I've replaced the starter relay, charged the battery, attempted to jump it with a car, it just won't turn over. After replacing the battery and the starter relay, I still can't get my baby to start. I've checked all wiring, from the battery to the starter motor, and it's good. I used to get this clicking noise when the battery was low on juice, but now that I've ruled the power source out, I'm left with potentially extensive and expensive fixes.

How can I check to see if the starter motor is activating, or if the starter clutch is engaging? If they are engaging, then I'm concerned it may be a piston frozen or some other serious mechanical failure. Anything else I can try before I take it in to the stealership?

 

Is the starter button actually engaging/making contact?
verify that the starter lockout switch or the neutral switch are functioning.

Have you pulled the plugs and tried to use the starter to turn the engine over? Will it turn over that way or is there signs of compression? Also trying to rule out any hydro lock of fuel stuck in the cylinders.

edit: If that does not work, can you turn the engine over by hand to rule out mechanical seizure?

 

And your "ground" is good? I don't think it's anything serious....

 

I am in agreement with that jeff. Just the simple things in life can cause a person the most headaches or the most joy.

 

All switches/relays and sensors are functioning properly when tested independently. No problems running through each gear on the transmission (running or not), and the neutral switch (and led) is engaging. I've replaced the clutch and break fluid, and bled them correctly. I've even changed the differential oil and the engine/transmission oil (straining the old oil and looking for any metal shards or gear teeth that may lead me to head in the mechanical direction). Since I had to get into the gas tank anyway, I tested the fuel pump. The air, fuel, and oil filters have been changed and all breather and fluid lines are unhindered and correctly positioned.

Here's a clue that I'm now following: A good car battery (car not running) has enough cold-cranking amps to start a whole row of MCs. Without getting into Ohm's Law, a cold car battery did get it to turn over once or twice (but never fired up)... which brings me back to the electrical arena (or the starter motor). My first thought, since I did get it to turn over a few times with a car battery, I can replace the rectifiers/regulators to ensure the electrical current is conditioned correctly, then see if it starts.

If good rectifiers/regulators condition the current correctly and it still don't start, the issue must be the battery, starter motor, or the one sensor I didn't check: the vehicle-down sensor, right?

I did break the vehicle-down sensor's bolt when tightening it down, causing the sensor to drop one side down to a position where it may think the bike is down. The only component attached directly to the positive side of the battery is the starter relay (replaced), and the vehicle-down sensor (straightened it out with a new bolt, but would it have been tripped when the right bolt cam off?) I've never dropped the bike previously, but I assume that sensor would disallow the motor to run or restart while the bike is down. Can I reset it somehow, and test it prior to buying the aforementioned parts?

, so I appreciate your responses tremendously! I'm seriously going through physical and psychological withdrawal as it's been more than 2 weeks since I've been doing 55 down a Farm-to-Market road! AHHHHH!!!!!

 

I turned the engine over twice, weakly by jumping it with a cold car battery. I guess I've been trying anything to avoid the need for more expensive repairs (I don't have a drill-press to rebore the cylinder, if need be).

Additionally, the bike's had the exact same symptoms in the past, but 12-hours to 24-hours on a trickle-charger always brought it back to life. I'm starting with the least-expensive and labor-intensive repairs, then moving up... but I'll check the compression and hope it's pretty darn close to 9:1.

 

ok, then check your vehicle down switch. The how too will be in your fuel system section of your manual. Position of the sensor is of importance.

What codes is your ECU giving you?

 

I just pulled a 1st Generation Cobra Fi2000 off the bike, which included a ground wire attached to the negative terminal on the battery. I remember that I was having an issue where the bike would go completely dead for no apparent reason. I determined that the ground wire coming off the fuel module wasn't making good contact with the negative terminal, and was severed a bit at the connection point. I soldered a new tip on the ground wire and never had the problem again.

I'm now thinking that I may be having a similar, electrical problem. How can I attach a ground to the negative terminal? Can I just splice a wire from the negative battery terminal into the Black w/Green wire in the harness? Is there another place I can attach a ground wire directly from the (-) terminal? I've even heard of a few guys that have ran 2 grounds, just as a redundant measure on older bikes.

 

I think you meant bk/y being the ground wire. Verify your connections with your meter, maybe after some wiggling and checking on how clean the connections are, you may find that ground issue.

 

What's the easiest way to safely run a ground wire to/from the negative terminal on the battery? Is that extra smaller wire coming off the negative cable an accessory wire or a ground wire that I need to attach somewhere? I'll try to figure out a way to post some pictures of the wiring situation underneath the seat, if need be.