[anythingoutside]

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I've lived with this for ever; but curious. I can crank my 88 1500 forever and it won't start when my thumb is on the start button... the moment I remove it... it starts.

My theory is, there's no spark while the starter motor is cranking, the moment I remove my thumb, spark starts to... you know, spark and the inertia of the spinning motor, all is well.

With another winter coming up... it sure would be nice to have it start while cranking...

many thanks..

 

[Hawker22]

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You have pretty much answered your own question. Perhaps not "no spark", but very weak spark, due to a bad or low battery, a short or bad ground, or a bad starter or soliniod. Been plenty written about this so just do a search and you will come up with many threads on this situation.

 

[AZgl1800]

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The fix has always been correcting low battery voltage to both the starter and the spark coils.

Make sure all the starter circuit wiring has clean terminals. Check the battery voltage at the battery and see if it is dropping below 11 volts or so during cranking. If it is, you need a new battery or the charging system is not up to snuff.

The newer glass mat batteries are a perfect fix, but you might want to install the new Compu-Fire alternator that has more output current and the correct voltage output.

http://compufire.com/honda-main.html

 

[anythingoutside]

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Thanks, will do... the battery is new... but there's also been this annoying crackle, actually more like a "SNAP" when I start it... I'm replacing the fuel pump this morning with the $60 Honda Accord LX pump. Might as well check the starter circuit...

thanks.

 

[wexy]

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That snap you are hearing is a plug lead leaking to ground ,Could well be the cause of the starting ,as the others have said ,it is usually a battery that is not 100% charged up that can cause the starting problem ,but I would check your plug leads afor cracks ,May be time to replace them ,Ciaran

 

[Gayle]

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Check the right hand side bank of connectors above the cylinder head for one that feeds the 2 spark coils. Likely you'll find dirt and moisture building that is bleeding off the battery voltage enough to prevent firing until you release the button - thereby sending a momentary "surge" that allows the coils to fire. BTDT. Clean up with a good electrical contact cleaner and you're good to go. Seems that the connector is C69 but not sure of number. On a metal plate and it's on the front top location. Good luck.

 

[Foosman(5)]

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Someone needs to design a small transformer/relay combination to boost thepowerup a few volts to theECM or coils.

My power spayer starts with half-a-pull. If a battery can turn the engine over, surely the power requirements for the ignition is not that great. But, that does not seem to be case for GL1500s until you release the button for weaker batteries.

anythingoutside, the button release symptom is a very common issue. Search this forum. There are many posts on this issue.

My next battery will be an Odysee. Still waiting for this one to die.

 

[exavid]

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Yep, my 1500 did the same thing until I replaced the battery with an Odyssey. Been fine ever since. I chased out the wiring and connectors and made sure all were tight and clean before I replaced the battery but that wasn't the problem. The starters on these bikes draw a lot of power from the battery and if everything isn't perfect the voltage is pulled down enough to make the spark pretty weak. A better quality battery with lower internal resistance holds a higher voltage when cranking and the problem will go away.

 

[sandiegobrass]

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exavid wrote:

Yep, my 1500 did the same thing until I replaced the battery with an Odyssey. Been fine ever since. I chased out the wiring and connectors and made sure all were tight and clean before I replaced the battery but that wasn't the problem. The starters on these bikes draw a lot of power from the battery and if everything isn't perfect the voltage is pulled down enough to make the spark pretty weak. A better quality battery with lower internal resistance holds a higher voltage when cranking and the problem will go away.

Exactly!!!!

AGM batteries have significantly less internal resistance than flooded or gel batteries...