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Dead KLR

3K views 18 replies 6 participants last post by  EricZ 
#1 ·
Turned on the key on my ‘14 KLR with 15k miles this morning then hit the starter button. Heard a split second noise then everything cut out. No lights, no starter and completely dead. It seemed like the brief noise was the starter activating but it was so quick I’m not sure. Had to leave for work so I haven’t had a chance to check anything yet. I’m assuming the main fuse blew. Are there known starter problems? Could the battery have shorted out? Thoughts? Of course I was planning on riding to the MotoAnerica races tomorrow...
 
#5 ·
It was so brief I can’t be sure but I thought it was the starter motor engaging then silence and no power at all. I’ll be done in an hour and will be sure to update what I find. You guys have been so helpful I try to give what little info I have back.
 
#6 ·
Test the battery again. Without a load the battery might seem fine....put a load on it and you may discover that it's actually dead.
Put on multi-meter, check voltage, turn on bike and try the starter: see if the voltage tanks

Above withdrawn....saw your follow up post. That sux!
 
#7 · (Edited)
Ok what I thought was a solenoid clicking now actually sounds to me like a loud buzz like a short coming from the starter area when I hit the starter switch. Narrowing it down. With they key off the battery is showing 12.6 volts. With the key on it drops to about 9 volts. With the key on but the main wiring harness disconnected above the main fuse voltage remains at around 12.6 volts. The other minor fuses don’t seem to have any effect on battery voltage whether plugged in or not.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Please See pic. Disconnected starter via the outer Phillips screw the main wire to the starter and the battery voltage still drops from 12.6 to 9 volts when the key is turned on so it doesn’t seem to be the starter. Disconnected main harness via inner Phillips screw main wire that seems to power the main wiring harness and battery voltage stays at 12.6 with key on. Would seem to be something in the main harness but it’s not blowing any fuses. I did find a melted connector for the fan temperature switch at the bottom of the radiator on the left side and the connector wires burned off. It looked like it shorted out and melted. I was thinking it was cooling circuit related since the fan sensor harness was melted but it’s not the fan motor or temp sensor because I disconnected them and the voltage still dropped. Any Ideas please. Hoping to ride to racetrack tomorrow for Superbike races
 

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#9 · (Edited)
You have a dead battery. Replace it.

It may show over 12 volts but it will not support a load. The buzzing sound you hear is the solenoid contacts vibrating. They will operate because they present very little load. As soon as they make contact the battery sees the load of the starter motor and sharts its choners. Then the solenoid contacts go again, the battery sharts again, and over and over making a buzzing sound.

BTW, the battery voltage should be more like 12.6V.

You can still push-start the bike.
 
#10 ·
I'd like to see a picture of the melted fan switch connector and melted wires. That is very unusual. Check the fan fuse. It should be 15A and should have blown.
 
#12 · (Edited)
As if I needed any more reminding that I am an asshole. Bad battery. Even though it was showing 12.6 volts apparently it didn’t have enough capacity to even blow the horn or run the led signals properly. I put one in it from my quad and it fired right up. I wasted all my time tearing off the bodywork and checking wires for shorts. I’ve never in my life had a battery die with zero warning then show 12.6 volts but not have enough capacity to run anything properly. Now I still have the melted fan switch to deal with but at least I can ride it and avoid long idling. Thanks.
 
#14 · (Edited)
At least you get to find out why the fan circuit roasted itself.

You ought to check the switch for function and the fuse for rating.

Tracing the fan circuit out to look for a short shouldn't be too hard.

The connector is available from Cycle Terminal and is a Sumitomo female MT090-2. The terminals are open barrel and are designed to be crimped with a decent crimping tool. You can get by with using needle-nose pliers to crimp them if you are careful.

It all should not be too hard to fix.
 
#15 ·
@EricZ,

Looking at the second and fourth pictures, I don't see evidence of heat. If the fuse is there and the right rating it should have blown. I have a hard time imagining a scenario where the fan circuit could have had sustained power to the point where things melted. I think you would have noticed that when it happened, too.

It looks more like mechanical damage that would happen if the wires were ripped from the connector. Could this have happened when you hit the deer?
 
#16 ·
Could the fan connector have been left disconnected at some point in its life & come to rest on the exhaust pipe. That damage appears to be from the outside-in.
 
#17 ·
It does look outside-in, but I don't think it would reach the pipe.

I think the deer bit it off. ;^)
 
#18 ·
You gentlemen are sharp. That and at near 50 I finally have to admit that I can no longer function without reading glasses. Good points both and an excellent memory for the deer. Upon closer inspection without my contact lenses I realized that it was indeed melted, from a soldering gun. The bike was an R title when I bought it and apparently the sensor was broken before and soldered back together by someone, melting the plastic. I’m not sure what ripped them off this time, probably an errant stick on a quad path. I re-soldered and am back in business. Made the races and had an excellent time
 
#19 ·
By the way I took the KiLeR pig as I like to call it on a dealership sponsored sighting lap of the Pitt Race track after the Superbike races were over Saturday. I’ve spent a fair amount of time on tracks with a supermoto and track days on spirtbikes but this was something entirely different. Imagine everything from my KLR on beat 50/50 tires to an ancient Honda helix, the obligatory giant fat guy on a tiny scooter to high end Ducati’s and even a couple Can Am type 3 wheelers and some ancient UJM’s. Throw in some air horns (and if I had to guess some beer) then take a lap of the track with no real guidance or order. It’s was somehow exhilarating, frightening and hysterical all wrapped up in one. There are some people who really need to give up riding and some people who can fly on a scooter. Somehow we all made it unscathed. This is the second time I’ve done it and I just wished I had a GoPro.
 

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