Sporti not cranking

[bigpants]

Hi everyone. It's been a while since I've been out on the guzzi but the sun has been shining here and the dirt track has dried up so I took her to work yesterday. Everything was fine till I stopped for fuel after about 10 miles. After that I couldn't get the engine to turn over. No clicks or anything. I could hear the pump priming so all 120lbs of me bump started her and I got home. At home I tried several times and nothing . Then I go out this morning and she fires straight up. Does this sound like a dodgy relay ?

[blackcat]

How old is the battery?

[Old Jock]

As BC said, battery is a possibility, also connections

Sidestand swtich? (mine doesn't have one)

If the fuel pump primed, then you should be getting ignition too as they are all powered on the same relay

When it doesn't turn over, dash lights go out? Any clicks when pushing the starter button?

Solenoid sticking? If so you could try this

If it doesn't turn over and you've heard the fuel pump priming, you could short the connections at the starter.

Place something metallic and beefy (medium to large screwdriver ideal, pocket knife blade at a push) between the bolt on the back of the starter that has the thick cable attached, to the small terminal with the wire.



Be sure its in neutral don't rely on the warning light, push it back and forward to check.
Be careful not to touch anything else with the shorting implement when doing this
It will probably spark and combined with starter noise make you jump

[bigpants]

The battery is only a month old and is holding a good voltage. Also it wasn't slow or anything , just seemed like a dead circuit. I don't have any dash lights fitted so couldn't check that but there were no clicks or noises of any kind. Maybe it's just the starter button failing , it is my second. And then of course as I said it fired straight up this morning.

[Old Jock]

Could be never thought of the starter button............n ice catch

Providing the fuel pump primes

If you pushed the button and no crank it points to
The switchgear
The starter relay
The solenoid

When you push the start button if the headlamp goes out then its most likely the solenoid (the starter relay cuts power power to the headlamp relay feed)

If it doesn't go out then it's most likely the starter relay or the switchgear that's at fault.

I'm guessing button or relay

Check the wiring at the relays for corrosion and clean the terminals then replace or swap relays and see how that goes

Shorting the starter in an emergency (with ignition on and kill switch to run of course) is a damm site easier than pushing it................. ...unless you always park on a hill

[bigpants]

Thanks Jock. Love a proper bit of diagnostic logic .

[blackcat]

Shorting the starter in an emergency (with ignition on and kill switch to run of course) is a damm site easier than pushing it................. ...unless you always park on a hill

I have this setup on all of my bikes in case there is an issue with a switch, just reach down and touch the shielded plastic end to the silver nut.

[Old Jock]

Nice mod BC, must do something similar

BP

I got a message from a real expert on Guzzis asking me to pass this along. I don't think this is related to your current problem, but is good advice

Run auxiliary earths from the battery to the engine block direct and an extra one from the front fairing and clock mounting subframe to the engine.

The earth path on the Spineys with the batteries in the tailpiece is poor

[John A]

I put a relay, one like for horns or lights, about an inch square, rated 20 or 30 amps in the circuit. It is triggered by the wire to the solenoid. The solenoid then gets hooked to the power out from the relay. The relay is powered by a direct feed from the battery with a well insulated, short wire . That way it bypasses all the old wiring and doesn’t modify anything except for un plugging the wire to the solenoid and putting it to the added relay. It works well.