G5 - Click, No Start

[Groover]

I should know this, but I don't. Started the G5 for the first time this year (running late this year...) - Bike started, then it shut down. Now when I try to start it, I just hear the relay click but nothing else happens (just a slight flicker at the dash). What should I try to narrow it down? The battery seems to check out OK, I probably need to clean the connections, is there a quick way to test the starter? Thank you,

[YellowDuck]

I don't know much about batteries, but I do know that voltage is not a reliable indicator of battery health.  What did you do to check it? 

I would eliminate that possibility by connecting a known-good battery by jumper cables. If it turns over normally, you will have found the problem.  Because what you describe really does sound like a pooched battery.

[guzzisteve]

Connections to Batt.  Run hot lead to spade on solenoid for direct start.

[moto]

I'm not sure whether you mean you hear the solenoid click, the big relay on top of the starter. If so, the connection is there for the current to flow through the starter and get things going. It does sound like a bad battery. After cleaning and tightening connections as already recommended,Try again. If still no luck you can pull it out and have a battery dealer check it for you, or you can get a battery load tester from Harbor Freight and do it yourself. I have one of those, it seems always to give me bad news. Good luck.

[Groover]

Following up on this, haven't had much time to test more, but here is what I've done:

• Checked battery with a battery tester ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MPXGSGN?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1 ) - checked out OK.
• I couldn't find jumper cables, so haven't done that and I also have not cleaned any connection (at a glance, they look OK)
• Jumped a wire from the Positive from the battery to the main lug (center one) on the Starter Solenoid, and nothing happened. Not even a spark?
• The "Click" I hear comes from the relay under the side panel, near the fuse boxes.

Thoughts? Still need to dive into the connectors and such, and maybe the reader gave me a false read - unsure until I spend more time on it, but what do you guys think of the jump from the Positive to the Solenoid? Should that have done something? Thanks again.

[Groover]

Watched this video, I don't think I did the test right. I'll try again


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x2hIOtBfzE

[kidsmoke]

In my experience on our bikes where it pertains to batteries, is that despite the battery 'testing well', it doesn't always translate to cranking amps. I have kept what I call a 'boost pak' around for a couple of years now. A Small rechargeable pack with Battery booster clips that will jump a bike, car, whatever. They're remarkable.

Whenever a bike shows over 12 on the meter but 'clicks' at ignition, I jump it with the pack. Usually, the ensuing ride resores normal operation and starting capability until such time as I neglect the machine again by allowing it an overly long nap.

Certainly indicates a battery may be in your future, but i bet she'll still support an afternoon jaunt.

My boost pak: I've had this for 6 years and it's never failed. And I dare say they've improved in that time. Money well spent.

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GB40-UltraSafe-Lithium-Starter/dp/B015TKUPIC?pd_rd_w=ycNO3&content-id=amzn1.sym.5b28a964-6fd3-4c72-8c58-6450e7d02f5f&pf_rd_p=5b28a964-6fd3-4c72-8c58-6450e7d02f5f&pf_rd_r=6ACPG552JEKSR2KMV303&pd_rd_wg=gK42H&pd_rd_r=d4023a9b-2c78-46b0-a5e8-972d035051ec&pd_rd_i=B015TKUPIC&psc=1&ref_=pd_basp_d_rpt_ba_s_4_t

 

[DoubleGuzzi]

LMFTFY

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GB40-UltraSafe-Lithium-Starter/dp/B015TKUPIC

 

[Tom H]

For the jump test, you want to go from battery positive to the small spade connector on the starter solenoid, not the big lug. You can also use a screwdriver or the like that will safely go from the big lug on the starter solenoid to the spade connector.

ALSO.... MAKE SURE the bike is not in a gear before you test!!!

Could be as simple as the relay for the starter??

Tom

[Groover]

Ok, thanks guys. I've just been a little off my game with repairs and such, will try those things - Kidsmoke, that makes sense, and to add to my off-the-gameness, I actually have one ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087LRFYDB?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_13 ), didn't even think to use it! I rode around with it all summer bungeed to my rear rack, I think two years ago due to a weak charging issue (only needed to use it once). I have it ready to go, just need to find it now - lol


Thanks again - will certainly follow-up with the resolution.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

"Click, no start" is common on small-blocks and I've had it happen enough on big-blocks that I rewire the starter relay with a fuse wire direct from the battery.

This is for small-blocks:

Rewiring the starter relay.

The trick is in the brown wire.  It leads from the right handlebar to the relay socket under the side cover at connector 30/51.  From there, it is joined by a small brown jumper wire from connector 30/51 over to connector 86.  Disconnect the relay from the plastic relay socket.  Now look at the receiving side of the relay socket.  Each terminal has a slot with a small notch.  Reach into this notch with a small jewelers screwdriver.  Inside is a little tang on the female spade connector.  You need to flatten this tang so that you can pull the wire and spade connector out from the back of the relay socket.  We need to do this to swap the position of the two terminals within the relay socket.

Once you have both of the brown wire terminals removed from 30/51 and 86, then cut them apart as close as possible where they both join at the old 30/51 terminal.  Now, you have the wire from handlebar with a spade female on it and you have a short two inch wire with a spade female terminal.

Use your screwdriver to bend out and restore the little tang on the back of each female terminal so that it acts as a snap lock when you insert it back into the relay socket.  Now, reinsert the two terminals into the connector block BUT swap them so that the harness wire from the handlebar now goes directly into 86 and the short two inch wire goes into 30/51.

Now, manufacture a short red wire.  Perhaps 16ga and ten inches long with a ring terminal at the battery end, an in-line automotive fuse spliced into the middle and a straight crimp connector at the business end.  Splice this new jumper directly to the two inch brown wire dangling from the 30/51 position and install the ring terminal directly on your battery positive post.

You are all done.  Now, the 86 terminal only carries the load of the little relay electromagnet coil.  The 30/51 terminal (which gets energized when the relay closes) has a new, fat, short routing directly from the battery, throgh the relay contacts to the starter solenoid.  No more CLICK when you hit the starter button, just vrooooooom.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

Here's the Guzziology version:

[Groover]

Battery. 100% confirmed. Tried to booster pack, and started right away - replaced the battery with another one I had that was still good that I had in one of the lemans (I still plan on buying a fresh new one, but this one works still for now at least for this test/resolution).

Thanks for all the help, you guys were on it right away.

Nothing else was wrong with the wiring, etc. - just a plain battery failure.

Funny thing is that the tester still tells me the battery is good even out of the bike - tested about 20 times at least - that's going back/returned asap.

[73 sport]

      Sounds like you need a new battery tester along with the new   battery.

[malik]

If you leave the voltmeter attached (& visible) while pressing the starter, you might be able to watch the volts drain out from 12V down precipitously. When this has happened to my batteries, the shop tester later confirmed dead cells.

[Groover]

Thanks again, the battery tester I just bought on Amazon a few days ago, shows SOC (State of Charge) and SOH (State of Health), both checked out at 100% multiple times. Not sure, obviously not a great tester or maybe I got a bad one, not sure (or maybe I just don't know how to use it), had a lot of good reviews. It's this one:

https://a.co/d/0g83N50X

[73 sport]

      Better than a battery tester would be a small multimeter, it's more versatile and be carried easily on the bike.