Trying to start...just a clicking noise

Hey guys, I tried to start my bike for the first time since i bought my bike. I have it all ready to go, and just hear a clicking noise. I have a brand new battery so it's not my battery for sure. I tapped the starter, but still no go. Any ideas as to what the problem is and where I should look?

 

First look for dirty / corroded connections to the battery-ground-starter, you could 'jump straight to the starter motor to make sure that is working..

 

is the brand new battery filled with electrolyte?

check the voltage at the battery to an engine ground, and from the solenoid to ground. check all the connections for corrosion or looseness.

 

Ya, there is a bit of rust on all of them i'd assume. Jump to the started?

 

the battery is brand new. They put the acid in it, then I topped it up the next day. I'm thinking the battery shouldn't be the problem

 

Make sure the battery cables are clean and secured to clean posts on the battery, sounds like what a car does when the cables are loose or really corroded, or when it's a dead battery, which shouldn't be your issue. The wire going to the starter should get looked at too, make sure it's connected nice to the starter and not funky looking. You'll get there, don't quit!

 

Okay thanks. I just washed it earlier in the day (with no battery), and i'm guessing the post things that hook to the barrery (from the cables) are still wet. not to mention they are rusty brown. I will give these a good sand to get back to clean metal?

your last sentence is the truth. I bought this bike without hearing it start, It had sat a year by the previous owner. I know NOTHING and it's annoying. thank goodness for this site to help me along

 

Sorry, meant starter, not started, lol (rum/coke) but yeah, you can also pour a little coke or pepsi on the terminals and then brush them with a wire brush or clean toothbrush if you have to. Then hit them with sandpaper and when you get some, they make grease to put on them to keep the moisture off of them and keep them from rusting/corroding. You're on it from the sound of it, might just need time to dry also, and then you can check out all your connections and grounds, etc. and address to prevent this in the future.

 

You know what? I think it's the ground cable isn't screwed onto anything. I see it hanging there, but I have no idea where it goes

 

this is it...

 

I can't tell if that's the actual wire or just the boot, but I think it would connect to that rusty bolt sticking out, maybe one of the wizards can help clarify. You may be onto something there. Hose that bolt down with wd40 or something while you wait for more info.

 

that is the whole wire with the book. I don't know anything, but i'm guessing it's the ground, but I have no idea where that bolts to.

it's even hard to tell where it goes in this picture http://xjbikes.com/modules/coppermine/a ... orting.jpg

 

make sure that on the 2 studs in the picture that the positive wire from the battery is hooked to one side and then follow the wire from the starter and make sure its hooked to the other side. It sounds like your solenoid is working but there is no juice going to the starter.

 

It connects to "the rusty bolt sticking out" as so eloquently stated above.

The thing in the pic, just to the left of the cable you're asking about, is the starter solenoid. TWO big heavy wires connect to it; one goes to the battery "harness" and one goes directly to the starter. It appears as though one or both of them are not connected to the solenoid (at least the one you're asking about isn't.)

However: Most likely they're already disconnected for a reason. From the looks of it, the solenoid itself is rusty; if it's rusted internally it's probably no good which would explain why it's not connected. I also see what could be signs of arcing (as could the rust.) Somebody was probably starting the bike by shorting that wire to the other terminal (thus bypassing the solenoid) to spin the starter.

You need: A manual, to properly diagnose it;

and probably a new solenoid; but maybe not. That's why you need the book (and a meter) to find out for sure before you spend money on a new one unnecessarily.

 

When you get a new dry battery it has to be charged. Just adding acid to it does not give it enough juice to do anything with it HAS to be charged.

 

When I got the battery they put the acid in it, then next day my friend put it on a trickle charger for 12 hours or so.

 

with risk of me sounding stupid, which rusty bolt does it go onto? There are two rusty bolts sticking out of the starter

 

is there some sort of safety mechanism on this bike that it won't start if the oil level is low or something? The green light saying it is in netutral is on...then i try to start it and a the red (oil level) light comes on. Or does this second as a red light telling you it isn't starting?

edit: I think the above theory is no good. I just changed the oil earlier today and i put in 2 litres (2.1 quarts) so I wouldn't say the oil is low. I can't really tell the oil level through the window or by looking down the oil adding hole, but i can only guess it's okay

 

I think when these people prepped the bike for the winter it seems as though they undid every bolt having to do with the electrical system. the two pictures I am posting, the wires were undone, and I put them where I think they go. I think the one on the left is the ground, but to me it doesn't make sense that the ground bolt go through two pieces of plastic and then into the body, but \I put them where it seems where they were.

the other picture is the wire with the boot on it on the starter relay. from what i see in pictures, that is where it goes.

Can anyone correct me if i'm wrong in these

 

I have no idea what the second picture is showing. If the bike is on the center stand, you should be able to see a little bubble at the top of the window. If the window doesn't show oil, then you haven't got enough in.

 

I can tell you this: The solenoid is still not connected correctly; I suggest you STOP before you fry something. You can't just "guess" and hook up main wires like that. Disconnect the battery until you KNOW where the wires go.

PM me with your email address and I can send you the wiring diagram and starting circuit diagnostics from the book.

I'm concerned about the taped-up connection in the second pic.

It's normal for the "low oil" light to come on when the bike doesn't start like that; it is NOT part of any interlock (that's just for the sidestand/starting in gear.)

You'll need about 2.5L of oil with an oil change on a 550 to make it happy.

You should be able to see the oil level in the sight glass with the bike on the centerstand. You won't see any oil in the window when it's on the sidestand even if it's full.

 

cool, that would be great. my email is dennisandsheryl@yahoo.ca

thanks

 

Id lean more towards it being just rust. Look below in the "Y" of the frame... more rust.

 

There is rust for sure, but not alot. There is alot of "gunk" with lack of better words though

 

there is no heavy guage wire going from the + terminal to the solenoid. that would be problem #1.

 

thank you Zookie400 like i said earlier one lead from the battery the other goes to the starter

 

Here's mine:


The screw should get you connected to the right post. Yeah I splurged on the OEM Bar thingy...

 

hey, that's odd. Ya i'm missing that bar thing that goes from the starter solenoid to the + of the battery. that sucks, but good to know.

I will add an arrow to my second picture from a few posts back.

 

This was a STUPID post of mine, and hopefully I deleted it before anyone read it.

 

thanks for the help guys! I originally had the red cable hooked up to the battery instead of the starter solenoid, but I have it fixed as per the picture below. All i need is a cable to go between the starter solenoid to the + post on the battery.

The other picture is of the cable that I was wondering about. I can only assume it's a ground wire (about 8 inches long). It bolts onto it looks like a lower part of the engine, but I don't see where it is suppose to go to. It bolts to the engine, and two bolts down there is the cable that runs up to the negative post of the battery. It was originally out the left hand side of the motorcycle, and now I moved it to the right, but honestly i still don't see where it grounds to.

 

You're getting closer. Isn't the wire with the boot (that you have connected to the solenoid) the wire going to the starter? It should be. Two big wires run to the solenoid; one from the battery and one to the starter. NEITHER of the large posts on the solenoid should be connected to ground. It looks like you're on the right track now.

I think your "mystery wire" is a ground strap that runs from the back of the engine block to one of the battery box mounting bolts, "under" the battery.

 

Ya the wire with the boot that is connected to the solenoid is the wire that goes to the starter.
Now just to get a lead wire and go from there.

 

Another questions concerning that small cable. I live in rural Canada and I don't want to wait for that cable to arrive in the mail. When I describe to shops what I need they start asking specifics, or say they will look up the part number with Yamaha, etc.

here's my question. I'm sure a generic cable would be easier for me to get, but how would I describe it as far as specifics? When they ask the guage, I have no idea.

Any other way I could describe it different from the power cable that goesa from the starter solenoid to the + post of the battery?

 

One of the POs of my bike just had a short piece of heavy gauge wire with two bolt connectors crimped on. i'm sure that would work ok, just make sure the things you crimp on are big enough for the battery and solenoid bolts.

crappy tire has a pretty good selection, i'm sure thats where that wire came from

 

Ya i just called Canadian tire. The guy automatically told me no after i described it to him. I dont know whether it was a simple answer to get rid of me or if they actually don't have it. either way i had no real way to describe it to him except for a cable that can be used as a lead wire on a motorcycle.

 

here's my old one



I'm pretty sure the parts came from CT, go have a look

 

If you are still having trouble getting that Starter to spin, ...

Try pulling the Starter and "Flushing" the Electric-end.

Carbon Dust accumulating on the Commutator and within the Electric-end Housing, ... ((and possibly Starter Brushes too Short)) ... will keep the Starter from getting enough current to make the Motor Spin.

Load a Squeeze-trigger Sprayer with Isopropyl-Alcohol and spray the Electric-end free from accumulated dust and grime.

 

I just came from Canadian tire. i bought two different options, but they had nothing like that cable you just posted.

I bought the shortest cable I could find, but it was still 4 guage and 15 inches long.

the second thing I bought were clamps like on the end of the cable you posted, and i bought a spoole of 10 guage wire, but after I got home I think the wire on the bike has to be bigger than 10 guage, so i figure don't try and waste my money. I'll just return it.

What is good news though is i used that 4 guage battery cable I just talked about, and attached the one end onto the starter solenoid and since the clamp end wouldn't fit onto the battery because it's too big I just touched it to the battery post. Anyways I tried to start it, and i had to rev it a bit, but it did start! it "pop"'s every once in a while, but it's a load of stress off my back now that I know it does start and run, and it's just (hopefully) minor tune up things to get it to run nice.

My cable problem is still existing, but that's not a big deal anymore. since the 4 guage cable connectors are too big for the battery side, would it be okay if i grinded a bit off the top of the connector and made it to fit the battery, or is using 4 guage instead of 8 guage not a good thing?

thanks for the help guys. so glad i got it running all in thanks to you guys!

 

You've got a PM waiting for you...........

You could use the 4 guage instead of the 8, but it's overkill