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Electrical Problem

18K views 13 replies 6 participants last post by  WanderFar 
#1 ·
Help....! I'm having a mysterious electrical problem on a 2007 that I am prepping for an around the trip in 2012. With a fully charged and confirmed good battery, I hit the starter, hear a click that I can't determine the location of, and lose all power. I disconnect the positive lead on the battery and all power is restored. It's as if something is reset when I disconnect the lead. Obviously no fuse is blown. I have installed a fuse block under the fairing and have run power and ground wires up the spine, but I am confident all wires are fully insulated and none of the fuses in the block are blown. The clicking sound does not seem to be coming from the starter relay/solenoid, maybe more forward, under the tank, but I'm not sure. Does a relay reset? When it comes to electrical issues I am completely lost so any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
#2 ·
I had a starter problem many years ago. The history on my bike was it was a pavement princess so I ruled out the starter solenoid and the kick stand safety switches. Then I disassembled the starter and everything was covered in black soot. I cleaned everything and replaced the worn brushes and never had a problem since and that was over 7 years ago.
 
#3 · (Edited)
You may be on to something there with concerns about relays. There are two starter related relays in the system.

http://www.bigcee.com/faq/KLR650-color-wiring-diagram.gif

If you aren't familiar with this type of schematic, move your mouse over the area you need magnified, and click. I know, the drawing is for a 1995 model KLR 650. Everything applies, as nothing really changed in the layout through 2007.

If you go to the battery, in the lower right hand corner of the drawing, you will find a starter relay, and if you chase the wires [black, black / yellow] up, you will see they run to a starter circuit relay. This may be source of your problems.

Our fellow member Damocles has a good comprehension of our electrical system, to the point he knows the middle name of each of the Poltergeist that at times inhabit's our wiring. If he sees this, I'm sure he can walk you through some diagnostics, if you'll follow his lead.

EDIT: On my first cuppa coffee, and my social graces are not kick started and at the forefront. Welcome to the forum. I hope you find everything you need for you and your bike. I came for the bike, stayed for the people.
 
#4 ·
Once again, the extravagant, effusive praise of vatrader feeds my voraciously hungry ego, compelling me to reach beyond my grasp regarding expertise in diagnosis and repair, and to make recommendations beyond my actual competence, denying my real and profound limitations!

Just a brief tutorial (follow along on the excellent wiring diagram accessible fom vatrader's link, class!).

The starter circuit relay is an "enabler," it enables the control voltage from the starter button to reach the solenoid connection of the starter relay, closing the high-current starter relay contacts and powering the starter motor.

The starter circuit relay itself is activated by the logic of the safety switches (e.g., neutral switch, sidestand switch, clutch switch).

So, we've gotta energize two relays to crank a stock KLR650; starter circuit relay, and starter relay.

The, "CLICK!" must be, I'd imagine, one or the other relay solenoids engaging its respective contacts. If the contact surfaces provide sufficiently low resistance, the control voltage is passed on and ultimately closes the starter relay contacts, connecting the battery positive terminal directly (no fuse here, sports fans) to the starter motor positive terminal.

Then, if the starter relay contacts have sufficient conductivity, 12 volts DC appear to the starter motor windings, and the starter motor, thus empowered, rotates and cranks the engine . . .

Now, putting aside the theoretical and going back to ground truth for a moment . . .

So, you turn on the ignition, engine in neutral (neutral light lit), kill switch in RUN position, press the starter button, and you only hear a click.

First field test, for starter relay and assorted connections, JUMP the great big connector on the starter relay to the tiny connector; does the starter motor then rotate? If so, your starter relay's o.k., and so is your starter. If not . . . you've either a faulty starter relay (interrupted solenoid wiring/bad contacts), or . . . your starter armature has a "dead spot" (a rotational orientation where no current flows in the armature), or bad brushes . . .

O.K., the jumped starter relay turns the engine over, let's say. Back up, and see if you get the + 12 volts out of the starter circuit relay when the ignition's on and the starter button is pushed . . .

If not, look back to the SAFETY SWITCH suite; are all these stars in alignment, as they should be?

Well, that's how I'd approach trouble-shooting the problem, using a multimeter and the wiring diagram (and maybe an alligator-clipped jumper wire or two).

If you get 12 VDC to the starter relay contol voltage terminal with the ignition key on and the starter button pressed, and still no cranking, the problem's in the starter relay or the starter itself. Jumping the starter relay (as described) wrings out the relay; still no crankie, the starter motor must be removed, disassembled and examined.

So, the chain of switches (e.g., ignition, starter button, safety switches) transfers the 12 VDC control voltage to the starter circuit relay; the starter circuit relay enables connection of 12 VDC to the starter relay control voltage terminal; the starter relay then connects the batter positive terminal through a heavy cable directly to the starter motor, and, one hopes, the motor "turns over."

Wish I could be ore specific, but . . . I'd be chasing wires with a multimeter and the wiring diagram myself, in your situation.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the info guys. Thanks for taking the time Damocles for the detailed write up. I failed to mention I have bypassed the clutch safety switch, jumping the wires under the fairing, but the bike started a few times after the bypass. I have not bypassed the side stand switch yet. I will get the voltmeter out tomorrow and have at it and keep you posted. Thanks again. Great forum.
 
#6 ·
OK guys here’s what I have:

Key Off = 13.1
Key On Headlight Low = 12.24
Hit Starter Button = .74 (Can that be right?)
After Test And No Power = 12.85

Bike cranked during one test. Clicking is definitely coming from the area of the relay.
Bike only has 1000 miles on it. Could the relay have gone bad already?
After I remove/replace the positive lead all power is restored...does the starter relay reset? Frustration setting in....:(
The other forum is telling me the batter is bad....is that possible with an initial reading of 13.1?
 
#7 ·
Lots of questions; lots of possibilities . . .

YES, it's possible you have a bad battery even with a high initial voltage; cells sometimes break down UNDER LOAD; a competent shop can test your battery under load and evaluate that component.

A quicker test of whether you suffer from a defective battery; JUMP your bike with a known hot automobile battery! If your bike behaves, with the amp-hours of a robust battery connected, then . . . you've an on-board battery problem!

A clicking relay (and nothing else) often means inadequate current from your organic battery.

Only 1000 miles? Under warranty? If so, looks like a job for the dealership/manufacturer team.

All this said . . . those ol' boys on the other forum may have something . . . maybe you DO have a defective battery!

-----------------

One more comment: Yes, it's possible your relay is defective after low mileage; conceivably, a relay could fail from one end of the assembly line to the other . . .
 
#8 ·
I think you were right, Damocles, about the “under load” issue.

Checked battery with lights on for 2-3 minutes. Reading was 12.5 only down to 12.4. At this point I’m still thinking there is no way it could be the battery.
Jumped bike with car battery and bike started every time…!
So I’m replacing the battery right….? I guess I couldn’t wrap my rather small brain around the fact that the battery could be bad even though I was getting readings of 13.1.

Probably not the best time to admit this but….the battery was from a local place here in Chicago ( Illinois Battery). I bought a sealed battery from them a few years ago and used it in a 1999 KLR650 that I rode from Chicago to Tierra del Fuego (motorcycletheworld.com) and back and didn’t have any battery issues so I figured I’d give them another shot. I guess it was a mistake. Of course the warranty ran out 3 weeks ago!

I know asking about batteries is like asking about oil…but…you guys have any preferences as far as what battery to go with? I’m thinking of going with sealed Yuasa.

Thanks again.
 
#11 ·
After doing a little research I think I'll be ordering the Deka tomorrow. It looks like you have to add the acid to the sealed Yuasa and is more expensive that the Deka. The Odyssey sounds good, but don't like having to mount it on it's side. It appears the Deka comes charged with the acid already added. Do you remember Spec if the acid is already in the Deka? Would prefer not to mess with adding it.
 
#13 ·
Thanks for the electrical info Some Monk. People are always telling to just take the bike to a mechanic, but with the help of people like you on the forums and some hands on, the knowledge I garner is invaluable.
As far as the battery, I am always struggling between cost and quality. Having looked into the Deka and the Odyssey, I think I'm still going with the Deka. Still going to have my old battery load tested at the place I bought it (only 6 1/2 months ago, with a 6 month warranty).
Thanks again for the info.
 
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