Very strange starting issue

[jpcfjr]

So here are the details:

Bike powers up like normal. I hit the starter and the engine cranks but does not fire. This could go on for anywhere from one to many tries. No smell of unburned gas. Occasionally it will fire maybe one cylinder and then stop. Eventually I get it started and it runs normally, with absolutely no problems at all. Just started doing this a week ago. New plugs installed about a month ago. Battery has never been replaced. Might be worse at cold start than warm but has happened at all temps. Seems to be worse after overnight sit. Cranks at normal speed at first but gets slower as this goes on with battery wearing down. Battery definitely on the way out...I recognize that.

Any ideas?

Some basic facts:

2009, 33,150 miles

Brodie grounding harness installed for over a year

Brodie ignition bypass installed for over a year

Having never owned a motorcycle before 2009, I'm not sure if this could be a bad battery. I will check the battery connections tonight (assuming it starts and I can get home).

The wisdom of your collective experience is greatly appreciated.

 

[Ignacio]

How is it different than this thread other than not smelling fuel after cranking for a while?

 

[jpcfjr]

How is it different than this thread other than not smelling fuel after cranking for a while?

I think it's completely different. I have no "fast cranking". I have not let the bike sit for days or weeks (I ride it every day hence 33k in 27 months).

 

[Strayshot]

I vote battery. You can have enough juice to crank it over at a reasonably good rate and still not be a strong enough spark to ignite. To check, if you have a reasonable slope anywhere near your driveway, try bump starting it. If it cranks up easily, it's likely your battery.

 

[SkooterG]

I would replace the battery and go from there. Also make sure your battery connections are tight.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Battery is the most likely culprit. you could try jumpstarting or bumpstarting and see if she fires.

 

[ionbeam]

During cranking, if your FJR's battery can maintain 8.5 volts or higher you have sufficient voltage for the coils to fire strong enough for ignition.

What is your warm idle speed and what is your cold idle speed?

Check your air box for rodent nests. Really.

Is your oil viscosity and fuel grade in line with what the owners manual calls for?

Put your battery on a trickle charger over night. If it lights off right away -- it's the battery. If it still is slow to start, you are probably looking at another issue. While you are there, check the battery terminals like everyone else suggests.

 

[TomInPA]

I'm thinking crank position sensor (aka timing pickup assembly). It is inside the timing cover and sends a signal for fuel and spark to run the engine. Failures can be complete or intermittent depending on the cause. The sensor wires are sensitive to being crushed as well, and so damage can result from failure of the sensor or wiring. Part No 3P6-81670-00-00

 

[Geezer]

I would suspect bad fuel or maybe a dirty injector or two. Have you run through more than one tank of fuel since the problem started? It can't hurt to run some fuel injector cleaner through the injectors.

 

[jpcfjr]

Got home. Put in some BG 44K fuel treatment and I'm in the process of cleaning the battery terminals...positive (the one that usually gets corroded) is a little dirty. I am starting to suspect the battery though. Should have bought one on my way home. It's always the simple shit.

Stopped at the shop on the way home and talked to the best tech they have for quite some time. He had all the same suggestions you guys have so I'm gonna try that stuff first. Also suggested checking the relay for the fuel pump. Sometimes when I power the bike on the fuel pump does not spin. That is surely a sign of something...either bad relay (unlikely) or low/marginal voltage getting to the relay via low battery and or corrosion somewhere. Starting with corrosion and moving on to battery if that doesn't work.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

 

[dbvolfan]

Bike in Neutral

Hold it WOT and crank the bike over.

Give it ~2, maybe 3 seconds until it starts

release throttle

 

[HotRodZilla]

Why would a low battery have enough juice to crank multiple times, but not enough to fire the bike? That doesn't sound right to me, but maybe I just don't know enough about it.

 

[SkooterG]

Sometimes when I power the bike on the fuel pump does not spin. That is surely a sign of something...either bad relay (unlikely) or low/marginal voltage getting to the relay via low battery and or corrosion somewhere.

Could be a sign your main switch is in the 'off' position. Fuel pump doesn't prime unless kill switch is on.

 

[jpcfjr]

Sometimes when I power the bike on the fuel pump does not spin. That is surely a sign of something...either bad relay (unlikely) or low/marginal voltage getting to the relay via low battery and or corrosion somewhere.

Could be a sign your main switch is in the 'off' position. Fuel pump doesn't prime unless kill switch is on.

Which would be a sign that I'm a complete f'ing moron. And besides, the bike wouldn't crank if the kill switch was in the "off" position.

I can only hope you were kidding.

 

[SkooterG]

Sometimes when I power the bike on the fuel pump does not spin. That is surely a sign of something...either bad relay (unlikely) or low/marginal voltage getting to the relay via low battery and or corrosion somewhere.

Could be a sign your main switch is in the 'off' position. Fuel pump doesn't prime unless kill switch is on.

Which would be a sign that I'm a complete f'ing moron. And besides, the bike wouldn't crank if the kill switch was in the "off" position.

I can only hope you were kidding.

Nope. Not kidding. That has confused some in the past when they didn't hear the fuel pump a-whirring.

 

[RaYzerman19]

You could have phase separated gas, meaning water and ethanol has sunk to the bottom. The BG44 doesn't have any alcohol in it, try some isopropanol to dissolve the water (or use Seafoam). That is the cheapest thing to try, and put the battery on a battery tender. Doesn't explain you not hearing the fuel pump, but remember it cuts out when it reaches pressure. Could be a bad relay.

 

[Constant Mesh]

Cycle the ignition switch on for a few seconds and then off and then on again before cranking. Maybe the fuel pump check valve is allowing the pressure to bleed down. Let the pump cycle on two or more times before cranking.

 

[SouthernCruizer]

Tis the battery. The FJR is a bitch when it comes to the amount of voltage required to run properly. My OEM battery on both of my FJRs failed after slightly over 2 years.

 

[jpcfjr]

Tis the battery. The FJR is a bitch when it comes to the amount of voltage required to run properly. My OEM battery on both of my FJRs failed after slightly over 2 years.

Yup. I cleaned the contacts and it seems to have helped...no issues starting this morning. I believe the battery is on the way out. This fact coupled with a bit of corrosion at both terminals was enough to cause the problem. How you say can the starter crank and yet there not be enough voltage to trip the fuel pump relay? I have a theory. Since I installed the Brodie grounding harness, the ground connection to just about everything other than the starter is via the new harness. If there was more corrosion on that particular connector blade (Brodie harness) to ground than the main ground connector that addresses the starter, I could foresee the starter working but the fuel relay not. It's a long shot but lacking further evidence I'm going with that.

Maybe cranking the starter takes precedence over the fuel relay and when I cranked it, the relay became unpowered??? Who knows.