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Sorry about the confusion, I did mean try a rolling start without using the starter which is known as bump starting in the UK. I hope you soon get the problem sorted.
 
82 wing, starter would not always engage properly fairly regularly. Sea foam was suggested to me. I giggled. Tried it, added seafoam to the oil and it improved incredibly. For years after, I added seafoam every oil change. I just suggested sea foam to Signdude who's bike isn't shifting properly. Two sea foam suggestions in 3 minutes:nerd:
 
82 wing, starter would not always engage properly fairly regularly. Sea foam was suggested to me. I giggled. Tried it, added seafoam to the oil and it improved incredibly. For years after, I added seafoam every oil change. I just suggested sea foam to Signdude who's bike isn't shifting properly. Two sea foam suggestions in 3 minutes:nerd:
I think we have determined it is not the starter clutch, the engine is turning it just doesn't start.
 
Misread, thought it wasn't turning over right when hot.
 
Discussion starter · #25 · (Edited)
DaveO, sounds like he's got the "low voltage at the ECM" problem if it starts reliably when he pushes the starter button just momentarily rather than holding it down for 10 seconds.....

SignDude, it might be time to upgrade to an AGM battery. Can you measure the voltage on your battery while pressing the Start button?

Thanks for the note... Apparently the "low voltage at the ECM IS the problem or at least part of the problem. The new battery IS an AGM battery. The standing voltage got a reading of 12.6... During cranking it dropped to 10.4. I gather that's what is meant by "low voltage at the ECM. I've seen elsewhere that just "bumping the start button stops the large drawdown and releases more voltage to fire the motor."



Again, not being a mechanic, I'm sure you understand how that works.



Regardless, the bike can be reliably started now and I'm putting new plugs in at the recommendation of another poster. I'm hoping that I can find what is causing the necessity of "bumping" rather than "pressing" the start switch and see if that can be fixed.



Thanks so much for your information and suggestions. Much appreciated.



Bill
 
Discussion starter · #26 ·
I'm leaning towards battery or the start switch... If the battery is low enough it will spin the motor but not start... Sometimes when the battery is low, releasing the start button allows the battery to surge back up in voltage and supplies enough voltage to the electronics to start...

Les

Thank you for the information and help. I just posted a reply to DaveO and DenverWinger just prior to this which seems to verify your thoughts.

Thank you also, very much. I think you guys have me on the right track.


All the best to you and yours.
Bill
 
Thanks for the note... Apparently the "low voltage at the ECM IS the problem or at least part of the problem. The new battery IS an AGM battery. The standing voltage got a reading of 12.6... During cranking it dropped to 10.4. I gather that's what is meant by "low voltage at the ECM. I've seen elsewhere that just "bumping the start button stops the large drawdown and releases more voltage to fire the motor."
What's happening here is the ECM (Engine Control Module) is not very voltage tolerant on these bikes, if the voltage drops much below 10.7 the ECM (which fires the sparkplugs) simply doesn't work, and you can crank the starter all day long with no spark at the plugs. Bad design on Honda's part if you ask me, should have made them more tolerant to low voltage (down to 9v.)

With a quick press-and-release of the starter button, you get the engine spinning and releasing the button lets the voltage come back up enough that the ECM starts working before the engine has stopped spinning....

If you feel confident enough to get into the wiring and add a relay, there's a modification that powers the ECM Directly from the battery, bypassing a good number of connectors, switches and wires where a small amount of voltage can be lost, and every extra bit of voltage to the ECM helps. I'm sure the "Keeper of the Bookmarks" will be happy to post you a link to the detailed "How-to" article.....
 
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Discussion starter · #31 ·
What's happening here is the ECM (Engine Control Module) is not very voltage tolerant on these bikes, if the voltage drops much below 10.7 the ECM (which fires the sparkplugs) simply doesn't work, and you can crank the starter all day long with no spark at the plugs. Bad design on Honda's part if you ask me, should have made them more tolerant to low voltage (down to 9v.)

With a quick press-and-release of the starter button, you get the engine spinning and releasing the button lets the voltage come back up enough that the ECM starts working before the engine has stopped spinning....

If you feel confident enough to get into the wiring and add a relay, there's a modification that powers the ECM Directly from the battery, bypassing a good number of connectors, switches and wires where a small amount of voltage can be lost, and every extra bit of voltage to the ECM helps. I'm sure the "Keeper of the Bookmarks" will be happy to post you a link to the detailed "How-to" article.....

I believe this is the link that DenverWinger is referring to on how-to modify the ignition circuit so that the voltage drop is not so bad for the GL1500.


https://www.goldwingfacts.com/forum...500-starts-after-releasing-button-solved.html

Yes,
that is definitely the way to go for a Permanent Fix.


Somehow, my Bookmark for the link above got lost.
I have now fixed that wrinkle....


Tnx to all for bringing this back to the top again. :|
I read through the thread and this looks exactly like what I've been hoping for. I've passed the link on to my mechanic and he's looking forward to getting inside and giving this a shot.


MEGATHANKS GUYS! I owe all of you... big time.


I'll let you know how it goes.


Bill
 
I have been using the bike with that modification for 3 years without any problems and even with a regular lead acid battery.

I had tried once at a very low voltage when dealing with headlight adjustment (unfortunately I didn't measure the voltage, but the bike was barely cranking) and it had started easily.

So I can say that, with this modification, if the engine will crank it will start.
 
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