push starter button and...nothing

[oldyam80sg]

I went to take the bike for my weekend ride to explore the fall foliage.Went to hit starter button and nothing happened.Bike finally turned over but its weird. Battery is new as of February of this year.Took off starter button sprayed with electrical cleaner and put dielectric grease on contacts-no change.Starter slowly cranks and nothing.Once bike starts its ok,but if i shut off bike and try to start it again same thing.Top Cat fuse block installed in August of this year.Using 15 W 30 oil.

[bikerphil]

slow cranking

Check your battery voltage with bike off. Should be about 12.75V. If it's much lower, check the water level and fill if needed, put the battery on a 2 amp charge for a few hours. Check all your cable connections including grounds.

[oldyam80sg]

Maintenance free battery.Do you think the weight of the oil has something to do with it.I usually run 10 W 40 for the colder months and today it is cold out- 50 degrees,Bike is inside unheated garage.

[bikerphil]

The 15w30 is a littke thicker than 10w30 when cold, but you said you're having the same problem after the bike has been running. It should thin down when it's hot. What's the battery voltage?

[oldyam80sg]

Battery voltage is 12.81.

[XSPastor]

The weight of the oil? Are you guys kidding? Has anyone thought of checking the switch?

[oldyam80sg]

i took switch apart and cleaned connectors and put grease on them first.As far as the oil issue-i have seen bikes before not want to start because of the heavy oil used.

[GrandPrix46]

Are your handlebars grounded well? I had the same issue when I first got my XS, had to pull the bars and sand it down where the center clamp was.

[ross]

starter button issues...

hey there oldyam80sg....had the same thing happen 2 me...at work after a 11 hour day....hit the starter button and NOTHING!.......after 1 hour in the parking lot with the tool kit (thank god!)...i got it running...it was a ground of the starter switch to the handlebars....that and a fuse that was being funky......cleaned both up and it is running fine now....but when it happened, it was a sinking feeling.....dielectric grease and me are friends now......talk 2 ya later...ross

[bikerphil]

Try jumping the solenoid (2 large wires under rubber caps) with a screwdriver and see if it cranks faster that way.

[XSPastor]

As far as the oil issue-i have seen bikes before not want to start because of the heavy oil used.

Sorry. I thought nothing was happening like your post said. You never mentioned slow cranking.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey OldYam,

As was said, aside from the actual contact plate and button, the plate is in a bracket that also can corrode, along with the aluminum switch housing, all of which provides the path for the electricity to flow from the wire, thru to the FRAME, and back to the battery.

Dielectric grease is good for connectors to protect them once they are put together, but it isn't as good for temporary contacts, it's actually an insulator, and could actually be interferring with the contact of the button and switch plate.

Take a spare jump wire and use it at the solenoid switch where the small starter wire connects, and jump it to a known good ground point, IF The starter turns faster, then the solenoid is alright, but the starter button switch and circuit is a problem. IF The starter still turns slowly, then you may want to check the OTHER grounding points, the engine to frame grounding strap, along with the starter motor connections, remember to disconnect the battery first!

At 50 degrees, I wouldn't think 15/30 wt would have much of a drag affect, I use 20/50 all year long, and back in the winters when I used to ride in them, I had no appreciable slowing down of the starter speed.
T.C.

[oldyam80sg]

Oops i goofed.My ZRX battery voltage is 12.81 not the Yamaha.Was looking at my ZRX battery and tried to determine how old battery is because i have had the bike since 2006 and was curious.Anyway getting back to the XS,today after work i took a multimeter and checked battery voltage-11.34Put charger on battery and before i left my Moms house battery was 80% charged.I have not had the battery that long(February 2008)Could i have a dead cell?Battery is a Power Max maintenance free glass mat type.How would i check to see if a cell was dead?When i put the charger on the battery, bike easily cranked after 20 minutes on charger.

[bikerphil]

You can check the condition of the battery with a load tester. Or, have the auto parts store check it. Also check voltage at the battery with the bike running at 2500 RPM. It should be around 14.5V. This will verify if your charging system is functioning properly.

[oldyam80sg]

Checked it about 1 month ago.Back then it was 14.5 +.