Wont Start

[cash1000]

Just been for half a ride. Got about 80 ks from home and stopped at a petrol station to get some thing to drink.Went to start bike again and it wouldn't start. Just made clicking noise. Tried many times.After checking fuses, relaying spark plugs caps got help push starting it and got it going. Got 300-400 metres down road and bike started running rough like it was only running on 1 cylinder. Turned around and got half way back to petrol station before it died. Pushed back to petrol station and rang wife to bring trailer. Home now.Checked battery not flat but not good. Put on charge.I had just replaced two relays(the last of the Guzzi ones)and put in 2 new spark plugs.Bike started easily before ride.Had been differcult to start before new spark plugs 4 - 5 tries to get going.Just remembered that Rev counter wasn't working during ride.It normally does.

Any ideas what problem?

[raz]

Sounds like bad charging. Maybe the regulator, or maybe something after it. 30A charging fuse? Measure voltage at battery with engine running. On idle it should be at least some 13 volts. Off idle it should soon go past 14 volts.

[cash1000]

Sounds like bad charging. Maybe the regulator, or maybe something after it. 30A charging fuse? Measure voltage at battery with engine running. On idle it should be at least some 13 volts. Off idle it should soon go past 14 volts.

Thanks for that.Will leave battery on charge overnight and see if it will start in morning.Don't know how old battery is (had bike 18 months)but it a genuine MG $NZ300 price still on it. Any suggestions on a replacement?

[raz]

Hawker Odyssey PC545 is superb IMO but it's also expensive. Don't replace the battery until you know there's reason to. You may have to put the money on a regulator.

 

Fully charged, a healthy battery should hold 12.8 volts after "resting" from the charger (it will be higher at first).

[richard100t]

The battery on my Rosso was bad but it would still start the bike...except when it was cold. If you have the battery out of the bike, take it to an auto parts store and have it tested. After I replaced my battery the bike starts all the time no matter the temperature. One nice thing about testing the battery is that if theres nothing wrong with it you can move on to the next probable cause. If the bike stalled after it was already running then there probably is something else going on besides the battery...voltage regulator, alternator, short..something like that.

[luhbo]

...Will leave battery on charge overnight ....

 

You should not do that unless you have a special, in this case voltage regulated charger. A car charger will ruin the Spark or Hawker even more if not completely.

 

Hubert

[cash1000]

Put charged battery back in bike.Started first time but noticed that revcounter,horn & headlight dont go. Think I will take into Guzzi dealer to get checked out.

[docc]

Put charged battery back in bike.Started first time but noticed that revcounter,horn & headlight dont go. Think I will take into Guzzi dealer to get checked out.

 

We could probably help you get it sorted.

 

Those failures point to Relay 2 (second from the front). I'll bet your brake light also will not come on, nor the hi-beam /charging/oil warning lights.

 

Take the seat off and give relay2 the wiggle test.

[cash1000]

We could probably help you get it sorted.

 

Those failures point to Relay 2 (second from the front). I'll bet your brake light also will not come on, nor the hi-beam /charging/oil warning lights.

 

Take the seat off and give relay2 the wiggle test.

Thanks for that. I had replaced the orignal MG relays a couple days ago but Ive put old ones back in as a test but with no success.I will try again now battery is charged.

[cash1000]

Does problems with the relay also explain the loss in battery charge?

[The Monkey]

Battery charge typically more fundamental-ensure operation of Stator and Regulator.

[raz]

No relay is needed for charging but the 30A fuse is. The regulator does break, though I wouldn't call it failure-prone. I had to replace mine after 11-12 years of service.

 

You can do a load-test of the battery yourself:

1. measure voltage at battery poles w/ engine not running

2. measure voltage at battery poles while cranking

3. measure voltage at battery poles w/ engine running

 

If #2 is lower than 10 volts you have a weak battery. Much lower than that and things will just click and buzz. If this happens even though the #1 voltage is good, battery is due for replacement.

 

With a good battery and good charging, you will get like:

1. 12.8V

2. 11-12V

3. >13V at idle, >14V off idle, always below 15V

[Otis]

Had a near identical problem with my v11.Got it to my auto elictrionan and found that the conectors in the relay blocks to be all faulty.Renewed them,PROBLEM SOLVED.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Just remembered that Rev counter wasn't working during ride.It normally does.

Any ideas what problem?

Horn, Headlight, I am thinkin something to do with relay 2 as well g

The Carl Allison dwg 1999 V11 Sport shows a feed from the headlight relay R2 going to the dash lights and tacho. It also shows a wire to the regulator (I don't know what thats for but perhaps the regulator needs power from R2 before it can charge)

I bet none of your dash lights are working. Check out my simple drawings under Simple Wiring Diagrams, they may help also.

Regards from an expat kiwi

Roy

[docc]

Horn, Headlight, I am thinkin something to do with relay 2 as well g

The Carl Allison dwg 1999 V11 Sport shows a feed from the headlight relay R2 going to the dash lights and tacho. It also shows a wire to the regulator (I don't know what thats for but perhaps the regulator needs power from R2 before it can charge)

I bet none of your dash lights are working. Check out my simple drawings under Simple Wiring Diagrams, they may help also.

Regards from an expat kiwi

Roy

The instrument illumination is on another circuit (Fuse 6) with no relay.

 

I've been told the regulator wire to Relay 2 is a "voltage reference." I suppose if there is no reference voltage, the regulator may not trigger charging.

 

Sounds like it would be worth getting the relay fixed first and see if charging is affected.