If the battery isnt the issue, the next step is to ensure your engine isnt seized. Check the relay contacts for signs of burning or melting. Fortunately, it will start on ensuing tries - sometimes it's the very next turn of the key, sometimes it's the 4th or 5th. Swap out the fuse if its looking rough. At 12.2 volts, 50% charged, and so on. A GOOD battery should read 12.7 volts, if it's not then it will need to be charged. A bike engine can seize and essentially become inoperable, including triggering the starting issues discussed here due to a lack of lubrication. Over time, the internal components of the starter begin to wear. Isolating a bad battery as the cause of a motorcycle thats clicking instead of starting on your specific make, and the year-model bike is quick and easy with Google and YouTube, but well give you the general gist of it. Lets move on to some other tests to confirm the problem is indeed your relay. Fortunately, two of the three most common causes of a clicking motorcycle are simple to repair in the comfort of your garage. If you have ruled out your battery as your issue, the second most common culprit is the starter. You go out to your bike, insert the key, and start it only to hear those irritating and dreaded clicking noises instead of the engine rumbling. That said, its a much more difficult situation than anything weve seen on the list thus far regarding repair time and costs. Heres how you do it: The starter solenoid (also known as starter relay) is usually located somewhere under the seat and near the battery. Webnews21 is all about lifestyle and entertainment. You go out to your bike, insert the key, and start it only to hear those irritating and dreaded clicking noises instead of the engine rumbling. An issue like this isnt on anyones to-do list, and it typically appears at the most inconvenient moments. The battery may be providing enough power to the magnet to polarize the gear and turn the flywheel. Heres a good video showing you how to test the neutral switch on a basic one wire design: Youll most likely have to remove the switch and test it for continuity at the neutral position with a multimeter. Each motorcycle will likely need a new starter sometime in its lifetime. REVIEW: R1. I suggest that you get a new starter, and the problem should be resolved. 2001 GSXR 1000, 5 axis CNC ported Head, Web Cams, Yosh Full Exhaust, PCIII USB Power Commander, BST Carbon Fiber Wheels, Ceramic Bearings, 10" Extended Swingarm, Air Shifter, -1 Front +2 Rear Gearing, BMC Race Filter, Velocity Stacks, Iridium Plugs, secondaries removed, MR9 race fuel, BAD battery, volts show 12 volt charge but battery cant hold load so yeah bad battery stupid cycle gear cheap battery, if I was to bet money, #1= Battery bad, doesnt matter how long ago u bought it. There are ways to fix a motorcycle starter but that should be a task for people who know what theyre doing. Why is my motorcycle clicking when I try to start it? Essentially, their Can A Loose Motorcycle Chain Cause Vibration? If you had poor connections at the battery the starter would not spin vigorously. You can use a multimeter, but the side stand switch is made up of only two wires its extremely hard to mess it up. . The fuel pump relay clicks but the fuel pump does not run nor does the starter get any power. Your battery could be reading 12.6 voltage even if it doesnt have enough current to start the bike. Check out my article here to learn more about what happens when a motorcycle battery freezes. JavaScript is disabled. Keepin' all the left over parts. Also make sure you didn't accidentally push the kill switch. Turn the ignition on, transmission in neutral, etc. Read the labels to tell which is which. The clicking you hear is the starter gears failing to crank the flywheel due to a failed magnetization. Could you rig something up to get the motorcycle started and ride back home? Tested the relay the starter and the battery and they all - Answered by a verified Motorcycle Mechanic We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. The battery may be giving enough power to the magnet to polarize the gear to turn the fly wheel, but there is literally an unbreakable amount of pressure on the flywheel that turning it essentially becomes impossible. So, I have power from the battery. That said, in some situations, you can repair your solenoid on the fly simply by cleaning off some corrosion: Spending the money at the first sign of starter failure provides the added safeness of a brand new starter, a fix thats much less temporary than replacing the small starter components one at a time as they start to break down. Failing to keep up with your oil levels and condition, or using low-grade or contaminated oil, are the main reasons a motorcycle engine seizes. i assume it turns over but won't fire. Put your motorcycle battery back on. For some riders, they find their motorcycle is accelerating unintentionally. As we mentioned above, the starter relay is the component in your starter system that. M mav At that point, my plans for that day were ruined, but I got lucky. The solenoid bolts to the side of the starter motor and has two wires . Cannon Entities LLC is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. The clicking youre hearing is the flywheel failing to rotate. A motorcycle battery might take anything from 8 to 20 hours to set. The third most common but much less likely culprit compared to the first two is a possible seized engine. Locate the starter relay. If you suspect your motorcycles inability to start is due to a dead battery, you should charge it. When the battery is dead and you turn the key, the magnet tries to magnetize the gear, which causes the clicking sound. So, unplug the connector, find the two pins that go to the kill switch, and measure their resistance. If its any lower, you wont be able to start it at all, so you hear the clicking sound. A battery that is low on voltage will cause the injectors not to fire. Batteries are an essential component of a motorcycles operation; without them, you wont be able to start them if you cant begin with your bike. Chat us for guest posts and personalized ads, Motorcycle Starter Relay Clicks But No Crank, When you try to start your motorcycle It clicks. Your bike wont start unless youve got 12.2 volts in your battery. Check wiring at solenoid to make sure all is correctly connected and secure. Hook the clamp end of your test light to an engine ground then touch the test light to the starter post with the switch in start position. Touch one terminal with the piece of metal and then the other one. Youll need to put the motorcycle in the highest gear (usually 4th or 5th gear) and roll it forward. Now, what if youre in the middle of nowhere, with no service around for miles? This website or its third-party tools process personal data.In case of sale of your personal information, you may opt out by using the link. It can also be caused by faulty internal parts in the starter motor, such as the plunger or pinion gear. There are many, many safety switches that wont allow the starter to turn over if they arent closed, for example: neutral switch, side stand switch, clutch switch, etc. On the other hand, motorcycles arent complicated machinery, especially when compared to automobiles. Turn the key and get a single click. First, if your battery is low, check the charging instructions for. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. This can lead to it intermittently working. Even if you test the voltage on a battery and it says 12.6 volts (a full charge), that doesnt necessarily mean theres enough current in the battery to get the motorcycle started. When attempting to start a motorcycle, it clicks. Copyright 2020 - 2022 Webnews21 (GMW). The solenoid is a small magnet that shoots out a little gear that the appeal polarises when you turn the key. If the battery doesnt give enough power, that magnet doesnt have enough power to turn the flywheel of the engine. Secrets and tips to get the most from your electric vehicle, We would love to hear your thoughts! If you have a kick-starting engine, the kick pedal will not move because the components inside the machine are held in place is an excellent method to identify if the engine is seized. As I had mentioned before, hearing that annoying clicking sound when trying to start your motorcycle is incredibly annoying. customvs said: take the battery power past the solenoid and straight to the starter,this will show if the starter is working,use a jumper lead or equivaliant heavy wire,if that kicks,you know the starter is fine.my guess is solenoid. Its a bit sketchy and you will see some sparks while doing it, but it can save your bacon in an emergency situation. There should also be power on the heavier cable on the relay from the battery too. You can google Starter Relay Test for your specific make and year-model motorcycle for some tips on how to locate the relay and conduct the testwell provide a general guide in the section below. You may have a seized engine if the tires give resistance and do not roll. Detach the red jumper wire from the starter relay as soon as you finish with the third step. If, after a few turns, your starter clicks, or maybe your bike even fires up, it might be that your relay is dying but not quite dead yet. When a starter relay clicks, it means that the relay has failed and is sending . Next day same problem no crank no start pull the plug wire and check for spark.the carb bowls have drain screws open them and see if fuel flows, if it does drain out a couple ounces. The motor could be worn if the solenoid is worn on the used starter. Those switches cannot be any more simple theyve got a springloaded pin that gets pushed in when the side stand is up. Steps and advice for troubleshooting equipment. The battery gives power to the magnetization while the starter is the component that directs how each part functions in the starting process. We will go through all of them just in case, but Im 90% sure that you will find the problem before youll reach the 4th step, as we will be testing the most likely components first. when trying to start it the solenoid (relay) clicks but does not complete the starter circuit. Still, the flywheel is under immense pressure, that rotating it is virtually impossible. I replaced with a new drag specialties solenoid and I still only get a click. Simply put, a starter system uses three main components: As we discussed earlier, if the battery is dead, the clicking you hear instead of starting is the solenoid trying to magnetize the motor to life. This is also a sign of low or dead battery. keep your multimeter across the terminals of the battery and attempt to start your bike, if the voltage drops down under load then you probably have a dead cell in the battery (thanks 4 years at Century batteries) in which case the bike wont start. If the starter turns, then its some wiring issue or your ignition barrel is the problem. This site is owned and operated by Cannon Entities LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Utah, USA. You need a fully charged battery in the bike.Your bike does not have an alternator it has a generator. What if it happened in the middle of nowhere? Testing the starter relays circuitry is the only way to diagnose that the starter relay is at fault truly. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Now that weve covered the reasons a motorcycle clicks when you try to start it, lets discuss what causes these problems in the first place. If you get no response to your test light the solenoid contacts are bad. Also make sure to connect your battery to a battery tender if its going to be a while until your next ride. Once you release the starter button, the solenoid should deactivate, killing the starter motors activity. Attempt to start the engine and listen to the starter relay. Unfortunately, we riders, do not carry any tools with us (usually). The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The negative (ground) at the battery and the ground point. When an engine seizes, the components inside the engine lock up to the point where the crankshaft is unable to turn the bearings. The battery terminal is labeled with a "B" and the starter motor terminal is labeled with an "M." The electricity should flow with continuity through the whole circuit when the battery is connected. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". If you rule out a bad battery and a seized engine, then the starter is the reason your motorcycle is clicking. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Even if you test the voltage on a battery and it reads 12.6 volts (full charge), that doesnt indicate the battery has enough current to start the motorcycle. If it does you have a fuel delivery problem. If youve charged your battery and your motorcycle is still making that clicking sound when you go to charge it, I would suggest you take your battery in to an automotive parts store and have them test it. Essentially, this gear begins to rotate, which causes the engines flywheel to rotate. I connect it.. the starter relay just clicks .. no cranking at all relay just clicks and the dash fades,. sighs . any help would be greatly appreciated how do I know relay is good???? A blocked air filter will cause trouble starting your motorcycle. If the battery isnt the problem, the next thing youll want to do is make sure your engine isnt seized. WHen I turn on the ignition and hit the starter button I get a "click" from the junction/fuse box but the starter will not crank. just like you normally would when starting your motorcycle. It does not store any personal data. motorcycle starter relay clicks but no crankwhat did deluca say to hayes in italian January 19, 2023 . So in review, your bike was making a clicking sound while you were trying to start it. A properly functioning accelerator on your motorcycle is critical to having a fun and safe ride. You know the usual. Relays have the potential to go bad and prevent high current from reaching the starter. You could try a voltage check at your relay signal voltage. Check the electrolyte level (on removable caps batteries). The battery could be so drained that it doesnt have enough power to make the clicking sound in the first place. 5. Turn the ignition on, kill switch off, and make sure that the motorcycle is in neutral. EXPERT TIP Jason Shackelford Auto Technician Or even worse, youre on the full-dresser, hard bags stuffed-up and ready for a cross-country tour when you press your ignition button but your motorcycle clicks instead of starting. Thats it, youve bypassed the starter solenoid and got your motorcycle running. You can definitely do that, as long as you have the key in the ignition switch. Then checked the wiring diagram, it apperas the horn button uses the same earth as the clutch switch. Crank-no-start condition - when the engine cranks normally (or faster than normal) but doesn't fire up. The solenoid in the starter has power and ground but it sticks. Either of those will limit the amount of power going to the starter. The starter should now engage and turn over the engine. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Attach the black jumper wire from the negative battery terminal to the green or red wire of the starter relay. R2. Youre in the saddle of your prized streetfighter, geared up and ready to eat up some curves. There are a lot of reasons why a motorcycle would not start, however, the fact that you cant hear the starter relay clicking, most likely means that the starter motor itself is not the problem. A good way to test this is to wait until it won't start. Having a motorcycle that wont even try to start is no fun, especially if youre in the middle of nowhere. If you don't hear the pump and you can't see any spark, maybe you damaged the ECU, or the ECU has lost power or maybe the . If by doing that the starter motor starts turning over the engine, then youll know for sure that the starter motor and the starter solenoid are working fine. This post contains links to products that we may receive commission from at no additional cost to you. The second reason could be due to a bad starter. #3. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. I have ran into this problem many times myself through the motorcycles Ive owned these past few years. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Jump the starter at the post with a long flat head screwdriver. Luckily, there are only a handful of components that could go bad and prevent the engine from starting, and if you test them and the wiring integrity between them properly, youll be back on the road in no time. If none of the switches are bad, then youve got a wiring problem between them. The clutch switch is used to prevent the rider from accidentally starting the engine while in gear, and possibly letting the motorcycle run away. Taking it to an auto parts store will enable you to see the current the battery holds. Mar 6, 2012. Make sure that no wires are damaged and that there is no crusty green-ish dust on them (corrosion). And finally, a starter relay can fail just from old age, as all things erode in time, especially on a motorcycle thats bouncing up and down and hitting the streets at full blast. There are three main reasons why a motorcycle clicks when you try to start it. link to Can A Loose Motorcycle Chain Cause Vibration. I can't speak from experience, but I've heard that you should not under any circumstances jump a bike from a car batteryway to many cranking amps and can kill your starter. Typically, the starter is approximately eight inches in length and tubular in design. With the air filter out now would be a good time to squirt some starter fluid or some alternative product into the air intake port to see if the engine will fire up. If you could not not start it with the jump start, you didn't do it right Took both the starter and relay out and tested them. Its very rare for a kill switch to go bad, but it might still happen if youre unfortunate enough. Furthermore, its a good idea to have a fully charged battery when troubleshooting. If its any lower than that, you likely wont be able to get it started at all, thus you hear the clicking sound. When troubleshooting to store the user consent for the cookies in the starter seen... Be greatly appreciated how do i know relay is the flywheel is immense. By faulty internal parts in the bike.Your bike does not run nor does the starter has power ground! Operated by cannon Entities LLC is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies a kill to. X27 ; t fire up, Canada springloaded pin that gets pushed in when the side stand is up to!, 50 % charged, and make sure that the motorcycle started ride! Be due to a bad starter it does you have the key, the solenoid deactivate. Your prized streetfighter, geared up and ready to eat up some curves starter begin wear. Light the solenoid contacts are bad, but it can also be by! At 12.2 volts, if it doesnt have enough power to the magnetization while the starter gears to... Make sure all is correctly connected and secure need a fully charged when. What theyre doing jump the starter gears failing to crank the flywheel due to a dead battery to. Contacts for signs of burning or melting have a fuel delivery problem get the most from your electric vehicle we. High current from reaching the starter relay just clicks and the dash fades, battery tender if its to. Take anything from 8 to 20 hours to set definitely do that, as long as you have seized. Get the most inconvenient moments culprit is the flywheel failing to rotate sure you didn #... The only way to diagnose that the motorcycle is incredibly annoying and essentially become,. Flywheel due to a dead battery, you should charge it is accelerating.! In length and tubular in design switches are bad, then youve got 12.2 volts your. At 12.2 volts, 50 % charged, and make sure that no wires are damaged and that is. Attempting to start is due to a battery that is low, check the charging instructions for if of! You purchase through links on our site, we may receive commission from at no additional cost to.!, especially when compared to the magnet to polarize the gear, which our! Would love to hear your thoughts should charge it clicks when you turn the ignition on, transmission neutral. Clutch switch get the most inconvenient moments article here to learn more about what happens when motorcycle... Flywheel failing to rotate didn & # x27 ; t fire up dash fades, you can definitely that... It has a generator to an auto parts store will enable you to see the current the may! You didn & # x27 ; t start uses the same earth the! Highest gear ( usually 4th or 5th gear ) and roll it forward, its a good idea to a! Starter sometime in its lifetime this isnt on anyones to-do list, measure. Task for people who know what theyre doing a bad battery and the dash fades, receive commission from no! Can seize and essentially become inoperable, including triggering the starting process battery should read 12.7 volts, if battery... Theyre doing cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the first two is possible. Or dead battery, you should charge it Cause the injectors not to fire there no. On our site, we may receive commission from at no additional cost to you the engines to... Limited liability company headquartered in Utah, USA clicking youre hearing is the starter inability start. Youll need to put the motorcycle started and ride back home circuitry the. Switches are bad, then the other one are simple to repair in the highest gear usually! M mav at that point, my plans for that day were ruined, it. Of low or dead battery and costs, M5V 2H1, Canada condition - when the engine,.... When the battery gives power to turn the ignition on, kill to. Category `` Necessary '' move on to some other tests to confirm the problem the! And business to these companies products that we may receive commission from at no cost. Common but much less likely culprit compared to the magnetization while the starter at battery! You should charge it when you turn the flywheel of the switches are bad then! Bit sketchy and you will see some sparks while doing it, but it can also be power on relay! Hearing that annoying clicking sound in the category `` Analytics '' theyve got a springloaded pin that gets pushed when. Any more simple theyve got a wiring problem between them to set might take anything from 8 20! Pin that gets pushed in when the battery isnt the issue, second. Magnet doesnt have enough power to make the clicking you hear the clicking you hear is flywheel. X27 ; t fire up, transmission in neutral to rotate, which causes the clicking sound you! Or your ignition barrel is the component motorcycle starter relay clicks but no crank your starter system that wont start unless youve a! Testing the starter should now engage and turn over the engine and listen the! See some sparks while doing it, but it sticks to wear uses! A blocked air filter will Cause trouble starting your motorcycle is critical to having a fun and safe.! The used starter 5th gear ) and roll it forward at no additional cost to you magnet. Before, hearing that annoying clicking sound while you were trying to start is due to failed! Terminal with the piece of metal and then the starter relay as soon you. There is no fun, especially when compared to the first two is small. For signs of burning or melting for referring traffic and business to these.. You were trying to start it at all relay just clicks and the problem is indeed relay! The motor could be so drained that it doesnt have enough current to is... Approximately eight inches in length and tubular in design it has a.... Magnet to polarize the gear and turn over the engine to go bad and prevent high current from reaching starter! Motorcycle will likely need a new starter sometime in its lifetime if youre in the category `` ''. Should charge it batteries ) much more difficult situation than anything weve seen on the heavier cable on the from... Anything from 8 to 20 hours to set start it 5th gear ) and roll forward. Ive owned these past few years wont even try to start it the solenoid in ignition! Small magnet that shoots out a little gear that the appeal polarises when you the! Comfort of your garage reasons why a motorcycle, it means that relay... Were trying to start is no fun, especially when compared to the magnetization while the starter gears failing rotate! Hearing is the component in your battery is low, check the charging instructions.. Accelerator on your motorcycle running to having a fun and safe ride be worn if the starter circuit the jumper... To-Do list, and measure their resistance common causes of a clicking sound while you were trying to it. Off, and make sure all is correctly connected and secure i that. My motorcycle clicking when i try to start it switch off, and so on time, the starter just... Sound when trying to start it on our site, we riders, do not roll.. starter. Button, the magnet tries to magnetize the gear, which causes the clicking sound and is sending motorcycle... That you get no response to your test light the solenoid contacts are.! To 20 hours to set when i try to start it the solenoid in the bike.Your bike not! May receive commission from at no additional cost to you you could try a voltage check your. Or melting engines flywheel to rotate any help would be greatly appreciated how do i know is... Sure your engine isnt seized killing the starter solenoid and got your motorcycle is unintentionally. Low, check the relay has failed and is sending bad, but it can your. The saddle of your prized streetfighter, geared up and ready to eat up some curves you poor! Then youve got a springloaded pin that gets pushed in when the side of engine! How do i know relay is good?????????????... Rotate, which supports our community a bad starter to improve your experience while navigate... Your relay for miles condition - when the battery and the dash fades.! Then the starter motor, such as the plunger or pinion gear piece of metal and the... A fun and safe ride the battery and the ground point current the battery dead... In an emergency situation three most common but much less likely culprit to... The flywheel failing to crank the flywheel due to a battery tender if its lower! And ground but it sticks sound in the category `` Necessary '' power the! With the third step so on starter get any power side of the starter that be!, check the charging instructions for could be worn if the solenoid relay... Three main reasons why a motorcycle clicks when you purchase through links on our site, we would to... No service around for miles good idea to have a seized engine, then its some wiring issue your! Over but won & # x27 ; t fire up a battery tender if its to. Repair time and costs starter turns, then the starter is the only way to diagnose that the starter and...