Triumphrat

just_phil

This weekend, I notice that I am getting an intermittent starting problem with my 96 Thunderbird. I can switch it off in neutral with the neutral light showing, but sometimes when I go to restart, the neutral light doesn't illuminate and then she will not fire on the button. Eventually, after a few minutes a bit of flicking the gears, we get the light and she starts again.

Anyone know what this could be and how I can fix or overcome it? Am I doing something wrong? I am loathe to venture too far at present in case it happens and I can't "get her back". Many thanks.

roy005

What about the other electrics. With switch on do you get lights, blinkers, horn? If not, sounds like it could be a bad ground. Check battery terminals for corrasion and all ground connections as a start.

__________________
We are the children our parents warned us about...

jimmyj900

Squeeze the clutch. That bypasses the neutral safety.

You should have the bike in neutral with the clutch squeezed every time you start to minimize load on the starter anyhow.

Jim

__________________
Note: This post may have been altered without the knowledge or consent of the author.

just_phil

OK, thanks guys - my friend has suggested that in my saying "won't fire" I am implying that I am getting her to turn over, but in fact I am not getting anything on the button, so Jimmy, bearing this in mind would your advice still hold?

legend

Phil,

The bike will not do anything with the side stand down when it is not in neutral. (Safety feature so you don't take off with the kickstand down.) Play around with the little plunger in the switch to free it up. It sounds like it works sometimes and sticks intermittently.

Mark

__________________
--------------
If it were easy, everybody would be doing it and we would all be out of a job!

Woody1911a1

"The bike will not do anything with the side stand down when it is not in neutral"

pulling the clutch in bypasses that . just tried it . yup

__________________
If you love it , let it go . If it comes back to you , you've highsided ;-)

jimmyj900

Squeezing the clutch bypasses both the neutral switch and the kickstand switch and the bike will crank.

BUT, the kickstand switch disables the ignition so the engine can't start.

If you're getting intermittant cranking (rather than intermittant starting) then it's either the starter solenoid, a worn starter, a weak battery (low capacity) or a wiring problem such as a bad starter button, poor/loose battery or solenoid connection, etc.

If you're getting a solenoid 'click' when you try to crank but the starter doesn't turn and the headlight stays birght, then it's either the starter, the solenoid or a loose/corroded starter cable.

If the headlight dims and the solenoid 'ratchets' on and off rapidly, it's either the battery or the starter gone bad.

Let us know what you find and we'll work it through from there. :wink:

Jim

__________________
Note: This post may have been altered without the knowledge or consent of the author.

just_phil

OK. I will check it out and report back. I was aware of the safety feature regarding the kickstand, and confirm that I am only trying to start her when I am actually astride with the stand up. I will print off the thread and get some better info. Thank you all for your kind help on this.

just_phil

Well, here's the latest update. I get good lights, indicators, etc. Now the latest news:

1. Not previously noticed this but even when I get a neutral light, I can press the button and get absolutely nothing; no clicks, cranks, noise, no action, nothing at all.

2. Thus far the problem never seems to happen when I first start her up... :???:

3. We have attended to the plunger, that seems to be moving freely.

4. A question - whereabouts is the neutral switch ?

Does it sound to you like a bad connection somewhere in the wiring? Do I need an sparky, a doctor, or an overdraft?

jimmyj900

For troubleshooting, don't worry about the neutral switch yet. Squeeze the clutch and you'll bypass the neutral switch.


The starter solenoid is the key to diagnosing cranking problems..

If there's no click, either the solenoid or the wiring is faulty.

If it clicks once (reliably) when you press the start button then the problem is with the solenoid and starter part of the circuit.

If it ratchets (multiple rhythmic clicks) when you press the starter, then the problem is most probably the battery and/or cable from the battery to the starter. That usually indicates a weak (low capacity) battery, but could be corroded or loose cables.

If the click is erratic (sometimes yes, sometimes no, erratic clicking) when you push the start button, then the starter button itself, the ignition (key) switch and the wiring are suspect.

If there's no click, either the solenoid or the control wiring is faulty. It could be the start switch, key switch, a wiring connector in the headlight, a corroded or loose connection to the solenoid winding (small terminals), etc.


How's your battery? Check the fluid levels and top it off with distilled water if it's low. It takes 7 hours for a 14 amp-hour battery to charge with a 2 amp charger -- is it charged fully?


I hate to sound repetetive on this, but figuring out exactly what the solenoid is doing is critical to defining the next step.

Jim

__________________
Note: This post may have been altered without the knowledge or consent of the author.