Clickety Click click click

Discussion in 'Motorbike Technical Discussion' started by BouncesOffTrees, Apr 11, 2004.

  1. I need some help. I have a '94 CBR600F2 that has a starting
    problem. When I thumb the starter, I get a clicking sound like 30
    or more clicks a second.

    My story:
    I had a starting problem last fall. I'd ride the bike for a half
    hour and then it wouldn't have enough battery to restart. It'd
    slowly turn over and run out of juice. I could bump start the bike
    with no problems. I got a new battery in late fall and have been
    experiencing the same behavior for the couple of times I've ridden
    it through the winter. I'd go to start the bike after it had been
    sitting for a month and there wouldn't be enough juice for the bike
    to start. I'd charge the battery and the bike would start fine.
    I'd ride it to work and by the end of the day, there wouldn't be
    enough juice to start it...I'd have to push start it again. I had
    the battery checked out and it charged fine and could "take a load"
    according to the battery shop. I tried starting the bike and
    removing the battery cable while running and found that the bike
    didn't run as well at 3500 or so RPM. I figured that the electrical
    system must not be putting out enough current. I bought a
    regulator/rectifier and put it on. I got the same result...the
    battery didn't seem to be charging. The bike also seemed to be
    running slightly worse by the end of the 30-40 minute test ride like
    the jetting was too rich (maybe not making a good spark?). Here's
    where the funkiness starts...I bought a stator on Ebay to try out.
    I put in on and put it all together and tried to start the bike.
    The first time I tried, nothing happened and I found out that the
    regulator/rectifier was unplugged because I had been checking the
    resistance with a meter. I connected it and tried to start it again
    and now all the bike does is quickly click when I hit the starter.
    It kind of sounds like a relay clicking or maybe the starter motor.
    I thought I might have not gotten the mid starter gear aligned
    correctly (the one between the small starter gear and the big,
    engine turning gear) but I just took a look at it and it seems to be
    in place correctly. I unplugged the *new* stator and plugged my old
    on back in (but left it hanging from the bike) and I still get the
    click.

    That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

    Any Ideas?

    Curtis
    '94 CBR6F2, 26000 miles
    Annapolis, MD
     
    BouncesOffTrees, Apr 11, 2004
    #1
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  2. <snip>

    The bike's not charging. It's probably the regulator/rectifier (known
    CBR weakish spot).
     
    The Older Gentleman, Apr 11, 2004
    #2
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  3. I've already replaced it. Didn't fix the problem.

    More info:

    The starter relay is making the clicking noise.

    Curtis
     
    BouncesOffTrees, Apr 11, 2004
    #3
  4. Yes, I realised that. If it isn't charging, and plainly it isn't, it's
    either the stator or the reg/rec.

    Quite possibly the one you bought on Ebay was faulty.

    The easy check is simply to put a voltmeter across the battery terminals
    with the engine running (you may need to bump or jump start it,
    though!). Rev the engine and it should read 13-14v. If it doesn't it's
    not charging, and then it can only be the above.

    It *could* be corroded terminals on the reg/rec and/or stator
    connections. Unlikely, but possible.

    If it is charging OK, then the battery you bought might just have
    discharged itself completely over winter and is now u/s.
     
    The Older Gentleman, Apr 11, 2004
    #4
  5. BouncesOffTrees

    Bulldog Guest

    HI Curtis,

    What's the Battery voltage at before it does start? it should be 13.6
    volts. Then check it after it starts, should be greater then 13.6v and
    should be moving. When you shut the bike off check it again. If it is lower
    then the first reading, this would indicate a weak battery. I think you have
    a bad cell in your battery.

    Make sure your battery is fully charged, don't trust the meter on the
    battery charger. Get a good multi meter and check the battery voltage.
    13.6-14.1 Volts. Don't think your battery is good just because it's new. A
    bad cell is a bad cell.

    Hope this helps.

    --
    Jean-Yves
    "Bulldog"
    Aubry
    747-1617
    www.trickedoutcycles.ca
     
    Bulldog, Apr 11, 2004
    #5
  6. I'm trying to get this bike running because it is in my basement and down a
    short flight of stairs. I usually walk it out on a ramp board under it's
    own power. Doing a bump-start is going to be difficult until I can get it
    out of my basement.

    When running, the battery terminals are showing a voltage of 13.6 to 13.8.
    When I rev the motor to 5000rpm, the voltage drops below 13.6. It's been a
    month or so since I did that test so I don't remember what it exactly
    dropped to but I think it was > 12.5.

    With the battery fully charged, I'm getting the relay clicking. The
    reg/rect. connection looks good along with the battery and connectors that
    are bundled together near the battery and starter relay. I haven't touched
    anything else but I'll look at the cables going to the starter. Any others
    I should be looking for? Is WD-40 a good thing to spray on the connectors?

    I tried to start the bike with the battery charger providing a 60A starting
    boost and it still just clicked.

    Since I've started having this problem after replacing the stator, I've
    connected the original stator but just had it hanging from the bike. Is
    that OK while I'm trying to figure out what's causing the clicking?


    Thanks,
    Curtis
     
    BouncesOffTrees, Apr 11, 2004
    #6
  7. BouncesOffTrees

    Mark Olson Guest

    WD-40? Not really. Take connectors apart and clean with an electrical
    connector spray cleaner such as you can buy at NAPA. You can slather
    the connectors with grease after hooking them back together to prevent
    further water ingress.
    Check *all* cable connections between the battery, the starter relay,
    and the starter, including the battery ground cable.
    The stator and the rest of the charging system have nothing to do with
    starting, other than the fact that the battery won't start the bike if
    it hasn't been getting charged. You can certainly start the bike with
    no charging system installed.

    I have to say it sounds like your battery isn't any good, despite your
    assertion that it is fully charged. What is the voltage across the
    battery terminals (measure across the actual battery terminals, *not*
    the cable ends where they attach to the battery) while you are cranking
    it over? If it's dropping way down, the battery is toasted.
     
    Mark Olson, Apr 11, 2004
    #7
  8. I have noticed that the battery has been dropping in voltage fairly quickly.
    I'll charge it and it will be at 13.6 or so volts and within a week, it is
    down to 12.5. I wasn't sure what the "resting" voltage should be. At
    first, I thought that the bike might be drawing some current while turned
    off but I haven't been able to register any draw with my digital multimeter.
    I think I'll try a new battery.
     
    BouncesOffTrees, Apr 11, 2004
    #8
  9. My battery seem to drop to 12.5 volts one week or so after a charge.

    Curtis
     
    BouncesOffTrees, Apr 11, 2004
    #9
  10. I think this is it...the voltage was dropping WAY down while cranking...like
    down to 6 volts. I'm getting a new battery and I'll start going through the
    electrical system after that.

    Thanks,
    Curtis
     
    BouncesOffTrees, Apr 11, 2004
    #10
  11. BouncesOffTrees

    fweddybear Guest

    snip snip
    Replace your battery... it doesn't have enuff umph to start your bike...
    is evident from the voltage drop while cranking

    Fwed
     
    fweddybear, Apr 11, 2004
    #11
  12. BouncesOffTrees

    RideABike Guest

    I'm finding on the internet that the resting voltage should be 12.6. After
    a week, mine is down to 12.3.

    ....snip
     
    RideABike, Apr 12, 2004
    #12
  13. BouncesOffTrees

    Rev. Zack Guest

    a voltage drop like that would mean that your battery is sulfating and
    the cells are shorted out. Its not the worst Ive seen, the worst
    would drop for 13.2 to .13

    Rev. Zack
     
    Rev. Zack, Apr 14, 2004
    #13
  14. thanks, I should be getting a new battery today to try out.
     
    BouncesOffTrees, Apr 16, 2004
    #14
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