here can relate more information on troubleshooting it but what you posted leads me to believe the starter itself is the trouble
Title: Re: Starting problem
Post by: Kiwi_Roy on April 13, 2021, 10:55:09 PM
Did you scrape the battery terminals to expose shiny lead, do that then apply some Vaseline to keep the oxygen away from the metal.
It sounds like a bad connection to me.
Title: Re: Starting problem
Post by: s1120 on April 14, 2021, 05:12:02 AM
Motor spins free right??  Clean all cables well.. pos, and neg..  and try again.
Title: Re: Starting problem
Post by: Kiwi_Roy on April 14, 2021, 10:08:43 PM
In lieu of Vaseline, I have discovered  Fluid Film works well. I began using that a couple years ago. Much more convenient in a spray can.

To the OP, take the starter and have it tested.

John Henry
\\
What is fluid film, do you have a link?
As an apprentice we used nothing but Vaseline on the large rotating contacts of drum controllers and batteries, its really cheap from the baby section in a tube or jar.
I never work on bike electrics without it handy, its really good to dip wires in it before crimping them, the joint will stay fresh for ages instead of corroding, especially in a wet area.
Im sure theres better stuff available, but we Guzzi owners are known for being cheap lol
Title: Re: Starting problem
Post by: Mike Tashjian on April 15, 2021, 09:33:34 AM
A bike in mothballs to me means it hasn't run in a while.  I would pull the spark plugs and take peak in the cylinders. I would squirt a little oil in and crank the motor over with the spark plugs grounded to check the spark.  A compression test will tell a lot and is easy to do.  I do remember fuel injectors having a problem if they sit a long time so they be an issue along with that possible starter issue. 
Title: Re: Starting problem
Post by: Chuck in Indiana on April 15, 2021, 06:47:46 PM
C'mon.. Kent. Getcha an Amazon Valeo.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081SAT1I/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For whatever reason the price is higher than the last two I bought that look and operate like OEM.
Title: Re: Starting problem
Post by: Kent in Upstate NY on April 16, 2021, 07:57:14 PM
C'mon.. Kent. Getcha an Amazon Valeo.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081SAT1I/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For whatever reason the price is higher than the last two I bought that look and operate like OEM.
Will do come next paycheck. Gotta pay taxes first.