Help bike will not start!

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By Noonie on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 - 11:46 am:  View Noonie's Profile Search for other posts by Noonie Edit this post

I have just washed the Falco and tried to start the beast, the engine turned over a few times but did not fire up! I left it for a few mins and tried again but there was no life in the thing. The lights work fine and when you turn it on the fuel pump sounds fine but when you hit the ignition all you can here is the relays working and no starter motor turning. HELP PLEASE.  

By Befbever on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 - 12:26 pm:  View Befbever's Profile Search for other posts by Befbever Edit this post


Check this thread
Sounds like a combination of a corroded starter button/weak battery to me.

Also, check Daz's site coz it sounds like there's water in the system somewhere else. Might well be the connectors under your airbox.

Hope this helps. 

By Noonie on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 - 02:18 pm:  View Noonie's Profile Search for other posts by Noonie Edit this post

I have been out all night long trying to fix the dam thing!!!

The battery show 13-14volts so no problems there. I have checked all the fuses and connections.

The only sound I get when I press the started button is a clicking noise from the right hand rear of the bike. The starter motor is not moving at all.

Any other ideas!!!!

H E L P.  

By Benw on Thursday, October 24, 2002 - 12:18 am:  View Benw's Profile Search for other posts by Benw Edit this post

You've tightened the battery connections? Mine did this a fair while ago - the connections looked tight but were in fact, loose enough to only make a bit of contact. The voltmeter on the dash showed full voltage, but when I tried starting it, there was no show.

B  

By Crmc33 on Thursday, October 24, 2002 - 12:52 am:  View Crmc33's Profile Search for other posts by Crmc33 Edit this post

Check the connections as Bef's article mentions.

Also check the kill switch if it now fails to turn over!

Ive read b4 that the starter solenoids have a habit of playing silly games too.

Will it bump start? Find a steep hill if need be. 

By Powermaster on Thursday, October 24, 2002 - 12:56 am:  View Powermaster's Profile Search for other posts by Powermaster Edit this post

Noonie, give me a call, I saw your email, but it's on my home PC.  

By Noonie on Thursday, October 24, 2002 - 04:59 am:  View Noonie's Profile Search for other posts by Noonie Edit this post

Well after a little investigation I have resolved the problem with the non-starting Falco.

It turned out to be the solnoid valve, put a screwdriver across the two terminals and the starter motor kicked in. So it's now in the hands of our electrical engineer who is trying to fix it.

So thanks for all your help friends.

Andy.  

By Scotty on Friday, October 25, 2002 - 12:37 pm:  View Scotty's Profile Search for other posts by Scotty Edit this post

Hi Noonie,

I had what sounds like exactly the same problem as you tonight.
Has been raining hard in London this afternoon, left work started bike fine... rode up the road about 10mins and stopped to refuel. Attempted to restart bike starter motor would not turn at all... relay as you describe clicks when button thumbed.

Initially thought that starter button was playing up again... bought can of wd40 and sprayed the f*ck out of the button... no joy...

Got someone to try to help me bump it... tried about 6 times but could not get it to fire at all.
Last 2 times it sounded like it was about to fire but didn't.

So called out AA and the guy checked the battery voltage...12.2 volts... ok.
Removed side panel and next checked voltage going to starter motor when starter button pressed - zero volts.... Hooked up booster battery across bikes battery and took a postive lead from battery and touched it on the positive of the starter motor... fires and bike starts...

Rode the thing home about 10 miles across London, When I got home I checked the battery volts on the readout 13.3 at around 4k revs.. seems ok. Switched engine off... switched ignition back on and pressed starter.. fires and works... did the same again and the bike fires again... I am now completely confused...

Coming back to your problem again...
When you say solenoid valve what exactly do you mean and also where is this located???
Did your electrical engineer have anything to add??
I am wondering if this solenoid is being affected by the wet or water vapour.

Any help appreciated from you or anyone else. 

By Crmc33 on Friday, October 25, 2002 - 01:31 pm:  View Crmc33's Profile Search for other posts by Crmc33 Edit this post

I think Noonie means the solenoid starter relay. I think its under the seat but not sure. The relay takes the power from the handlebar starter switch and acutates the high current circuit required to turn the starter motor. The solenoid is obviously there to prevent the handlebar switch from directly switching the high current circuit and hence prevent big sparks, burnt contact faces and molten switch plastic! The solenoid also has a built in fuse to protect the wiring from short circuits.
If the relay (switch) part of the solenoid is acting up (eg sticking) then whatever you do with the handlebar starter switch will have no effect on the solenoid. I think Noonie bypassed the solenoid relay by short circuiting the two main contacts (with a screwdriver for example) and hence creating a closed circuit on the main high current starter circuit. This will or should actuate the starter motor.

I'm not an electrician but I hope this is fairly accurate. Hope its been of some help.

Anyway, Im off to bed, see you all in 9 days or so. No I'm not sleeping for that long, just a trip away from the computer! 

By Befbever on Friday, October 25, 2002 - 11:01 pm:  View Befbever's Profile Search for other posts by Befbever Edit this post


We'll miss you!


Seems to me we should all just dip the whole bike in a bath of WD40 

By Falcokev on Saturday, October 26, 2002 - 12:50 am:  View Falcokev's Profile Search for other posts by Falcokev Edit this post

Hi everyone

My first post ... here goes

I had a similar problem to this a short while ago. I managed to bump start the bike and got it to a mechanic friend. He too thought it was a starter solenoid problem. We found the solenoid under the right hand side panel just behind the seat. The contacts are covered by a rubber shroud but once you get that out of the way its quite easy to get a small screwdriver to short across the contacts.

A word of caution though. When I got it all checked out by the Aprilia dealer it turned out the solenoid was fine. The problem was with the motherboard on the Datatool alarm / immobiliser system that had been fitted. Obviously it immobilises via the solenoid amongst other things

Hope this helps

FalcoKev
 

By Noonie on Monday, October 28, 2002 - 02:42 am:  View Noonie's Profile Search for other posts by Noonie Edit this post

Hello chaps, sorry I've not been on but been chasing fence panels around my garden this weekend!

The problem with the Solenoid was a very, very small piece of plastic had found its way to the botom of the unit thus stopping the copper plunger from making contact. The plastic item had prob been in there from the day it was made and it has just been luck that it has'ent happened before.

It's running like a dream now and fires up with no problems. Thanks for all the advise and here's to the next fault....


Andy (Noonie) 

By Scotty on Monday, October 28, 2002 - 03:40 am:  View Scotty's Profile Search for other posts by Scotty Edit this post

Noonie good to hear your problem is sorted..

My bike seems to be fine now... but I think that it might happen again at some point...

Can you confirm the location of the solenoid please? just for my information.. previous post mentioned righthand panel under the seat.. I assuming this means rear seat?  

By Falcokev on Monday, October 28, 2002 - 12:50 pm:  View Falcokev's Profile Search for other posts by Falcokev Edit this post

Hi

The solenoid is fixed to the subframe (right hand side) just behind the point where the Pillion footrest bracket is fixed to the subframe. Its covered by the side panel, but you can just about get your fingers in and feel the leads / contacts

FalcoKev  


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