Starter relay?????

[rowdy7]

O7 RSV has been sitting for 17 days. Turned on key. Lights came on. Hit start button. Heard click and lights go out. That's all. Turned key off and back on. Nothing. No lights, nothing. Thinking ignition switch is bad since I have been reading a lot about that here. After about a minute I turned the key back on. Lights came on. Everything looked normal. Hit start button. Same thing. Heard click. Lights go out. Did this several times. Always had to wait about a minute before switch would work.

Checked battery and serviced cables and posts. Battery only 1 year old and has been on battery maintainer. Battery showed 12.98 volts. Checked fuses in left side fuse box. Checked battery + to frame. Full voltage. From all I have been able to glean from this extremely informative site I believe it is my starter relay or its connections. How do I get to it???

Or am I on the wrong track?? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Jim

[Sleeperhawk]

O7 RSV has been sitting for 17 days. Turned on key. Lights came on. Hit start button. Heard click and lights go out. That's all. Turned key off and back on. Nothing. No lights, nothing. Thinking ignition switch is bad since I have been reading a lot about that here. After about a minute I turned the key back on. Lights came on. Everything looked normal. Hit start button. Same thing. Heard click. Lights go out. Did this several times. Always had to wait about a minute before switch would work.

Checked battery and serviced cables and posts. Battery only 1 year old and has been on battery maintainer. Battery showed 12.98 volts. Checked fuses in left side fuse box. Checked battery + to frame. Full voltage. From all I have been able to glean from this extremely informative site I believe it is my starter relay or its connections. How do I get to it???

Or am I on the wrong track?? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Jim

 

Check the battery cables at the battery, especially the negative one. A certain someone called me yesterday, same issue. They thought the cables were tight, but the negative one was a little loose. So while you are doing this, might as well brush the terminals and cables.

[Freebird]

Also try taking the key in and out a couple of times and then turning it off and on a few times. They usually go through a stage where they have to be in just the right position before it will work instead of just going bad all at once.

[rowdy7]

Don,

Sounds like you think it is the ignition switch. I thought so at first. Then sorta changed my mind when I kept getting the clicking at the starter relay. One of the first things I did was wire brush the battery terminals and cables and tighten them with a wrench instead of the screwdriver. I was getting good voltage reading before and after from the positive terminal to the MC frame.

I found the starter relay and removed it. (What a pain) Now rigging up to test it per the service manual. If it checks OK will reinstall it and remove the gas tank and check the ignition switch. It seems like now I should have done that first:detective:

 

Thanks for the reply. Headin out. More later.

[rowdy7]

Starter relay checked good. Cables were very tight and so was the connector. Now I guess pull the tank and check the infamous switch. (I do have passing lights and no relay I am sure) That will be rectifiered:)

[flb_78]

I'd first put a volt meter on the battery when you try to crank and see how much the voltage drops.

 

If that shows ok, hold the starter button down and turn the ignition key SLOWLY. You may find the magic spot so that it will start if it is the ignition switch.

[DanC]

Check the battery cables at the battery, especially the negative one. A certain someone called me yesterday, same issue. They thought the cables were tight, but the negative one was a little loose. So while you are doing this, might as well brush the terminals and cables.

that is clearly a "Battery Problem" I am almost certain. Start with the battery and have it tested. Then check all connections for good contact. I really feel that its the battery. Charge it and try again. I would have it tested for load just to be sure that the battery will not let you down in the near future. Load test it. DanC

[Guest]

Sounds like the battery may have dropped a plate. Have it load tested to rule it out. Sounds like my previous batteries and the signs they have exhibited. Another culprit could be the plug going into the reg/rectifier. Sometimes these short out especially the red wire on one of the ends. Pull the plug and see if it shows any burn markings. Since yours is an 07 you will be under warranty.

[kj5ix]

I'd first put a volt meter on the battery when you try to crank and see how much the voltage drops.

 

If that shows ok, hold the starter button down and turn the ignition key SLOWLY. You may find the magic spot so that it will start if it is the ignition switch.

 

 

 

that is clearly a "Battery Problem" I am almost certain. Start with the battery and have it tested. Then check all connections for good contact. I really feel that its the battery. Charge it and try again. I would have it tested for load just to be sure that the battery will not let you down in the near future. Load test it. DanC

 

Sounds like surface charge on the battery to me too. Load test it.

[rowdy7]

Well, I just pulled the tank and checked the switch. Igniition switch was good. While I was scratching my head I checked the battery with the key off and had 13.1 volts. Decided to check it with the key on and HAD ONLY .4 VOLT.

Then I come inside to post latest findings and find that several of y'all had already figured it out. Man, y'all are good.

The battery came from Wally World and has always been on a Schumacher maintener since it was new less than a year ago. I guess I will see what Wally says tomorrow.

 

Thanks for all the replies and safe traveling.

 

Jim

[Guest]

http://www.bohannonbattery.com/html/deka.html

 

Forget a Wally world battery. Get a deka ext20l at the above link and toss your battery worries away. Free shipping too.

[midnightventure]

Well, I just pulled the tank and checked the switch. Igniition switch was good. While I was scratching my head I checked the battery with the key off and had 13.1 volts. Decided to check it with the key on and HAD ONLY .4 VOLT.

Then I come inside to post latest findings and find that several of y'all had already figured it out. Man, y'all are good.

The battery came from Wally World and has always been on a Schumacher maintener since it was new less than a year ago. I guess I will see what Wally says tomorrow.

 

Thanks for all the replies and safe traveling.

 

Jim

 

I don't understand why your 2007 is going into it's third battery already. I am still using my second battery on a 2002.

[rowdy7]

I don't understand why your 2007 is going into it's third battery already. I am still using my second battery on a 2002.

 

 

Good question. I figured the PO and me just let the first one sit too long without running. Maybe 4-5 months. The second one is Wally World. What can I say?? Obviously a bad choice. I thought I was doing good running a maintainer on it.

[Condor]

Good question. I figured the PO and me just let the first one sit too long without running. Maybe 4-5 months. The second one is Wally World. What can I say?? Obviously a bad choice. I thought I was doing good running a maintainer on it.

 

Just for the heck of it check the maintainer. It may not be maintaining....

[Yammer Dan]

I think Earl sells the Decka AGM battery. Well worth it. Lasts at least 3 times what Wally Worlds do at about twice the price. Now I ain't no Rocket guy but this sounds pretty good. We could ask ECK!!!!

[bongobobny]

Yah! I agree!! Wally world battery is not worth the powder to blow it to kingdom come! Buy a DEKA from Skydoc17! He gives a good price shipped and you will get it in a short time!!!

[rowdy7]

Yah! I agree!! Wally world battery is not worth the powder to blow it to kingdom come! Buy a DEKA from Skydoc17! He gives a good price shipped and you will get it in a short time!!!

 

 

Maybe next time. I took it back to Wally world and they put it on their little "battery checker thingy" and it said the battery was OK. I told her to warranty it out and they gave me a new battery for free (mine was less than a year old). So the price was right and the new battery works fine.

 

Condor: The battery maintainer seems to be working fine.

 

Thanks for all the replies.

 

Jim