Gen 1 starting problem when hot, fan running.

[xcsp]

Went for a ride earlier today on my '03 FJR and after a 100 miles or so, stopped and shut the bike off for maybe 3-5 minutes max and went to restart the engine, cranked ever so slowly and then nothing.

Had been riding mainly back roads until 15 minutes prior to stopping, then was some in-town riding and temp gauge was at 3 bars when I turned it off. Outside temps were around 70-75F.

When I had turned the key on to restart, the engine fan came on(was on when I shut it off), and somewhere along the line, the clock lost time & trip meters cleared.

Waited a minute or so and tried it again and it turned over slowly, but enough to start.

Rode another 50+ miles on back roads to home and turned it off, and started right back up.

After a few hours, went and accessed the battery & checked with a voltmeter that I had 12.8v at the battery and while running, showed 14.1v. (3 yr. old Westco).

Any ideas or what else to check?

 

[Bustanut joker]

Sounds like a battery issue to me.

Both times I've had to deal with that happening the battery was toast.

 

[rogdeb]

Sounds like a battery issue to me.

Both times I've had to deal with that happening the battery was toast.

Yep, what he said

Also, from what I've experienced, a problem with Gen 1's. Something about battery plates, etc (I can't explain as eloquently as Ionbeam) ---- in those conditions I give it WOT on starting - always works.

 

[PhilJet09]

My guess would be bad battery too, but you should also check to make sure your battery cables are clean and tight.

 

[03HiYoSilver]

...When I had turned the key on to restart, the engine fan came on(was on when I shut it off), and somewhere along the line, the clock lost time & trip meters cleared.

...

Any ideas or what else to check?

Yep, just like the others, you seem to have a weak battery...especially when the heavy electrict load of the Fan is running.

If you Regulator is Charging from about 13.5v to about 15v ... it is working fine.

Below is a Flowchart for a cycle charging system test:

https://www.offwidth.co.uk/bike/general/electrical_fault_finding.pdf

 

[whataboutbob]

...When I had turned the key on to restart, the engine fan came on(was on when I shut it off), and somewhere along the line, the clock lost time & trip meters cleared.

...

Any ideas or what else to check?

Yep, just like the others, you seem to have a weak battery...especially when the heavy electrict load of the Fan is running.

If you Regulator is Charging from about 13.5v to about 15v ... it is working fine.

Below is a Flowchart for a cycle charging system test:

https://www.offwidth.co.uk/bike/general/electrical_fault_finding.pdf

yep,same thing

 

[03HiYoSilver]

...If you Regulator is Charging from about 13.5v to about 15v ... it is working fine.

Also keep in mind, your Regulator does not do a Full Charge until your RPM's reach 5k RPM's. So, if you are riding in Low RPM's... you could be draining your battery before you reach a stop.

See this link:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=143226&view=findpost&p=931059

"The charging system in our FJR is an alternating generator. It does not put out full power until 5k rpm..."

 

[xcsp]

Thanks for all of the replies!

Battery connections are clean and tight, was only very slight movement when I checked them.

Bike rarely would see 5k rpm on a consistent basis and only occasionally running a Garmin Streetpilot GPS, which was on prior to stopping and the starting issue appeared.

Suppose the bike setting unused for a week or two at a time (w/o a battery maintainer) doesn't help

Thanks for the link to the flowchart.

 

[fudgejerkin1188]

Battery connections are clean and tight, was only very slight movement when I checked them.

If there was movement in the terminals then there is a good chance that was the issue, (can't have been tight if there was movement)

 

[xcsp]

Battery connections are clean and tight, was only very slight movement when I checked them.

If there was movement in the terminals then there is a good chance that was the issue, (can't have been tight if there was movement)

To clarify, by movement, couldn't move the actual wire connections at the terminals, but the bolts securing them-I put a wrench on them and they felt tight, but just gave them that little extra & they did turn just a bit-now they are definately tight.

 

[Bustanut joker]

Loose isn't good but...Bikergeek's bike ran for several weeks with the positive cable laying unbolted atop the positive terminal He did have a couple no start issues but made the 4 hour ride up here, where we discovered it

I wouldn't have believed had I not seen it with my own eyes.

 

[xcsp]

Charged up the battery w/my Optimate charger, and my voltmeter showed 13.1v. At idle, showed 14.23v, @2,500rpm showed 14.28, and at 5k rpm it showed 14.28-14.3v. Appears charging sytem is fine.

Thought might as well take the battery out and have the local Advance Auto store check the battery and their battery analyzer equipment stated voltage was at 12.65, measured 146cca (Westco lists cca rating @ 135?), and that the battery should be replaced as it fails to meet industry standards.

One thing I am curious about is on a previous bike(Kawasaki), the cooling fan would run for a short time, if necessary, after the engine was shut off, wouldn't this be good for the FJR too?

 

[Bounce]

to what end?

if the bike's off, it's not increasing in heat. it will cool of its own accord. no?

 

[wfooshee]

Nor is the coolant circulating. Cooling the radiator after shutoff means very little to the engine itself.

Maybe if you have a fuel leak the fan running will carry the fumes safely away..... :lol:

 

[SkooterG]

One thing I am curious about is on a previous bike(Kawasaki), the cooling fan would run for a short time, if necessary, after the engine was shut off, wouldn't this be good for the FJR too?

The cooling fans on the FJR are a big current draw. I don't wan't them running after shut-down depleting my battery.

 

[cometman]

I have had a hot start issue ever since I bought my FJR. Clock resets, hard to crank, etc...Always corrected with a new battery. I change the battery every 2 to 3 years as soon as issue rears its head.

This has been discussed before for Gen 1. I think I remember reading about a ground connection to the engine. I will be checking this at the next complete service.

Even with a new battery there is a murmur of this hard to start when hot issue. I have had to bump start a few times.

 

[xcsp]

The cooling fans on the FJR are a big current draw. I don't wan't them running after shut-down depleting my battery.

Thanks, thought about that too, just never was a thought or issue on the Kawi Z6.

I have had a hot start issue ever since I bought my FJR. Clock resets, hard to crank, etc...Always corrected with a new battery. I change the battery every 2 to 3 years as soon as issue rears its head.

This has been discussed before for Gen 1. I think I remember reading about a ground connection to the engine. I will be checking this at the next complete service.

I'm hoping it's only a weak battery, just surprised as the original battery went 7 years, was hoping for more out of the current one. Now to decide on which one to go with next, if one is better than the others.

 

[Patriot]

I have had a hot start issue ever since I bought my FJR. Clock resets, hard to crank, etc...Always corrected with a new battery. I change the battery every 2 to 3 years as soon as issue rears its head.

This has been discussed before for Gen 1. I think I remember reading about a ground connection to the engine. I will be checking this at the next complete service.

I'm hoping it's only a weak battery, just surprised as the original battery went 7 years, was hoping for more out of the current one. Now to decide on which one to go with next, if one is better than the others.

motobatt (amazon generally not the cheapest supplier <I think this is the correct size> )

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042PH76Y/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_4?ie=UTF8&smid=AY0DADTL31CJP

I had the same issue with my 3 yr old Westco...a few very hard starts in summer after 5 minute fuel stop

btw, I keep it on a tender whenever the bike sits in my garage

 

[xcsp]

I had the same issue with my 3 yr old Westco...a few very hard starts in summer after 5 minute fuel stop

btw, I keep it on a tender whenever the bike sits in my garage

I recall reading that the MotoBatt for the FJR is a tight fit, but the dimensions listed for them says it should fit no problem?