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#1 |
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 2,276
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Charging system testing- weak starter? just clicking? Is it the battery?
Does your bike just "click" when you press the starter button? Or does the starter motor weakly turn the engine over and it fails to fire up?
Maybe you wonder if your charging system is not maintaining the battery? Do you need a voltage regulator? Do you need a new stator?? Here are a few things to test: If this is a used bike you are trying to get running, check the valve clearance first. Here are instructions to adjust valves. If you haven't adjusted the valves, then do this first ANYWAY. Covered elsewhere...The process is identical for any of these 4 stroke engines, but clearance on pushrod engines should be 0.003-0.005" exhaust, 0.002-0.003" intake: https://www.chinariders.net/showpost...4&postcount=21 If the starter turns the engine rapidly, but it just isn't firing up, it could be spark or gas issue, but if it ran OK before and the starter just isn't cranking it strongly, you may have a weak charging system resulting in low battery charge, dead or bad battery, or you just need a charge. If you don't already have one, BUY A MULTIMETER. You NEED one to test your battery, and to test your charging system. If you can jump it and it turns rapidly and starts, GREAT. While it is running, USE THE MULTIMETER (set to DC voltage) to test the charging system: Connect the multimeter to the battery terminals-red to red (pos) and black to black (Neg/ground) and you should see MORE than 14 volts pushing onto the battery at ~1500-1700rpm. If it started with a jump, and the charging system checks out, then charge the battery. A floating battery maintainer/charger costs about $35. RESTING BATTERY TEST (key turned OFF): AFTER charging, what is the resting battery voltage? It should be at least close to 13V for a healthy battery. If it is less, disconnect the ground and test it again. Did the voltage go up? If so, your bike is constantly draining the battery (short somewhere? bad switch?). A BAD battery (grounding out inside) can suck the voltage and prevent starting. It won't charge if this is the case, and will overheat your charger (charger should show the ground fault). This is actually pretty rare unless you bought a barn find or the bike hasn't been run, but left out and neglected for a year or two. If the valves are adjusted, and the bike has been running with a good spark plug and the charging system is good, even a WEAK BATTERY can usually start the bike. Batteries do eventually fail of course. If it can't charge to and hold a charge of ~12.5V overnight, replace it. As mentioned above, if you can jump start the bike and it starts easily, then charge the battery and do the resting battery test above. If the charging system is not pushing 14V or more into the battery at 1500-1700rpm, then your charging system is not up to snuff. It could be the rectifier/regulator, or it could be a weak stator. If the resting battery voltage test is the same with/without the negative ground connected but the charging system isn't pushing 14+ volts when running, then you will need to troubleshoot the charging system.
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-2022 5 speed Templar X Orange, OEM 51T rear sprocket, 14T front sprocket -NOS 2020 KTM 250SX (2-stroke motocross), less than 10 hours on it Last edited by Thumper; 04-09-2024 at 09:29 PM. |
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#2 |
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Central VA
Posts: 1,255
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Great info.. I recently diagnosed a failed starter on my Beta.. it would click once and then nothing. The battery would quickly drain in addition to the power wire from the starter solenoid getting hot. I initially thought it was the battery but found the starter as the culprit once I opened i removed and tried to turn the armature and it was grinding. After opening it up I found several magnets pulverized inside. Bought a knockoff ktm starter on Amazon, replaced the case and reused the original armature and front cover and voila started right up.
The other starting issue I've encountered was on my Honda Fury related to starting when hot it would crank a couple times and not start. The fix for that was a secondary ground for this known issue.
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2024 Zuma Storm 150 DLX 2019 Beta 430 RRS 2017 Honda Fury Former China Bikes: Tao DBX1, Brozz 250, CSC RX4, Titan DLX, Templar X |
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#3 |
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 2,276
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My 6 speed Templar X starter had a short. It cranked weakly, even with a charged battery, or a jump. These symptoms made me wonder what was going on inside that new starter
![]() I took it apart and found that the rotor windings armature was grazing a metal plate that the brushes mounted on. There was blackened evidence of the short on the plate and the tip of the armature...I used a dremel to shave both sides away from each other, cleaned and reassembled the starter with lube on both ends, and the thing worked perfectly.
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-2022 5 speed Templar X Orange, OEM 51T rear sprocket, 14T front sprocket -NOS 2020 KTM 250SX (2-stroke motocross), less than 10 hours on it |
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#4 | |
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Central VA
Posts: 1,255
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Quote:
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2024 Zuma Storm 150 DLX 2019 Beta 430 RRS 2017 Honda Fury Former China Bikes: Tao DBX1, Brozz 250, CSC RX4, Titan DLX, Templar X |
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#5 | |
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 578
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At the end of every ride I plug it in and leave it on until next time I ride. It always shows an over-charge immediately following a ride and discharges the battery a small amount then charges it until at optimum long term holding charge holding it there until next ride. This is how I have gotten flawless years of service from the stock OEM battery that came with the Templar X 250. Because I now have to leave the bike at work away from the charger/maintainer for twelve hour shifts, I have since added battery operated nipple clamps (tiny lithium smart jump starter) to my arsenal and take it with me everywhere in the bottom of my backpack. I have never had to use it at all so far, knock on wood. But if I do I am fully prepared not to need a tow, or on the road service call. Boy scout motto always be prepared. The rest of the post is also good information. ![]()
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2022 1/2 Templar X 250 - 6 gear model - 13 Front / 40 Rear Sprockets - #42 / #120 Jets - 1mm thick nitrile O-ring needle shim (removed) - Kenda K761 Dual Sport Tires - Sedona Standard Thickness Inner Tubes - Stock OEM battery, carburetor, spark plug still going strong - https://youtu.be/dhAYEKH-jFQ |
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#6 | |
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 2,276
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Quote:
The charging system was still working great. Pushing the starter button, on the other hand, didn't activate the starter very well, and put a serious drain on the battery ![]()
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-2022 5 speed Templar X Orange, OEM 51T rear sprocket, 14T front sprocket -NOS 2020 KTM 250SX (2-stroke motocross), less than 10 hours on it Last edited by Thumper; 04-12-2024 at 07:57 PM. |
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#7 | |
Join Date: Sep 2022
Location: Ohio Valley
Posts: 686
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Quote:
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2022 Hawk 250 |
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