Just a click to the starter relay

[Bsinden]

My bike started and idled. It sounded like it a had a little trouble and lag starting it up. Now I just get a single click to the starter relay when I push the ON button. Does anybody know why?

[Mathh]

A low voltage battery is the first thing to check. It started, now it doesn't, so you had enough power to start it and now that is gone. Possibly because the starter motor draws a lot of current.

[Bsinden]

I charged the battery full and I still just get a click to the relay

[bikerphil]

Try jumping the two large terminals on the solenoid (under the right side plastic cover) with a screwdriver and see if it cranks. The upper terminal connects to the battery and the lower terminal to the starter motor.

[Bsinden]

If it still just clicks does that mean the starter motor is fried?

[LAB3]

If it still just clicks does that mean the starter motor is fried?

Was that the result of the test with the screwdriver across the terminals?

Not sure how familiar you are with repair boards but I can assure you that the best thing to do on this board is to ask a question, take the advice given then report back. Adding more details into the mix almost always ends up frustrating for both the person asking and the other board members.

[bikerphil]

If it still clicks I'd check the ground wires next.

[Bsinden]

Like I said it still just clicks when I put the screwdriver across, so my question is does that mean the starter motor is fried? It ran before but it was a sluggish start. Now no start but I can feel it click at the terminal that connects to the starter motor.

[Bsinden]

If it still clicks I'd check the ground wires next.

Thank you. I’ll check all grounds. I started the bike and it ran, I turned it off and then I got the clicking. Not sure why?

[oldyam80sg]

Open up where the starter button is-could have corrosion inside.

[DiverRay]

1. Put a VOM on the battery, and look at the voltage as you try to start the bike. I'm going to guess that you have at least one bad cell in the battery, and it cannot supply the current needed to turn over the engine.
2. If you ARE showing at lest 11 volts while the starter is clicking, then check ALL THE GROUND WIRES! My guess, the wire from the frame to the engine. It's on the left side, follow the ground from the battery. unbolt that ground and you will see there is another wire under it, going to the engine. Clean all the connections, and the ground points, with fine sandpaper, and reconnect.

[Radioguylogs]

The answer to the question you keep asking:

Yes, the starter could be bad, but you have no reason to conclude that yet.

If it were me, I would jumper a car battery across the motorcycle battery and see how it behaves. It it starts normally, then your motorcycle battery is bad.

If it doesn't start, apply the car battery voltage directly to the starter terminal. If it still doesn't turn over, then connect the car (+) to the starter terminal, and touch the car battery (-) to the starter case. If it still doesn't turn, then you know the starter needs attention.

Otherwise, move to the next diagnostic steps.

[Bsinden]

The answer to the question you keep asking:

Yes, the starter could be bad, but you have no reason to conclude that yet.

If it were me, I would jumper a car battery across the motorcycle battery and see how it behaves. It it starts normally, then your motorcycle battery is bad.

If it doesn't start, apply the car battery voltage directly to the starter terminal. If it still doesn't turn over, then connect the car (+) to the starter terminal, and touch the car battery (-) to the starter case. If it still doesn't turn, then you know the starter needs attention.

Otherwise, move to the next diagnostic steps.

Thank you for this, I will run the test and post the results of what happens

[cajun31]

You could take the battery out and take it to most local auto supply stores and have them load test the battery. As others have said, your battery can seem to charge up perfectly and the first time you put a load on it, such as starting the bike, it can drop down to below what is required to start the bike. What kind of battery are you using? How old is it? How long have you had the bike and how do you store the bike and battery when not using it. Your location would also help us with diagnoses.

So that everyone will know, I checked your profile and your bike is a 1981 LH Midnight Special, correct?

[Bsinden]

You could take the battery out and take it to most local auto supply stores and have them load test the battery. As others have said, your battery can seem to charge up perfectly and the first time you put a load on it, such as starting the bike, it can drop down to below what is required to start the bike. What kind of battery are you using? How old is it? How long have you had the bike and how do you store the bike and battery when not using it. Your location would also help us with diagnoses.

So that everyone will know, I checked your profile and your bike is a 1981 LH Midnight Special, correct?

It is an AGM battery from oreilly, I’ve had it for about 6 months. The battery was out of the bike for the last 3 weeks while I was putting new gaskets in the engine. I live in socal, and put the battery back in and the bike had a sluggish start and then went to do it again and no start