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Bike wont turn over. Tried recharging battery and then a new one too. Clicking sound

16K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  il Capo 
#1 ·
I had symptoms of a dying battery, starter seem to be struggling but bike would start. Then one day noting. Not even turning over, but I did hear that clicking - yes we all know that clicking.

I was puzzled because the lights seemed fine and I could hear the injectors (?) firing up. Checked all the fuses, then are fine, same with spark plugs (they are practically new). I could not even bump start.

My local shop sold me a brand new battery (with the option to return it if that wasn't the problem :yeah:) and that did nothing, same problem.

So is this a starter issue? He told me a rebuild would be $300 or a new one would be $600... :eek: Are those prices accurate?

This is on a 1999 900ss.

Thanks for any advise, I'm also going to have to spend $65 on a tow grrr
 
#4 ·
check your starter relay, very common fault for ducati.

sounds like your local mechanic your going to is trying to bleed as much cash from you as he can :/
 
#5 ·
Possible bad earth? Try a jump lead from your battery negative to your engine earth point, will certainly improve matters if not solve them!

Ducati in all their wisdom decided that a series of bootlace-thickness earth leads would be best for their bikes... one bad connection in all this and Nothing Happens.

One of the first things I did to my bike was to run a fat earth cable from the battery negative to the engine earth, now turns over 100% better!


Best £5.49 I ever spent...
 
#6 ·
Thanks for all the input but you'll have to spoon feed me here. How would I tell the starter relay is the problem?? Disconnect, look for corrosion, reconnect?

As for the earth, I would not even know where to begin. 470four are you suggesting I buy that cable connect to batt negative and bolt other side to engine? :confused:

Sorry as you can tell I'm no mechanic :(
 
#7 ·
connect your battery directly to the starter this will narrow your search . Is the new battery fully charged?
You can buy a rebuild kit for the starter for about $40 and do the job yourself in 2 hours or take the starter to en electric motors shop for a rebuild, or buy a starter of the internet for $150 (Gotham Cycles)
Sometimes the solenoid gets stuck and a rap with a screwdriver will free it up.
I think your new battery is undercharged though.

I did have one wierd occurance where the starter idler gear was siezed up on the post. This locked up the starter and all I could here was a click from the solenoid

earth is Brit speak for ground
 
#8 ·
connect your battery directly to the starter this will narrow your search .
How?

Is the new battery fully charged?
Yes, I also fully charged the old batt

You can buy a rebuild kit for the starter for about $40 and do the job yourself in 2 hours or take the starter to en electric motors shop for a rebuild, or buy a starter of the internet for $150 (Gotham Cycles)

Sometimes the solenoid gets stuck and a rap with a screwdriver will free it up.
Just bang it?

I think your new battery is undercharged though.
I'm going to rule this out.

I did have one wierd occurance where the starter idler gear was siezed up on the post. This locked up the starter and all I could here was a click from the solenoid
How did you fix?

earth is Brit speak for ground
Got it but You're talking to complete Noob who parks the bike on the street, I have no garage and limit tools.
 
#9 ·
Disconnect the leads to the solenoid.
connect the lead from the starter directly to the positive pole on the battery.
connect the ground lead from the battery to the starter motor on one of the motor casing bolts. The motor should spin.

The starter gear is inside the left side alternator cover. You need some tools and if your a noob you might want to get your hands on a manual or recruit some knowledgable friends. This is a very rare failure and I doubt that is the problem here.

disconnect the solenoid hold it in your hand and rap it with the plastic hande of a screw driver. You don't want to dent it
 
#10 ·
Disconnect the leads to the solenoid.
connect the lead from the starter directly to the positive pole on the battery.
connect the ground lead from the battery to the starter motor on one of the motor casing bolts. The motor should spin.

The starter gear is inside the left side alternator cover. You need some tools and if your a noob you might want to get your hands on a manual or recruit some knowledgable friends. This is a very rare failure and I doubt that is the problem here.

disconnect the solenoid hold it in your hand and rap it with the plastic hande of a screw driver. You don't want to dent it
Ok I can handle that, hard rap, but not dent hard..?
 
#12 ·
Check the earth strap connections.........look for braided wire straps.....

You should find one between the engine/gearbox and the frame, connected behind the front bolt of the right rider foot rest hanger....

Take them apart and give them a really good clean.

While you are at it, disconnect the battery, then clean the starter solenoid connections, and the starter connections.

On mine there is only one earth strap.

AL.
 
#14 ·
First thing as mentioned above is to make sure your battery is good. Give it a good charge and check the voltage. It should read 13+. Keep the meter on the battery when you push the starter button and it should drop a little but if you see something like 10 or less volts then I would say it is the battery.

If the the battery is still at good volts then you need to check the starter solenoid. A quick test is to take a large screw driver and short out the two large terminals on the solenoid. Even with the key out the motor should turn over. If it does not then I would suspect the starter. They are a pain to remove. If it tests good then I would question if the two thin lines from the starter switch are doing their job. Check to see if they are plugged in well. The first series belt drive SS had a major problem with them coming out. One wire is the hot wire and the other is ground. Put a test light on them and push the button and see what you get. If you get a good signal then the switch is good and most likely the solenoid is bad. Any solenoid you find will work as long as it has four leads two large and two small. I have put ones form early 60s Fords on them in a pinch. Anyone from a salvage yard that is off a Japanese bike should work. This is one of the most basic electronic components on your bike it is just an electromagnet the small wires energize the coils and move a rod that completes the circuit for the larger wires. If the larger wires went through your starter switch directly they would weld shut. :-O

Jim
 
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