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99 gl1500 won't crank

6K views 39 replies 11 participants last post by  newday777 
#1 ·
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Hey guys , my battery is fully charged. or so the charger says..

tried to start the bike and it acted like the batterywas near dead....l put the electronic charger on and it only took 5 minutes to show fullycharged....

tried to start and again it acted like the battery was dead. I put a new starter solenoid on it last spring..:?could it be the solenoid again ???? or just a bad battery ? the battery is only 2yrs old.

I had the same problem last spring thought it was the battery ,and had it checked out at the same bat store I bought it from, they said it was ok. any ideas would be appreciated.
 
#2 ·
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I had a similar problem with mine and didn't bother to check anything, went and bought a new AGM battery and when I went to replace the old one , I found the negative cable had loosened over time. Not saying it is your problem, but easy to assume and worth a look. LOL
 
#3 ·
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Jmly wrote:
I had a similar problem with mine and didn't bother to check anything, went and bought a new AGM battery and when I went to replace the old one , I found the negative cable had loosened over time. Not saying it is your problem, but easy to assume and worth a look. LOL
yeah, maybe where the ground attaches to the frame (where ever that is ) is bad..will check.

anyone know where the battery ground is attached to the frame ????
 
#4 ·
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well I checked the battery off the bike it shows 12.54 volts...same as on the bike hooked up.

the battery is a ...DEKASport AGM model # ETX18L...340 cca .

how much CCA should a battery have for a wing ???
 
#5 ·
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I think you still have cable problems.

2 years on that battery is still near new, and unless it has been left in a run down condition, it is not bad.

12.54 sounds good to me, it ought to crank.

What does the voltage measure when the battery charger indicates "full charge?"

Ought to be 13.6ish or more
 
#6 ·
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AZgl1500 wrote:
I think you still have cable problems.

2 years on that battery is still near new, and unless it has been left in a run down condition, it is not bad.

12.54 sounds good to me, it ought to crank.

What does the voltage measure when the battery charger indicates "full charge?"

Ought to be 13.6ish or more
NO !!!!!!12.54 volts
 
#7 ·
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I would take a take voltage reading at the batterie post as you are cranking the engine. if voltage drops low batt as no reserve if voltage stays hi some other problem connector or defective components..
 
#8 ·
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dj norm wrote:
I would take a take voltage reading at the batterie post as you are cranking the engine. if voltage drops low batt as no reserve if voltage stays hi some other problem connector or defective components..

as I said before after a full charge, I would try to start it, and itacted like the bat was near dead...NO START. click click click click click click....put the charger back on and it, it showed full charge after 5 minutes at a 2 amp charge.

try to start again and click click click click...

lights would light ( well one of the HID lights wouldn't, which indicates low volts), but turn signals would work , horn sounded sick ETC... I'm still thinking battery..

What battery would you guys suggest...GEL....AGM...is there a battery that gives 14 .6 volts ???? most put out 13.4

maybe I should just dive in head first and buy the compu-fire system...is the comp battery worth the money????:?

WHO SELLS THE COMP-U-FIRE SYSTEM AT THE LOWEST PRICE ???????

 
#9 ·
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Doc

Its all them bright lights shinning. :action:

Did you have the battery checked this time and last year?
Have you cleaned the start switch w/elec contact cleaner? It might need a good cleaning.
Your starter might need a cleaning if you have been using reverse. I changed my starter last summer with a less milage one and it made a difference.
 
#11 ·
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If nothing else, take the battery to a local Advance Auto Parts store or NAPA and let them do a free load test on it unless you have a load tester, that will tell you the condition pretty quickly I have seen many batteries read 12 or more...till the load hits them, then they drop pretty fast.
13.6 is about the limit for charging system to read, any higher, could be the sign of a dead or weak cell and it will probably be pretty warm.
I have the compufire system and I personally believe it is well worth the investment!
 
#12 ·
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I'm taking the battery to advanced auto tomorrow to get load test done....:praying:

AND as far as "all them bright lights shinning" (smart a$$ )just kidding.....maybe the hids are drawing too much:?... did I mention goldwing electrical systems can suck :cheeky1:
 
#13 ·
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dj norm wrote:
:ROFL:

Hey hey Stu

I had the same thought about the lights..........
OH sure, gang up :makemyday:eek:n the guy with the 900+ leds :whip:..

the cages DO see me coming.....:shock:.....and going for that matter ..:cool:
 
#15 ·
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Doc
Looks good. Hope you get all them lights a working/fired up again!
 
#16 ·
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I had the exact same problem right after I installed a compufire. I was convinced it was a problem with the compufire but I looked further. I would always use a battery tender so I was sure that the battery was fully charged. The voltagewhile the bike was off was in the upper 12 volt range where it is supposed to be.It turns out that there was a bad cell in the battery. It was an AGM and was only about a year old but had a 2 year warranty. I tried to get Autozone and another place to load test it but they told me that the battery was too small to test it. I brought it back to Batteriesplus where I had originally bought the battery. They put it on their load tester and claimed it was good. They weren't interested in my story. I ended up going to another Batteriesplus store and this guy was much more helpful. He also did a test that only showed that the battery needed a charge. However he ended up just doing a warranty exchange. Once I got the new battery on there, it fired right up.

Did you happen to have a volt meter hooked up the the battery when you tried cranking it? I know that with my bad battery, the voltage would drop way down into the single digits when I hit the starter button. That is no where near enough to fire up the bike. Thats one way to load test it on your own....

You could also try jump starting the bike with a pair of jumper cables hooked up to a car battery and see if it starts. Make sure the car is off though. If it does start, then there is a really good chance that you have a bad battery.
 
#17 ·
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YES, I did jump start it last weekend and it cranked right up. I let it run for 20 min then shut it off. 1hr later it started again....now last year had the same thing and dealer said there was nothing wrong . so I'll take it to advanced auto and see if they can load test. if bad then I guess it's back to battery shopping again.:gunhead:
 
#18 ·
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JMLY, youlive at the exact opposite corner of the state as me. you are just outside pitts and I'm just outside scranton.:waving:
 
#19 ·
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I had a bad battery one time took it to autozone all the guy needed to know was the CCA to test it.
 
#21 ·
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One thing I've noticed about my bike, she is not likely to start if the bat voltage is even slightly below complete and full charge. If she sits for even a week or two, I'd better have a tender on it or a boost from a jump box, or it will grind and grind and never go. However, if it gets cranked and ridden every couple of days, no problem. The moral of the story: she needs frequent exercise...

I notice you live PA; I think she's just not happy about being shut up in the garage several months at a time. Remember, these mistresses have feelings too and we neglect them at our peril. She will get the attention she wants one way or another and only she decides if and when you get to take a ride.:action:
 
#23 ·
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DOC1500 wrote:
JMLY, you live at the exact opposite corner of the state as me. you are just outside pitts and I'm just outside scranton.:waving: 
307 miles apart give or take a few (I cheated and looked already) a good decent ride for a Saturday...if I was retired. It never fails though, if I leave the area and go over 100 miles, someone will break down in a company truck and I will have to turn around and go to work. I am on call 24/7 in this job. Money is great but it sure plays havoc with the social life.
I would not be opposed to a coffee stop at a place somewhere mid way... maybe State College area or so sometime later in the summer after you get a battery and I get my lights put on:ssshh:

BTW I got my battery at http://www.westcobattery.com/
it was this one-http://estorebc.mkbattery.com/ProductInfo/WCP18.aspx:thumbsup: Ordered on line and came in like 2 days to my doorstep. and if it turns out that the alternator is bad, I got a spare , it is the stock one and I had it rebuilt.
 
#24 ·
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A few things are needed to test charging- starting system. Volt meter, amp meter and load tester for the battery. Most will not have the amp meter or load tester, so we must rely on volt readings only to narrow it down some.

After charging, a battery will have a static or surface charge which must be removed for a battery voltage test. This can be done by turning the key on with the draw from the headlight for one to two minutes. Let the battery recover for a few minutes and take voltage reading, should not be below 12.5V or so. With bike running at fast idle charging voltage should be between 13.6-14.2V.

The starter should draw no more than 125A and this is where the amp meter is used while cranking. Without the amp meter you will have to rely on volt readings. While cranking, the volts should not drop below 9 or so. If the volts drop much lower than this the battery, starter and connections are then suspect and the above mentioned meters are required to properly diagnose.

JD
 
#26 ·
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Hey guys , just had the battery tested . I charged it before I went and they said at advanced auto it is bad ...load test showed 11.62 voltsand 41 CCA...I think it's only 2yrs old..theplace I got it should exchange it ??????
 
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