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'81 Maxim 550, no electricity

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by tjb2of3, Mar 3, 2011.

  1. tjb2of3

    tjb2of3 Member

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    Hey guys,
    I'm having a problem starting my bike. I have the battery on a trickle charger, and it reads ~12.3V when charged. When I put it on the bike and try to start it, the starter motor turns over once, and then it seems like the battery is dead. I have been able to bump-start it, and the engine and everything seems fine, so I'm pretty sure it's just an electrical issue. My question is, what should I check first?
     
    tjb2of3, Mar 3, 2011
    #1
  2. bigfitz52

    bigfitz52 Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    Jump the terminals on the starter solenoid and see if the starter spins ok.

    ***warning*** this WILL produce sparks.

    In order of needing to check:

    1-Battery itself. Get it fully charged and take it to the auto parts store and have it load-tested.
    2-fusebox.
    3-solenoid/wiring/connections.
    4-start button on switch cluster.
    5-starter itself, starter wiring, ground straps.

    The list will need to re-prioritized if the starter DOESN'T spin when jumpering the solenoid terminals.
     
    bigfitz52, Mar 3, 2011
    #2
  3. Altus

    Altus Active Member

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    What Fitz said -- oh and a battery that shows 12.3v is essentially dead, maybe somewhere around 50% if lucky, it should be reading 12.6 or better - seriously need to have it tested, but I wouldn't hold out much hope.
     
    Altus, Mar 3, 2011
    #3
  4. tjb2of3

    tjb2of3 Member

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    Ok, I got the battery tested at Advance, and they said it was good. 12.3 was just what I thought I remembered, but I guess I was wrong. Also, I replaced the fusebox with a new one a few months ago, so that's good.

    When I jumped the terminals, at first it didn't do anything. Then, after about 5 or 6 tries, the starter motor turned over a few times. Then, nothing again.

    Also, I noticed that the engine cutoff switch was making a really loud clicking sound that came from somewhere behind the battery. Is that normal?

    Oh, and it's definitely harder to bump start than it was before all this started.
     
    tjb2of3, Mar 3, 2011
    #4

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