Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech My TBA is sick.

For the first time I have a problem with my ride. Yesterday I came out of work and the battery is dead. No prob just bump started ole Fred. Drove half a mile and everything just quits.

So all my buddies with trailers are out for the evening so I call the the Happy Hooker (tow companys real name). I get it back home check fuses, coil wires, plugs, and every thing else I can think of. No Joy.

Now this morning I get a trailer and load it up to go to the shop. It starts this morning but is running like crap. Sounded like a fouled plug but wasn't.

Now I have gotten it to the shop and it fires up great. What the !@#$%^&*, over.

I did ask if the Sprint ST had come in yet. It did but sold within three days.


Life is not good at this point.

You don't happen to live over an ancient Indian burial ground do you?

I know this may seem obvious but did you check the negative connection on the battery? I had a similar problem and located that as my problem. I just took it apart, scraped with a pocket knife to get a good connection and slapped her back together. Never had another moments problem.

YMMV

eric

Yep... corroded battery connections have emptied many a wallet and driven many men to tears....

Hope that is all it turns out to be...

Ok, the shop called and the answer is: loose negitive battery cable.

Didn't even check that because a week be for I put on my battery tender cables and was very careful to tighten every thing down.

Just goes to show you.

I am an electrical engineer and I always tell my guys if it doesn't work check the power first. Should have taken my own advice.

HA! Don't it figure?

"I am an electrical engineer...." (I don't think I'd be telling that right about now. Then again, I was a business major and I've pulled some really stupid investment tricks in my 60 years! Once in awhile, life jumps up and bites ya in the "exhaust". Ouch!)

Ok, now I am P.O.'d. It happened again. Goto work come out and the thing won't start. No Juice.

There is a soft short some where and I don't care if it is under warrenty I am fixing it myself. I am probably better with a DVM than the shop is any way.

Didn't some one post a wiring schematic of the TBA a while back? If any one knows the thread or link could you pass it along.

Ok, just went through every connector on the bike. Also, checked the current draw with key on and off. Everything is how it should be.

Ok, guys I am good with business jets but it appears not so with bikes.

The only things I can figure, barring an intermitent short, are the battery just isn't what it is supposed to be or the charging system is just not keeping up.

Anyone experience the same issue?

Take a voltage reading with the key off (in the high 12 vt. range), then with it on (should drop slightly) and then a reading when you hit the start key.

If the voltage drops to a really low reading, then you don't have much capacity (this is a poor man's load test).

Oh, you checked the batt. water level, right?

Were it my bike, I'd be poking around the starter relay or key switch start postion.....

I had a problem, may be similar, difficult to tell without all symptoms.

My bike wouldnt start. lights worked fine, but starter would not turn engine. 'Seemed' to be plenty of life in battery, and once tow started worked fine. Even started at services after it had run a bit.
Parked up and tried to start a few days later - nothing just rapid clicking noise from relay.
Tried shorting out starter relay (under cover on right of bike) but still wouldnt turn engine over.
Tried charging battery - overnight, still nothing.
Put new battery on bike - good as new no problems since.
It seems one cell had gone in the battery.
VERY tricky this electrickery stuff - what we really need is a kick start.

Good luck

Popeye

Did you check the voltage directly across the battery while hitting the starter? If it doesn't drop, start tracing the cables and check the starter relay under the tank and the solenoid behind the right sidecover. If it does, try to get it started as best you can and make sure you have over 13.5 volts across the battery with the engine running 2000 RPM. If you do, the battery is probably sick. If not, your charging system is broken.

Don't forget that the neutral, clutch and sidestand switches can stop it from cranking.

Guys,

Checked all that you guys suggested last night. No Joy.

Had the folk at Auto Zone check the Battery (also checked at the dealer last week). No Joy.

Had the dealer retest the battery today and Bingo. Load it for just long enough and the battery goes to crap. Now Joy.

I really thought it was the charging system but the voltage at rpm was dead on. I didn't have an ampmeter with a high enough current capability to test how well the battery was accepting a charge, guess I have justification for a new gadget.

Popeye you were exactly right, one cell in the battery.

Thanks all of you for your help and suggestions. I love this site.
I can ask dumb questions and not get patronizing answers, you all just help a guy when he is in need.

Thank you all and the beer is always on ice for you.