Starting Issue…

OK Café Husky Brain trust, here’s my problemo:

2008 TE450

The stock Yuasa battery doesn’t seem to be putting out enough cold-cranking amps to turn the bike over. The only way I can start the bike is by using the hot-start / decompression lever to get it turning then release it to get her going.

I put the battery under charge and that didn’t help.

It doesn’t appear to be a cold starting issue, as it acts the same hot or cold.

I checked valves just because that was my first suspicion, and they haven’t moved in the last 30hr/400mi. At 86hr/1250mi I’m at RI.007, LT.007, RE.009, LE.008.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks - Chad

I know the '07s came with pretty weak batteries. I had similar problems, but replacing it with a new battery fixed the problem. I've had the replacement battery for a year and it's still cranking stong.

As dfeckel indicated, chances are the battery is your issue.

If you take it to an auto parts (or moto-dealer if you have one handy) they can load test it... which is the only real way to determine the functional condition of a battery.

Still... it never hurts to check the ground cable and cables from battery to starter solenoid and from solenoid to starter for any indication of excessive resistance.
All those connections should be less than 1 ohm, and less than 1 ohm across solenoid posts when the solenoid is engaged.

C

Hmmm... Maybe I'll swap the batteries between my X & my TE and see what happens. Hopefully that is it because that sounds like a fairly inexpensive fix. Thanks guys, I'll give it a shot and report back

Ah... the ever popular "known good substitution test".

If your 'X' turns over easy, then putting the battery into the TE, assuming they are the same rating, will be a reasonable test of your connections from battery to starter.
If the TE spins right up, that test would also point the fickle finger of blame well at the TE battery.

C

Anybody know if there's any type of "super" battery that we can use?

OK, just tired a new battery and had the same problem. Just to double check I jumped the bike off my car, and it started right up!

I don't get it. Checked the connections at the starter and everything was tight there...

Quantify "new battery" for me.

Brand new? Fully charged at the proper rate and time before putting it into service?

The available amperage of a car battery can often overcome excessive resistance in cables... something to consider.

Did you ever check the resistance of the cables themselves... how about across solenoid terminals when the solenoid is energized?

C

Possible opens, shorts and grounds. There should be specs for the field coils and commuatator... unless Husky is one of those "replace rather than repair" companies when it comes to electrical items.

Being an '08 makes the chance of a "worn out" starter pretty slim, but it could have an electrical "fault" that shows itself when the available power is only fair.

C

Brand new, like for like replacement, purchased and charged overnight at 12v/2amp.

But when you start taking about checking resistance across solenoid terminals when they're energized... you lose me. I'm more mechanically inclined than electrically.

Amps, volts, ohms...

I can recognize / replace a blown fuse, and "wiggle" or clean a connection, but if it isn't something obvious when it comes to electrical stuff, then

With my old cars, no start either meant a bad battery, alternator or voltage regulator. Those were easy - this one I can't figure. I'd pick myself up an amp-meter, but then I'd have to know what to do with it... Maybe I should just start cutting zip-ties & pulling harnesses apart to see if anything has worn through.

Hey, even I can do that! My dad was an electrical engineer; kind of a sore spot with me. Call it youthful rebellion, but I just always “zoned out” during the electrical lectures…

He’s got a voltmeter, I’ll hijack & report back.

I do hate electrical issues, but good communities like CH, and some nice Single Malt sure helps take the edge off

How many miles are on this bike? It sounds like the auto-decomp is not working properly. I have heard of this on many new bikes. Mine had the same problem, the dealer changed it and it still did/does it once in a while. I personally don't think it is a big deal, when it does not turn over just give the compression lever a quick pull and problem solved. Good luck, and keep us posted.

Ken

It does sound like the auto decompression might not be working. My '08 SM510 would flame out a lot when new and before I put the power-up kit on. For whatever reason in those cases it would not turn over unless I used the manual decompression lever. On a normal start it has always turned over without a need for the decompression lever. It was scary at first because I don't think there is much reserve capacity in the battery if it doesn't start right away and it was flaming out a lot. Putting two and two together, I'll bet the my auto decompression wasn't opening up when it flamed out.

Haven't had a chance to check with the voltmeter yet, but what's the deal with the auto decomp? Is this something that needs to be addressed, or is it just bypassed manually with the lever?

BTW, The bike is an 08 with about 1250 miles on it.

Auto decomp ? On a '08 TE ?