1100sporti slow cranking

[bigpants]

Hey everyone. Yes a slow cranking issue. When it first happened I assumed another battery had gone down but apparently not. I now have a new battery and it's the same . Seems if I play around with everything , battery leads , terminals etc it usually comes back to working and I think I've fixed it . Then after a couple of journeys it'll go back to very slow cranking followed by clicking solenoid. The starter is a relatively new valeo . Looking at the bike this seems a simple circuit , battery , leads , solenoid , starter. I know smaller bits like a relay and the ignition switch are connected but I'm guessing none of those would cause this apparent lack of current at the starter ?

[DenverSteve]

Have you tested the voltage coming to the starter as well as the voltage in the relatively new battery?  A bad stator can cause issues like you cite if the battery isn't charging properly. A bad stator can also cause intermittent starting issues.

[SemperVee]

Hey everyone. Yes a slow cranking issue. When it first happened I assumed another battery had gone down but apparently not. I now have a new battery and it's the same . Seems if I play around with everything , battery leads , terminals etc it usually comes back to working and I think I've fixed it . Then after a couple of journeys it'll go back to very slow cranking followed by clicking solenoid. The starter is a relatively new valeo . Looking at the bike this seems a simple circuit , battery , leads , solenoid , starter. I know smaller bits like a relay and the ignition switch are connected but I'm guessing none of those would cause this apparent lack of current at the starter ?

Ever since I replaced my bad solenoid with a new starter, because that's how they come today AND upgraded my wiring from the relay to the starter solenoid with heavier wire starting is faster and easier on my 07 Norge. You might consider a hidden starter button to bypass the italian wiring confusion that abounds in these bikes.  I did that also JIC.
Learned long ago, check the simple things first.

[Turin]

I had intermittent starting issues due to a bad battery cable at the starter. (solder was bad at the connection) It's worth a look.

[bigpants]

I was looking at the archive and discovered I'd posted about this same problem last year ( bad memory due to a few head knocks) and saw a reply that suggested shorting at the solenoid from the main feed to the spade post . I did this and it kinda of turned slowly but a whole load of white smoke came out my lithium battery! I quickly removed the battery and set it aside somewhere flame proof. Fitted a lead battery now . Its only a ytx-12 from my scooter but it did turn it over and start it . I checked the charging and it was 14.8v at tickover , sounds a bit high to me and if it rises over 15v could easily be damaging my lithium battery.

[guzzisteve]

So much for new tech, go by a proper batt at least 20ah. System was designed for 32ah. Everyone thinks it's not their batt.

[n3303j]

Sounds like you are in the market for a voltage regulator. 14.4 is pretty much MAXIMUM acceptable input for a 12V motorcycke battery.

Don't know your bike but my V11 recently failed a voltage regulator and it boiled the battery. The magnet rotor alternators used on the V11 (etc) are not controllable for output. They just always run at full output and the excess is shorted to frame ground. That's why they are mounted in the air stream and have heavily finned cases. That's why proper grounding of that regulator is heavily stressed in troubkeshooting. Failure mode is to stop bleeding extra energy and just dump it all into the battery.

[bigpants]

My multimeter is cheap affair so I tried it on my scooter and that took was reading 14.8v so maybe it's just reading a little high. I do have an old one with a dodgy lead so I tried that too and also got 14.8 from the scooter although it showed 14.6 on the sporti. So all in all I'd say inconclusive. I've just stripped down the starter button and am cleaning that up but whilst checking the other end of it I found this.

[DoubleGuzzi]

.. whilst checking the other end of it I found this..

That disnae look good!
BTW, 14.8V is the full charge voltage for AGM batteries.

[n3303j]

That disnae look good!
BTW, 14.8V is the full charge voltage for AGM batteries.

But I think you will find most Moto Guzzi systems are regulating to 14.4 to take care of all those who choose flooded lead acid batterie replacements. AGM is not unhappy with 14.4 as my 16 year old Odyssey on my T3 will verify.

[bigpants]

That disnae look good!
BTW, 14.8V is the full charge voltage for AGM batteries.

You had me there for a second with your fancy french spelling , for a moment I could nae ken far you bide (excuse my shpelling).

[DoubleGuzzi]

  Back on track; this is why I like a mini-voltmeter on a bike, even more so when using LiFePO4 batteries. Wiring and electrical components can have a harsh life on motorcycles.

[n3303j]

Back on track; this is why I like a mini-voltmeter on a bike, even more so when using LiFePO4 batteries. Wiring and electrical components can have a harsh life on motorcycles.

Simple enough to add. Like this $10 Amazon waterproof special.

[DoubleGuzzi]

Simple enough to add. ..

A good example of why the charge light flickers (usually) at low revs. (V35?).