Starting problem, won't turn over.

[hungn]

I left my '82 V alone for a few weeks, and now when I try to start it, it just clicks, and won't turn over.  What can/should I do?

I don't think it's a battery issue, as it's been on the trickle-charger the entire time.  I've also tried connecting it to car battery, and I just get the clicking still.  I've read other posts, and think it might be a lubrication issue.  One of the suggestions was to hand crank it.  Would this do it?  If so, how do I do this? 

Any help would be much appreciated.

Hungn

[ironb12s]

Get out your voltmeter, mate.  Check the battery.  I've been successful "bump" starting when the starter wouldn't turn.

[YellowJacket!]

It is possible that even after being on the trickle charger that your battery is bad.  Check your electrulyte levels in all the cells.  It can boil off or evaporate over time.

David

[Tiger]

 ??? Where are you getting the "clicking" noise from... ??? The starter motor or the starter solinoid perhaps ??? ???

                 8).......TIGER....... 8)

[ironb12s]

Reading the IP again, I believe that your battery, albeit sitting with the trickle on, is toast.  Even a battery low on power would have enough when jumped from a car.  If that is sealed unit, then replace it.

[Rick G]

It may be the starter solinoid  or the starter. To test  the starter, connect  the negative  jumper cable to the negative terminal  on  the car battery and the other  end to  any convient point on the vision engine , them connect one end of the  positive jumper cable to the positive  terminal on the car battery . Pull the rubber boot back on the large black wire  that goes to the vision starter. Then touch the positive cable to the  terminal on the starter (the one that has the large  black wire going to it ) if the starter turns the engine over  starter is good , solinoid is bad . if the  starter dosen't turn the engine over , starter is bad.

[ironb12s]

Okay, what does the standard electrical checklist state?  Make sure that you have a good and fully charged battery before starting the run through.  It should also state to verify the function and calibration of your test equipment.

How old is this battery?  And just how expensive is a new one?

Yes, if you take the ground directly to the engine, and then tag the starter side of the relay with the positive cable, it should turn the starter over.  Is the bike in Neutral?  That still leaves more questions than answers.  So, get or verify that your current battery is good, and proceed from there.

[QBS]

Ricks proposal is a simple, low cost, definitive way to eliminate one unknown from the equation.

[ironb12s]

And what does it cost, or take, to put a BLOODY MULTIMETER on the battery? 

Now then, that said, carrion...     ;)

[dcsob]

Hungn,
Don here, Get a voltmeter out of fleet farm or sears. test the battery. If good will read at least 12.75 if on low amp trickle charger (batterey tender?). Did you leave the petcock on prime? Could be hydraulic lock. Turning it over by hand with the ignition OFF would clear out the fuel, but if thats it, get prepared for a serious smoke and choke fest. I've had that happen to bikes before.
P.S. cut the dude some slack visionaries. He is just getting into DIY motorcycle maintainance, we should all have been so lucky to have this kind of resource to tap into.

[Night Vision]

Hungn; the "it just clicks" syndrome can be caused by several different components or even worse, a combination of componets... but it's not lubrication or fuel related. The engine will turn over without any gas or oil in it.

if you already jumped a car battery to the vision battery, and you have the same problem, then I would look beyond the battery for now, and start looking at the other componetnts and begin eliminating them....

help the forum help you...when you try something... let us know what you did and the result so we don't keep asking "did you dip your carbs yet" (that's just an example)

Rick and QBS suggested testing the starter by jumping it straight to the car battery and grounding to the frame (bike in neutral, of course)...

that's good advice and a free / fast / easy way to test the starter.... if you get action from the starter, great... check it off the list

What can/should I do?

Any help would be much appreciated.

TEST STARTER..... REPORT RESULTS

[Tiger]

P.S. cut the dude some slack visionaries. He is just getting into DIY motorcycle maintainance, we should all have been so lucky to have this kind of resource to tap into.

...DITTO to that DON...As Night_Vision mentioned, keep us up-dated Hungn, we are here to help you through this 8).

                           8).......TIGER....... 8)

[YellowJacket!]

I think we also missed one common and irritating problem...Oil in the starter.

Rule out the battery and starter solenoid first then pull the starter and check if it has oil in it.

David

[Aelwulf]

P.S. cut the dude some slack visionaries. He is just getting into DIY motorcycle maintainance, we should all have been so lucky to have this kind of resource to tap into.

...DITTO to that DON...As Night_Vision mentioned, keep us up-dated Hungn, we are here to help you through this 8).

                           8).......TIGER....... 8)

+1  Lord knows how many stupid questions I've asked, and many many MANY more to come. :D

[h2olawyer]

The only stupid question is the one not asked, causing a screw up of an otherwise easy solution.   ;)

H₂O

[QBS]

Dave Tn,  Why not check the starter for proper operation while it's installed on the bike and before removing it?  This test should take no more than ten minutes, using no tools.  Battery test is also a ten minute(or less) check.  V solinoids can fail..but rarely.

Hungn, how many miles on your V.  OEM starter oil seals rarely last beyond 10K miles.

[h2olawyer]

The starter oil seal was one of the first things I checked after finding this site several years ago.  My V had 4500 miles on it at the time & the starter, while still working, was pretty well filled with oil.  Did the fix & haven't had to take it off to check if it is still oil free - but I assume it is.  After all, it spins fast & the bike starts quickly.

H₂O

[YellowJacket!]

Dave Tn,  Why not check the starter for proper operation while it's installed on the bike and before removing it?  This test should take no more than ten minutes, using no tools.  Battery test is also a ten minute(or less) check.  V solinoids can fail..but rarely.

Hungn, how many miles on your V.  OEM starter oil seals rarely last beyond 10K miles.

Good point that I should have made clear QBS.  ;D

If all else fails, you can pull the starter to see if it has oil in it.

David

[Rick G]

The two highest failure items  in the starter  circuit are the starter and the battery, solinods  fail but rarely. side stand switches and  clutch lever switches and their relays  and connetions  are all failure items  due to age . I ahve removed all from my bike to insure reliability.

I rebuilt my starter about 5 months ago , installed a kit I bought on ebay last year. It worked like a charm. When I went to start the bike  after having it all apart  it would not turn over , when I jumped the starter  it just sparked . On examination the  the fields were shorted .  trust nothing check everything!!

[chimera]

Check the starter the easy way. Lightly tap the starter housing with a hammer, then hit the starter button. If it only turns over when you tap on it, your starter is bad. I'm a mechanic. This is how we do it.