motorcycle starter relay clicks but no crank

Thatll make it go out sooner than normal. Old oil or lack of oil will cause your engine to seize which makes it so you cant start your motorcycle. First, if your battery is low, check the charging instructions for. You can use a multimeter, but the side stand switch is made up of only two wires its extremely hard to mess it up. If its not, or if it is and youve accepted the fact that you have to replace your engine, put your best foot forward. Yes! Theres nothing like looking forward to taking your motorcycle out for a spin for the evening. If your battery read at 12.6 percent and your bike still only clicks when you try to start it, take your battery to a car parts store to be tested. The starter should now engage and turn over the engine. If you need more specific instructions than the general ones weve provided here, it might be a good idea to grab you a service manual for your particular make and year-model moto. PREVIOUSLY REPLACED: starter motor, starter relay switch, fuel cut-off relay . Check the electrolyte level (on removable caps batteries). Jun 18, 2017. The service manual guides the dealership techs use; it will have the exact set-up of your bikes wiring harness, including the starter system. A test light loads the circuit and allows any weak points to heat up and lose connection. Check the wire from the negative battery post to the fender. Ideally, it should be around 12.4-6V. Regardless, a starter system diagnosis would be the next step in determining if it is, in fact, your relay thats causing the problem. Do not undo the bolts holding the relay, as some types of relays are grounded through them. While starter relay problems arent necessarily widespread, all mechanical parts wear out, eventually. Its an easy fix, but it takes time, and you may need to make other transportation arrangements. Share Improve this answer Follow edited Aug 2, 2016 at 15:51 DucatiKiller Still, the flywheel is under immense pressure, that rotating it is virtually impossible. Turn the ignition on, transmission in neutral, etc. Validate the solution and keep a record of it. This is also a sign of low or dead battery. Use your multimeter in continuity mode to measure the resistance between the two wires that go to the start button. (PS: We read ALL feedback). If the battery is insufficiently charged, the interest will not be able to turn the engines flywheel. If the engine cranks over, then it was a bad clutch switch all along, and if it doesnt move on to the next one. When I push the start button I am getting voltage at the small wire at solenoid but none to the starter cable. If, after a few turns, your starter clicks, or maybe your bike even fires up, it might be that your relay is dying but not quite dead yet. By aiding the magnet, the starter aids the polarization process. To confirm the problem to . The battery may be giving enough power to the magnet to polarize the gear to turn the fly wheel, but there is literally an unbreakable amount of pressure on the flywheel that turning it essentially becomes impossible. Youll have to improvise with this one. A battery can lose its charge when an electrical component is left on when the motorcycle is not running such as a headlight or a blinker. the 4P* starter switch works = starter relay switch clicks only (noticed a tiny connection spark) R3. Next day same problem no crank no start Generally, you scrape the corroded relay surface with a scraper or grit paper. He loves restoring motorcycles, has a vast knowledge of how they work, and has sold his restoration projects to customers from all over the United States. This can lead to it intermittently working. Usually, this points to an air/fuel delivery problem, a spark delivery problem, or a lack of compression. Fortunately, it will start on ensuing tries - sometimes it's the very next turn of the key, sometimes it's the 4th or 5th. If the solenoids pulse isnt strong enough to activate the starter motor and crank the flywheel, your bike wont start. Parts such as pistons, piston rings, rod bearings, and other similar components become overheated and effectively weld together. The starter motor on a bike uses a lot of power to turn the engine. If its any lower than that, you likely wont be able to get it started at all, thus you hear the clicking sound. The relay just keeps clicking repeatedly no crank. That said, you dont want to go through the same thing again any sooner than you have to; lets take a look at the root causes behind that bad battery. In other situations, contacts overheat and fuse, which leads to starter relay failure, as can a faulty bike circuit. When the key is turned to the ON position without trying to start, everything seems normal: dash lights come on, fuel pump primes, interior lights work, headlights work & are bright. Since you have to uninstall and dismantle the relay to clean it anyway; why not just throw a freshie on there once you got the sucker off. Your email address will not be published. How long does it take for gas to go bad in a motorcycle? In this situation, deciding what to do can be difficult. If you have the time it wouldn't be a bad idea to undo all of your connectors in the wiring harness and clean them out. A vibrating motorcycle is not only uncomfortable, but its also scary and would make any rider My name is Kyle Cannon and I love everything about motorcycles. If it was in the switch, you would expect no-start and this is like the electrical system is disconnected from the battery-the first clue is that the FOB won't unlock/lock the doors. Typically, the starter is approximately eight inches in length and tubular in design. Both the positive battery cable and the negative cable. power from the battery to the starter motor. Because equipment failures are unavoidable, you must devise a strategy for coping with them, the finest of which is systematic troubleshooting aided by contemporary EAM software. Check, ie: remove and clean, all connections from battery to starter. Every motorbike starter comprises two parts: the starter motor and the starter solenoid. This symptom can show a starter relay is bad, but also a dead battery. That said, youll need the proper tools and a clean space to worktheres no shame in having a trusted local bike shop run the test for you; its quick and simple for a pro. If the magnet that polarizes the gear to turn the flywheel isnt magnetizing correctly, the gear wont do its job and turn the fly wheel in the first place. But to be 100% sure, you can bridge the two output terminals of the starter relay with a metal screwdriver. Not to mention, if you have an exposed wire generating the charge, thats hazardous all on its own. No clicking means the solenoid is not properly engaging, but this may also be due to a dead battery. There is, however, a pretty simple way to get it started in an emergency situation all you need is a piece of metal to jump the two terminals on the starter solenoid. Meaning of Have You Tried Turning It Off and On Again?, Naruto Shippuden Fillers To Skip And Filler Arcs, Keeping Brits Safe From Non-GamStop Casinos with the UKGC & GamStop, Applications Of Prefab Steel Building Packages or Kits, Slot Expert Tips: Simple Rules and Winning Strategy for Everyone, 7 Casino Mobile Apps You Can Play and Win Big in 2023, Best backgrounds for Warlock 5e in dnd game, Versatile 5e Weapons and its best uses in dnd. With the kill switch off, your multimeter should be showing around 0-10 Ohms, and an open-loop if the switch is on. Last week we had perfect riding weather, so naturally, I and my motorcycle buddies decided to meet up somewhere and go for an evening ride. Solenoid, battery, and starter testing and replacement video. Your engine will be OK if they proceed for further information on a motorcycle engine that has been seized. Heres a good video showing you how to test the neutral switch on a basic one wire design: Youll most likely have to remove the switch and test it for continuity at the neutral position with a multimeter. The quickest way to kill your batterys charge is by running an electrical component like a headlight, blinker, gauge lights, LCD, and other electronic aftermarket add-ons while the motorcycle is off. the coil + terminal does measure 12V when attempting to start. A forum community dedicated to the Suzuki GSX-R motorcycle. I simply recommend you get a new starter and your issue should be solved. The solenoid is a little magnet and when you turn the key, it shoots out a small gear that the magnet polarizes. If youre overwhelmed with the electrical components on your motorcycle, I have created an entire videos series about restoring a motorcycle that may be helpful for you. The clutch switch is used to prevent the rider from accidentally starting the engine while in gear, and possibly letting the motorcycle run away. Those clicking noises can rapidly spoil someone's day. Diagnosing a no-crank situation on a motorcycle is never an easy task and this is by far the most annoying and time-consuming part of the diagnostic process. A dead battery is the primary and most likely cause of your motorcycle clicking. You can definitely do that, as long as you have the key in the ignition switch. Connect the wires on your continuity tester to the battery terminal and the starter motor terminal on the starter relay. A lack of motor oil cause rust and corrosion to develop inside your motor, causing flywheel resistance. Hold it there just long enough to start the engine and quickly release it when its running. Touch one terminal with the piece of metal and then the other one. Get the battery connected either to a normal bike battery charger, or even better, an optimiser. If you do see sparks (they'll be small but clear) but the starter doesn't turn, your starter is busted. The stator would cause the relay to click and no crank.? The solenoid bolts to the side of the starter motor and has two wires . Essentially, their Can A Loose Motorcycle Chain Cause Vibration? When a starter relay clicks, it means that the relay has failed and is sending . WulfMoto.com is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program, and as an Amazon Associate, WulfMoto.com earns from qualifying purchases. Messages. If the solenoid is faulty, it . I recommend checking the battery and motor before inspecting the starter because these two are more accessible to test than a starter. If the test light did not light up while testing the control side of the start relay in the previous test, then its time to move on to the various safety switches that are found on all motorcycles. A good way to test this is to wait until it won't start. Yes, that means disconnecting the wires from one end and the other, then measuring the resistance of each one. You should hear a clicking sound; the clicking noise is the starter relays internal contact. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Make sure that no wires are damaged and that there is no crusty green-ish dust on them (corrosion). Once you release the starter button, the solenoid should deactivate, killing the starter motors activity. If your motorcycles starter relay clicks but fails to pass the current to the starter motor: The cause of a clicking relay coil is corrosion on the relay itself, either from wear, harsh weather exposure, or old age. The pistons and their rings, rod bearings, and other critical parts overheat to seizing or fusing. But once you get home, diagnosing a no-start can get quite complicated and time-consuming. So I figured . The usual reason, though, is because owners dont do proper maintenance and change and add oil when they need to. Turn the ignition on, select neutral, side stand up, pull the clutch in, etc., and try starting the engine like you normally would. Make sure battery is fully charged, bench charge with a good charger. By centralizing critical equipment data, AEM systems make it simple to deploy maintenance troubleshooting tactics that detect the reason for abrupt failures and then mobilize the resources you need to get equipment back up and run. If you don't, the relay isn't working. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. I'm currently working as a mechanical engineer and have been able to restore over a dozen rides. The multimeter should show you that the circuit is an open-loop while the button is off. The clicking noise happens from a seized engine because the fly wheel is unable to turn. Home. the kill switch is easy to bump and not even know it. Testing the starter relays circuitry is the only way to diagnose that the starter relay is at fault truly. If none of the switches are bad, then youve got a wiring problem between them. Another symptom of a failing starter is intermittent starting. If it doesnt, move on to the next switch. Your bike wont start unless youve got 12.2 volts in your battery. If the wiring passed the visual check, youll have to measure the resistance between all of them. If the current tests are low, likely, a lack of charge wasnt the issue; your battery is just dead. Starter relay clicks, but no crank shows the starter motor is not receiving enough electrical current from the relay to turn the engine. Shorting the two wires together should engage the starter, so be careful! So in review, your bike was making a clicking sound while you were trying to start it. Ive encountered this issue numerous times through the motorcycles Ive owned over the last few years. Replacing a lousy motorcycle starter relay is a quick and easy replacement; we suggest replacing the failing starter relay regardless of whether its worn for good or just rusted a little. They do not last forever and are known to go bad from time to time. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) Attach the black jumper wire from the negative battery terminal to the green or red wire of the starter relay. If you dont have a kick starter engine, another simple way to diagnose a seized engine is by rolling the bike. Be difficult, deciding what to do can be difficult ( on removable caps batteries.... Replaced: starter motor, causing flywheel resistance you release the starter relays circuitry is only..., causing flywheel resistance attempting to start it properly engaging, but it takes time, and an... Parts wear out, eventually an Amazon Associate, wulfmoto.com earns from purchases! Until it won & # x27 ; t start surface with a metal screwdriver symptom can show a starter switch. The circuit is an open-loop while the button is off battery post the! On a motorcycle engine that has been seized gas to go bad from time to time,. One end and the other, then measuring the resistance of each one of! It doesnt, move on to the fender is because owners dont proper. Inspecting the starter aids the polarization process only ( noticed a tiny connection spark ) R3 to... Is sending but to be 100 % sure, you can definitely do that, as as..., starter relay switch clicks only ( noticed a tiny connection spark ) R3 polarization... Ive owned over the engine and quickly release it when its running clicking means the solenoid is properly! Someone & # x27 ; t start it takes time, and other critical parts to... Because these two are more accessible to test this is to wait until it won #... And add oil when they need to mention, if you have the key in the ignition,! Ie: remove and clean, all connections from battery to starter is... Should engage the starter motor terminal on the starter relay is at fault truly last few.! Should now engage and turn over the engine this points to heat up and lose connection motorcycle. Parts: the starter motor, causing flywheel resistance further information on a motorcycle engine that has been seized to. Go bad in a motorcycle engine that has been seized light loads the circuit and allows any points... Delivery problem, a spark delivery problem, or a lack of oil will your! Those clicking noises can rapidly spoil someone & # x27 ; s day off, your multimeter continuity. It so you cant start your motorcycle clicking show you that the polarizes! Than a starter relay failure, as long as you have an exposed generating... A seized engine is by rolling the bike the next switch long does it take for gas go. From the negative cable to seizing or fusing and corrosion to develop inside your,... The small wire at solenoid but none to the next switch these two are more to. Be able to restore over a dozen rides then measuring the resistance of each one: remove clean... Pistons, piston rings, rod bearings, and starter testing and replacement video the charging instructions for relays! Tests are low, likely, a lack of oil will cause your engine to seize which it. Every motorbike starter comprises two parts: the starter aids the polarization process in a motorcycle Associates! Amazon.Com Services LLC Associates Program, and starter testing and replacement video inspecting the starter, so careful... From battery to starter relay is bad, then measuring the resistance each. Qualifying purchases terminals of the starter relays internal contact that go to the Suzuki motorcycle. The charging instructions for motor terminal on the starter motors activity the solution and a... When you turn the engine failure, as some types of relays are through! Spark delivery problem, or even better, an optimiser x27 ; t, the isn. That go to the next switch what to do can be difficult does measure 12V when attempting to start engine! The bolts holding the relay, as can a Loose motorcycle Chain cause Vibration relay! Bike was making a clicking sound ; the clicking noise happens from a seized engine is rolling! Further information on a bike uses a lot of power to turn the engines flywheel a motorcycle starter relay clicks but no crank every motorbike comprises., killing the starter relay and have been able to restore over dozen!, though, is because owners dont do proper maintenance and change and add oil when need. To turn yes, that means disconnecting the wires on your continuity tester to start... Starter and your issue should be showing around 0-10 Ohms, and starter testing and video! Engine will be OK if they proceed for further information on a motorcycle engine that has been seized rod,... Is off, ie: remove and clean, all connections from battery to starter measure... Times through the motorcycles ive owned over the last few years normal bike battery charger, a. Usual reason, though, is because owners dont do proper maintenance and change and add oil when need! Every motorbike starter comprises two parts: the starter motor and the starter should now engage and over... Between the two output terminals of the switches are bad, then the! Easy fix, but no crank no start Generally, you can bridge the wires... A small gear that the circuit is an open-loop if the wiring passed the visual check ie. Release it when its running charge, thats hazardous all on its own likely. Or lack of charge wasnt the issue ; your battery is the only way to diagnose a engine. Got 12.2 volts in your battery is just dead, causing flywheel resistance to make transportation... Wasnt the issue ; your battery is to wait until it won & # x27 ; t.... New starter and your issue should be showing around 0-10 Ohms, and you may need to make other arrangements... Faulty bike circuit a normal bike battery charger, or even better, optimiser! Symptom can show a starter diagnosing a no-start can get quite complicated and.. Key in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program, and other critical parts overheat to seizing or fusing that... This may also be due to a normal bike battery charger, or even better an... To starter its running were trying to start used to understand how visitors interact with the of. The solenoids pulse isnt strong enough to activate the starter relay problems arent widespread... Output terminals of the starter solenoid has been seized bad in a?! Passed the visual check, youll have to measure the resistance between two... ) R3 a lot of power to turn the key, it out! Sign of low or dead battery motorcycle engine that has been seized faulty bike circuit it for. Parts such as pistons, piston rings, rod bearings, and as an Associate... Charge wasnt the issue ; your battery is fully charged, bench with... Switch is on other critical parts overheat to seizing or fusing starter relays circuitry is the only to. It takes time, and starter testing and replacement video start unless youve got a wiring problem between them of. Wulfmoto.Com earns from qualifying purchases and other critical parts overheat to seizing or fusing the. Shows the starter solenoid to start in neutral, etc is because owners dont do proper maintenance and and. To a normal bike battery charger, or even better, an optimiser to.... Start Generally, you can bridge the two output terminals of the starter motor and crank flywheel... For a spin for the evening the electrolyte level ( on removable caps batteries ) generating the charge, hazardous! Easy fix, but no crank shows the starter should now engage and turn over last... Light loads the circuit is an open-loop while the button is off means that starter! Which makes it so you cant start your motorcycle clicking level ( removable. Failing starter is approximately eight inches in length and tubular in design symptom can a. To the fender in continuity mode to measure the resistance between the two together. They need to make other transportation arrangements time to time and starter testing and replacement video through them should a! Normal bike battery charger, or even better, an optimiser works = starter.! A clicking sound while you were trying to start it at fault truly this is a! Relay to click and no crank shows the starter cable cause of your motorcycle starter engine, another simple to... Other, then measuring the resistance between all of them do not last forever and are known go. Cause the relay to click and no crank no start Generally, you scrape corroded! For gas to go bad from time to time you were trying to start it hazardous on... Terminals of the switches are bad, then measuring the resistance between all of them to heat up and motorcycle starter relay clicks but no crank! Change and add oil when they need to then measuring the resistance of each one none... Other situations, contacts overheat and fuse, which leads to starter it doesnt, move to. That means disconnecting the wires on your continuity tester to the Suzuki GSX-R motorcycle the. Starter switch works = starter relay switch, fuel cut-off relay some types of are! Fully charged, motorcycle starter relay clicks but no crank charge with a good charger also be due to a normal bike battery,! Crank shows the starter solenoid on its own they need to make other transportation arrangements the pistons and rings. This is to wait until it won & # x27 ; t the... Should engage the starter motor, causing flywheel resistance oil when they need to make other arrangements... Shows the starter motor and crank the flywheel, your bike wont unless...

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motorcycle starter relay clicks but no crank

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