97 Sprint starter relay location

[Steve Block]

Guys,

My bike didn't start on the button this morning, I had to bump it.

Either the fuse has blown, bad connection or I've either got a faulty starter switch, or starter relay. Two questions:

1. Where is the starter relay fitted on these (around the battery box somewhere)?

2. For those folks that have seen this before, can an audible 'click' be heard when the starter relay is energised (difficult to hear on a running bike as the starter motor will immediately start spinning)?

Cheers, it's a little too heavy to keep bumping...
Steve

[GeoffE]

Hi Steve,

The starter relay can be seen between the battery box and below the tank mounting as soon as you take the seat off (and remove the battery cover top bit). It looks as though it is mounted on an extention to the tank rear mounting point, starboard side.

If it clicks, this is a sign that it is working okay.

One electrical problem I had with my Sprint was with the loom between the frame/fairing and everything on the handlebars. Sometimes this part of the harness can be fitted tight, and a common problem is for the flexing to break one (or more) of the wires internally. If you do not spot anything else, it may be worth checking the sub-harness circuits at the connection block between the sub & main harnesses (located in the side of the fairing, if I remember correctly). I think both of the black/red wires run forward to and from the handlebar starter switch (- or you could wiggle the centre of the loom, where it bends, and hope it connects?).

Good luck,
Geoff

[Steve Block]

Thanks Geoff,

Just checked and yes I've got an intermittent brake somewhere either in the cable or the connector block between the handlebar and the main loom. I've managed to fire-up the motor now (so at least I can get home).

I'll inspect this connector in more detail when I get home. Got to admit the metal tongues of the connector look a little 'light-weight' and look like they could easily bend out of shape leading to poor connectivity...

Cheers for this, I guess it goes hand-in-hand with running a 12 year bike!

[daytona 750]

yeah, the plug fell out of mine the other day, very loose fit indeed

[Steve Block]

Any of you boys ever managed to get the starter motor out without taking the carbs off?

My intermittent starting fault hasn't gone away, but I've reliably traced the fault to the starter, so my guess is the brushes are worn out or the commutator needs cleaning.

My question is, if you don't take the carbs off, how on earth can you get the other bolt that secures the metal coolent inlet pipe to the top of the cylinder head (which looks like it has to come off to get the starter out)?

Cheers
Steve

[matt.speedtriple]

If your starter solenoid is clicking when you hit the starter button then get a bit of the heaviest duty insulated wire you can and then arc the wire across the main poles on the solenoid.

If your starter motor turns then it`s the solenoid that`s at fault on your bike. With the ignition off then the starter will just turn the engine over but with the ignition turned on then your bike should start without needing to hit the starter button.

[Steve Block]

Thanks Matt,

I'll give it a try, I must admit the solenoid could still be faulty, even though it 'clicks'.

I've got other ignition probs at the mo, with the bike cutting out after it's been running for a while (se the Daytona thread, 750 lives again)...

Cheers
Steve

[matt.speedtriple]

Hi Steve,

If your bike is cutting out once it`s been running for awhile and will then restart once it`s cooled down then it`ll be your ignition pickup coil that`s going awol and causing an open circuit once it`s heated up. It`ll test out fine resistance wise when cold but once hot then everything expands and breaks the circuit.

Replace it and it`ll be the end of that problem for another 10,000 miles anyway. If you can then i`d suggest going for a PVL one from Sprint manufacturing as the wires are a lot thicker that the Gill ones.

Cheers, Matt

[Steve Block]

Boys,

I’m still getting intermittent starter problems, I’ve checked, cleaned and tightened all cable connectors that I can find in the circuit and also changed the starter solenoid to eliminate that.

The thing is I found two wires going into the clutch lever assy, I didn’t think that these bikes had a clutch starter inhibit, (i.e. if the clutch is not pulled in whilst pressing the starter button, the engine will not crank) ?

Can anyone confirm if they (on a 97 sprint or similar) have to pull in the clutch level to enable engine cranking (I've always held the clutch in during starting anyway, so I have no way of knowing if this a red-herring or not)?

If so, then I guess the defunct alarm or my wiring loom is really screwed up…