DRZ400s Starting Issue

[Goofy Footer 539]

So bboyle9 and I plan on riding along the Pacific Coast Highway to SF this weekend for our annual college friends holiday party Turducken!

But....

His DRZ400S will not start. When I went over there yesterday, the Shorai Lithium battery was registering 13.1 volts and all lights/signals worked. When I hit the Estart for the first time the started turned briefly but then it quit. From that point onward, it would only make a loud Click coming from the airbox / rear subframe. Hodnettjj helped us identify that the Starter Solenoid was located there and guided us through some diagnosing tests but we couldn't get anything to work. When I hit the Estart, the battery dropped to 12.9 and Click!

A moto electrician (Evan from RaceTech Electric) said 99% of the time when you hear the Click, it's from a bad battery even if it reads good. I trust his advice as he knows his stuff. I put the battery on a tender until it hit 13.4 and still simply Click. bboyle9 replaced the battery today and still.. Click!

So now what, can I bolt up the Starter Solenoid from my DRZ400E (electric and kickstart)? Any other advice or tips? The main fuse is good. I'm certain bboyle will offer cold beer and dinner to anybody who can help, he lives in North Park. We're hoping to leave Friday early morning

DRZ in Big Sur (not bboyle lol)

[karlaeda 0]

Try jump starting it from a car - sometimes the voltage on the battery will be correct, but it won't have enough amps to start anyway. This will give you an idea what's going on. If it still does not start the battery is not an issue.

The click usually does associate with a dead battery.

[Goofy Footer 539]

Try jump starting it from a car - sometimes the voltage on the battery will be correct, but it won't have enough amps to start anyway. This will give you an idea what's going on. If it still does not start the battery is not an issue.

The click usually does associate with a dead battery.

Thanks for the reply and info George.

I forgot to mention that we did try jump starting it from his car but all we got was... Click! He installed a new battery tonight and it's still Clicking. We tried a running bumpstart and it chugged for a split second but did not fire.

[kato 53]

If you do jumpstart off a car, make sure the car is not running.

**edit: you got it

[karlaeda 0]

I see - do you guys have a multimeter/voltmeter to see if the starter is getting power?

I have seen the same issue with loose wiring on the estart button contacts, battery connections, and starter connections. I'd check the insulation on the wires too, may be shorting out somewhere. Did you guys hit that starter lovingly few times yet?

As far as bump starting....I suppose it's possible that the carb got flooded and your bump start attempts were failing - not sure why it would not run, but it may be something that needs to be checked after the starter issue is sorted.

[kkug 146]

Go back to a regular battery and then you can ride to Nicole Espinosa,s campsite !

[Goofy Footer 539]

If you do jumpstart off a car, make sure the car is not running.

**edit: you got it

the car was running

[kkug 146]

Hydro lock-- If you have the OEM fuel petcock yet --ask Driss

[Goofy Footer 539]

I see - do you guys have a multimeter/voltmeter to see if the starter is getting power?

I have seen the same issue with loose wiring on the estart button contacts, battery connections, and starter connections. I'd check the insulation on the wires too, may be shorting out somewhere. Did you guys hit that starter lovingly few times yet?

As far as bump starting....I suppose it's possible that the carb got flooded and your bump start attempts were failing - not sure why it would not run, but it may be something that needs to be checked after the starter issue is sorted.

I didn't check the voltage at the starter - that would have been a good idea. Thanks for the info, I might try that tomorrow. I fiddled with all the connections and the starter has been hit many times. The Click is in my nightmares.

As for the carb being flooded prior to bumpstarting, it's a possibility. I'll tow bump start him next - I've done it before!

[Goofy Footer 539]

Go back to a regular battery and then you can ride to Nicole Espinosa,s campsite !

He put a regular battery in tonight and Click!

I actually met Nicole at an ADV Death Valley n00b ride when she was camped by me- she's a cool chick.

Hydro lock-- If you have the OEM fuel petcock yet --ask Driss

IMS tank with Raptor petcock (standard on/off/reserve so no vapor lock issues)

[Wintyfresh 46]

I'd make sure you're seeing power at the starter and that the starter solenoid doesn't have any corrosion on the connections, then check the charging system.

[Wintyfresh 46]

I'd make sure you're seeing power at the starter and that the starter solenoid doesn't have any corrosion on the connections, then check the charging system.

[Goofy Footer 539]

I'd make sure you're seeing power at the starter and that the starter solenoid doesn't have any corrosion on the connections, then check the charging system.

I didn't (and should have) check(ed) voltage at the starter. The solenoid and most of the bike was pretty filthy. I'll read up on the link you posted.

[KLXBEN 0]

pull out the spark plug and see if it cranks then. Sounds to me like a hydro lock of either fuel, oil, or coolant

[karlaeda 0]

pull out the spark plug and see if it cranks then. Sounds to me like a hydro lock of either fuel, oil, or coolant

Ah, smart. Didn't think of that!

[jbw 0]

Another vote for hydrolocked. The symptoms seem to match best I can tell: It is only clicking once which is normal, that is the relay connection being made that powers the starter happens for all the bikes when you power the relay. The starter turning the first time and the battery remaining at 12.9 for this means it is likely not the battery (you also likely would hear a series of clicks for a bad battery as the voltage oscillates). If you test the voltage at the starter you likely will see it lower, you will lose voltage from the slight resistance from the battery to the starter as current will be pulled from a stalled starter this depends on how much the stalled starter pulls but a motor pulls most current when stalled (If you do see quite lower voltage at the starter then you may need to start looking for the voltage drop in the wiring between the battery and starter). The starter not turning the next time is because the system has taken all the free space up and no longer can turn anymore.

Just as a test take out the dipstick and smell the oil that is in the frame, bet is smells like gas.

Regardless of that test, take out the spark plug and make sure to disconnect the spark plug from the cap and turn it over by putting it in gear and rolling the bike. Do this slowly and with eye protection. Do not use the starter for this. If it is hydrolocked, then it likely is gas (the DRZ does not have an overflow on the Mikuni carb) and you do not want any electrical charged if you pump out the gas especially a spark plug right next to the hole. This can happen on bikes like this one with a manual petcock (it is a WR petcock that actually was found to work by TNTMO for the DRZs) if it is left on and the carb needle/seat/oring is going bad (common occurance) and lets gas leak into the cylinder. If it is hydrolocked you will need to drain the oil a few times to clear the gas out. It likely is fine after the oil changes. You will also want to pull out the carb and inspect the needle/seat/oring, it likely is just the oring getting hard and letting some gas pass by probably not even something that is critical for the trip but just remeber to turn of the petcock.

Note: do not try to bump start it until you verify that it is not hydrolocked. Doing so while hydrolocked is not going to work and possibly be bad for the internals of the motor. I think the rear wheel would just skid.

[tntmo 887]

If you go through all the testing to eliminate hydro lock, here's what I would do next.

Turn on the key. Hook up one end of the jumper cable to the positive terminal on the battery. Very carefully touch the other end of it to the terminal on the starter where the power cable attaches, the gold one in this picture.

http://www.psep.biz/images/ARROWHEAD%20NEW%20STARTERS%20AND%20ALTERNATORS/SMU0238.jpg

If the bike is turning over or starts, you now know the battery and starter are fine. Let me know what happens. Call or text.

[Goofy Footer 539]

Woa, Thank You guys for the excellent info and troubleshooting help!

bboyle9 did mention a few weird stalls at stoplights a while back and we actually had to replace his float needle valve a few months ago because it had been leaking.

I just texted him to ask if he might have left the manual petcock turned On - his reply "probably"...

Your hydrolock commentary makes sense to me. I'll pull the plug tonight and have a look.

tntmo - I tried to use some extra wire and run positive from the battery direct to the starter (per hodnetjj's service manual troubleshooting help) but all we got was Click! We might not have had a tight enough connection though.

[Bubbagums 42]

After determining there is no hydro lock I would directly ground the starter from a jumper battery and directly connect (touch) the positive cable from the jumper batter to the hot terminal on the starter. Crank or no crank?

[robertaccio 406]

after all the other stuff , bad starter?, starter mechanicals?

[bikeslut 1]

If he removes the plug and the wiring away from the hole, and the started turns (and spews gas out)...we'll; you know the rest

[Goofy Footer 539]

Hodnetjj is helping us out (taking over and kicking ass). The motor isn't hydrolocked, appropriate voltage is getting to the starter but the starter isn't firing.

[Goofy Footer 539]

Anybody know the street price for renting a DRZ starter for a weekend?

[KLXBEN 0]

It still should push start. Key on, gas on, 2nd gear, stand up, push, dump clutch and bounce on seat. Awww that takes me back.

[Goofy Footer 539]

Hodnetjj was a huge help today - Thank You!

Testing the Starter - it's not spinning!

Hard to see but it's missing some brushes

It's fried

Will bboyle9 be able to repair his starter in time? Will he be able to procure a replacement within 24 hours? Will the ride be cancelled or will he end up sitting behind Goofy while riding 2up on the DR650? Stay tuned for the next episode!