Triumphrat

Afrog · 10-17-2008, 11:19 PM

Today, while on my way to work the 'Tona experienced a very sluggish start after I'd stopped to pick up my dinner. It normally turns over twice and then will fire. This time it turned over twice and fired, but the turn-over was a lot slower than normal. Next, I'd stopped at a traffic light and noticed my speedo go into diagnostic mode, then show ready to read speed. I shifted into neutral and the speedo went through the diagnostics again and was ready to read speed. I shifted into 1st and it ran diagnostics again and was ready to show speed. While rolling, it always gave speed indications, but I found the repetitive diagnostic cycles strange in addition to the very sluggish start. I'm thinking that I may have a bad battery, as would be indicated by the sluggish start, but I haven't heard of the repetitive diagnostic cycles before. Any insight would be welcome, and since this is my means of transportation to and from work, I need to get this fixed ASAP! Thank you for your input!

Frog

fivehundo · 10-17-2008, 11:43 PM

Check your battery and consider doing the Daytona electrical mod (which I have yet to do

) that is posted somewhere on here. This is one of those "Do as I say, not as I do" things, I guess. Also, if you don't have a battery tender, I would say to get one...

If your battery is weak, it forces the stator to work overtime and "take up the slack" and BELIEVE ME you don't want to have to replace your stator. They're expensive...

Afrog · 10-17-2008, 11:55 PM

I don't have a battery tender.......yet, but will most likely pick one up tomorrow. I figured that since I ride the bike most of the time, rain or shine, having a battery tender would probably be better for the Jeep than for the bike. Anyway, reading elsewhere on the site, loose terminal connections might be another possibility. Will check those 1st thing, and then will have battery tested. And yes, I still need to do the rewiring thing for the charging system too. Too bad I still have a few days of work ahead of me before the "weekend".

Frog

ynotbiker · 10-18-2008, 04:39 AM

but new battery on sure its the cause not that exspencive

Afrog · 10-18-2008, 06:28 AM

Got home after a very sluggish start, and with the bike running, got under the saddle and wiggled every wire I could reach. No joy...but the speedo started really freaking out. Blinking on and off, repetitive diagnostic checks and a blinking check engine light (hmmm....that's new). Finally got ready to test the voltage on the battery, so shut the bike off. Hook up the tester and.........nothing!!! Ok, maybe I've done something wrong...go find the volt-meter instructions (I know they're around here somewhere). Read the instructions...yep, I did it right. Test it again and nothing. So, my battery is completely discharged at this point. My next step will be to go buy a new battery tomorrow (later this morning), and then I'll use the volt-meter again and see if there are any major issues with the electrical system (REALLY hoping not).

On the bright side, she got me home after indicating something wasn't quite right. If I didn't love my 'Tona before, I certainly do now.

drakewn · 10-18-2008, 10:02 AM

It sounds like the electrical system is not grounding very well.

Afrog · 10-18-2008, 03:20 PM

Pulled the battery and took it to both the Triumph dealer I go to and to an O'Reilly's. In both instances they told me the battery was good but had a very low charge (somewhere around 11 volts). I bought a battery tender and a new battery (just in case, right? Didn't dump the acid in yet though, so should keep). Plugged in the battery tender and got it all hooked up. After about an hour, was able to start the bike. Not sure about using the tender for a crutch, but right now I think that's about my only option since work, school, and sleep demand my time. I'll have more time to poke around on Monday.

Bought the stuff to do the re-wire on the charging system, but now am thinking that I need to check out the whole harness and figure out where the problem is. After having the battery tested at the two places, I'm still surprised that I got no reading at all on my volt-meter, so either that has an issue (like maybe a new battery? Sheesh!), or it's knackered and I need to find a new one.

I'm REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hoping that it's nothing serious wrong in the charging system. If it is, that could possibly ham-string me right now after dealing with Hurricane Ike and all.

So, what is the best way to check out the electrical system? Where do you start, and what is the progression of steps to troubleshoot my potential problem? I think I'm gonna need help with this one. I've got a digital camera and will travel locally to talk to someone, but resources and time are at a premium right now. Any help at all is appreciated!!!

Frog

Afrog · 10-20-2008, 06:22 AM

Turns out the ohm-meter needed a new battery....Done

Bike info follows:

Batt @ terminal, bike off - 12.92 Volts dc
Batt @ terminal, bike running - 12.4 Vdc
w/ high beam on - 12.3 Vdc
w/ high beam and signal - 12.2 Vdc
RPMs @ 4000 w/ high beam - 12.3 Vdc
Batt @ terminal, bike off 5min later - 12.49 Vdc

Overall seems like the battery isn't charging completely, but the actual loss of power doesn't seem to be much. I'm on my weekend now, so can crawl around under the bike and try to sort this out. Any suggestions, or do you think it's still a bad battery?

Thank you!

Frog

drakewn · 10-20-2008, 10:05 AM

If your battery is still the original, it's definitely time for a new one. Mine's an '02 and I just replaced the battery in August after having a few problems myself.

cruhen · 10-21-2008, 05:45 AM

Hey Afrog,

Your symptoms sound really similar to what I experienced 6 months ago.
I did the wiring mod, and have been trouble free since. Definitely one of the best pieces of advice I ever followed...... and even I managed to do it without hassle.

And I know what you mean about loving your Tona... took mine in to the dealer for a service after a week-long road trip, and thought the clutch felt strange on the way there. When the dealer went to test ride-it, SNAP..... I figure any bike that times its problems like that is a keeper!

Cheers....