weird occurring

[skiri251]

Sunday morning I started my oldwing w/o an issue. Rode her half an hour or so and parked for a few hours. Came back, started the engine and noticed cranking was a little weak. Came home, hook her up to battery tender (I think...). Monday afternoon, tried to start her. Very weak cranking and didn't start.
Removed the battery, charged it over night. This morning, I tested it with the load tester which says it's okay. Hooked it up and the engine starts. Checked the voltage at the battery and it reads okay, 14V at around 3K RPM..

Is there anything I can do other than carefully watching her for several days?

Also, when I started the engine this morning, I heard a noise. Sunded like air was sucked in or leaking out from somewhere under the false tank. Probably the left side. I took a video but I cannot hear that noise in it. Maybe the mic was not that sensitive for high freq..

strange...

 

[slabghost]

if it does it again try opening the fuel cap. The sound you heard may have been the vacuum pulling air into the tank.

 

[dan filipi]

Maybe a small draw killing the battery when sitting?
I have that with my external one wire alternator.


Could try disconnecting the ground an see if there are any tiny sparks when touching it to the battery post or connect a low wattage test bulb in between. Any spark or glow of the bulb there a load on it drawing power.
Key needs to be off of course.

 

[skiri251]

Thanks all!

It's been a while since the last time I started the engine w/o helmet on. Maybe that sound is there all the time and I didn't notice it.

No spark when I connected the ground. I have a radio which draws some to memorize stations but why now.. Or is it the Battery Tender?
Well it doesn't seem like the dead battery or alternator, so I guess I should be happy.. Unless I get stranded somewhere..

 

[mcgovern61]

Just on the outside chance, are you closing your fuel petcock when shutting down? I had a similar issue, blamed the battery and charging system and it turned out to be the carbs were leaking while sitting causing a hydrolock that did not stop the engine from cranking, but it would crank real slow especially after the engine was hot.

 

[zman]

Sounds like everything is normal except the starting slow. I would check the circuit going to the starter.
Can you just install a jumper switch on the solenoid cables and see if that starts it easier, That would tell you if the internal relay inside the solenoid is weak or corroded. Lots of amps go through the solenoid, they do wear out.

 

[skiri251]

mcgovern61 » Tue May 28, 2013 2:48 pm[/url]":3hnjm25z]Just on the outside chance, are you closing your fuel petcock when shutting down? I had a similar issue, blamed the battery and charging system and it turned out to be the carbs were leaking while sitting causing a hydrolock that did not stop the engine from cranking, but it would crank real slow especially after the engine was hot.

I usually close the petcock if I remember. I ride that infamous XS750 yamaha which leaks gas into crankcase.
On that particular day, I am not sure. I thought I closed it...

 

[skiri251]

zman » Tue May 28, 2013 3:18 pm[/url]":1nw44oou]Sounds like everything is normal except the starting slow. I would check the circuit going to the starter.
Can you just install a jumper switch on the solenoid cables and see if that starts it easier, That would tell you if the internal relay inside the solenoid is weak or corroded. Lots of amps go through the solenoid, they do wear out.

I had an issue with starter button a few months ago. Sprayed contact cleaner and it was gone (I thought). When I charged the battery yesterday, it drew a lot of current. I am sure it was really low on juice. Does bad solenoid exhaust that much battery power?
Next time it happens, I will try bypassing.

 

[zman]

A faulty solenoid wont exhaust power , just prevent enough power from getting to the starter.
Maybe I miss read your post, are you saying your battery is dying while sitting? I read you had a good charge and battery.
I did hear someone saying with running lights and accessories there wasn't many amps left to charge the battery, If it were me I would probably duplicate the same ride that you noticed it on but this time disconnected the battery at each stop and see if there is something draining it while your stopped, or if your running accessories disconnect them/pull the fuse and see if that makes a difference.
There may be a better way but I have been known to do things the hard way.

 

[slabghost]

Slow cranking could also be a partial loss of ground at the starter. Try backing off the starter mount bolts and re tighten them.

 

[OldWrench]

Starter solenoids can cause high amperage draw. What happens is the contacts in the solenoid become burnt and pitted and create high resistance and that in turn will cause a higher amperage draw. I had to replace the solenoid on my 1100 about a year ago, however mine just failed. As stated, also check your ground. if you have a voltmeter hook it between the wire at the starter and battery positive, crank the engine and watch the voltmeter, if you read any voltage that is due to high resistance.

 

[skiri251]

Update:

I left the oldwing w/o battery tender connected for a few days.
This morning, noticed that the voltmeter reading was below 12V.
Something must be draing the battery while parked (ignition off, of course).

Will hook up amp meter and find out who is the culprit.

 

[skiri251]

Here are the readings:

I have two add-on wires for voltmeter (that round one, Honda item) and radio (after market) station memory other than stock wire harness connection.

Stock wire harness: 10 mA (ignition off), 30 mA (ignition ACC), around 6 A (ignition ON)
Radio memory: 0 mA
Voltmeter: 50 mA

So all together, it draws 60 mA even when ignition is off.

0.06 amp x 24 hours x 3 days = 4.32 AmpHour

The battery capacity is 22 AmpHour.

Does 4.32 AH drain cause the voltage to drop below 12V or I simply have a dead battery even though my HF load tester says it got enough CCA after full charge?

Should the stock harness connection draw 10 mA even when ignition key is OFF or it should draw none?
Should the stock voltmeter draw 50 mA?

 

[joedrum]

oh boy with my meter reading ill stay out of this one..... :doh: oh2: :cheeky: :mrgreen:

 

[dan filipi]

I would think something is wrong not showing any draw from the radio memory.
There should be some draw.

The volt meter should be off when the key is off so it should not draw anything.

4.3 AH drain would have pulled the battery down almost 25% to 75% charge (assuming it was fully charged to start with) so I'd think dropping below 12 volts would be close to expected.

I'd pull each fuse one at a time while reading the battery load to isolate the parasite.

 

[zman]

I think there is a relay that shuts off the voltmeter, Maybe check and see it wasn't bypassed or hacked into.

 

[Ansimp]

+1 There really should not be any draw except the radio memory circuit

 

[skiri251]

Thanks.
I will do the fuse thing.

Voltmeter connection is my hack. It's directly connected to the battery all the time.
I wanted to monitor what kind of voltage Battery Tender puts.
My other bikes also have similar connection although they have LED voltmeters not like Oldwing (less draw, hopefully).
I will move the voltmeter hook-up also.