Start issue

[Venturous Randy]

I have encountered a starting issue that has caused me to have to roll the bike off twice to get it started. It is like I am not getting enough voltage to the coil/TCI. The starter cranks over fine as I have a good DEKA battery and 4 gauge wires.

I just checked the voltage on the red wire going into the TCI and only got about 9 volts while cranking with the bike cold. I suspect I am getting less than that during hot starting as with 9 volts, the bike started fine. I am tempted to run a wire through a button switch from the battery to the red wire connection on the TCI and when I encounter this again, see what it would do during starting to bypass all the connections.

I suspect I may have a weak connection somewhere and thought I would ask for suggestions.

RandyA

[Marcarl]

If you still have the old fuse box, then I would start by replacing that. It will give you more issues as time goes by, like rather soon like.

If you have replaced the fuse box, you might have a loose connection, connector, so check those as well.

[bongobobny]

Next thing I would look at is switch contacts on the starter switch...

[Yammer Dan]

Red wire getting hot? Just a thought. Would prove bad connection somewhere. Carl has good ideas. Clean and Di-electric grease everything you can. I replaced the old fuse panel on the "Blue Beast" a long time ago with single fuses. Can't remember exactly why but I'm thinking it was just cranking a lot before it would start and I ran a jumper across fuse box and it started better??

[dingy]

Check the Kill switch. Power for TCI runs through the contacts in this switch.

Gary

[frankd]

Randy,

 

I just noticed that you have an 83, and a bell went off. Every time I had a very weak battery OR old spark plugs, my 83 would be a bear to start especially if it was cold (40 degrees or colder)....it'd crank but no fire. However, it'd bump start easily. My brother has been riding this bike lately, and he doesn't ride it a lot, so he had a lot of trouble with this. He'd charge up the battery a little bit, and it'd start right up. I did quite a bit of work on it last spring, and I removed the TCI and opened it up to check the diodes....everything inside looked perfect, so I decided to just put it back together and reinstalled the TCI. He'd put a new DEKA battery in the year before, and I also installed new spark plugs. He took the bike back home and about a week later he called me up and told me the bike now started instantly...no more problems. I know the new plugs helped, but it was more than that. Maybe the TCI connectors benefited by being removed and re-installed.

 

I do know that my 89 is way different. I knew that the day I brought it home. It was in the upper 20's outside, and I trailered it home. We unloaded it, turned the key on, and it started instantly. No way would the 83 start that willingly at that temperature. Even with high mileage plugs, and an almost dead battery, it fires right up. Besides the way the boost sensor is connected, there is a another difference in the TCI, because the only Ventures that have the weak spark problem at lower voltage are the 83s. I checked the spark strength on the 83 with it running before I pulled the TCI and it was strong. But that was at higher battery voltage.

 

Put brand new plugs in and gap them a little tight and your bike will start better. Maybe you could excercise the TCI connectors also. Take an ohm meter and measure from the plug connectors to ground and make sure you don't have an open plug wire (they should measure less than 20Kohm to ground). I can't say that will help for sure, but my brother says it's night and day difference now. Or you could install a later TCI and change the way your boost sensor is plumbed, OR buy and install the new style ignition module from Dingy. Then your problems will be solved.

[dingy]

I have encountered a starting issue that has caused me to have to roll the bike off twice to get it started. It is like I am not getting enough voltage to the coil/TCI. The starter cranks over fine as I have a good DEKA battery and 4 gauge wires.

I just checked the voltage on the red wire going into the TCI and only got about 9 volts while cranking with the bike cold. I suspect I am getting less than that during hot starting as with 9 volts, the bike started fine. I am tempted to run a wire through a button switch from the battery to the red wire connection on the TCI and when I encounter this again, see what it would do during starting to bypass all the connections.

I suspect I may have a weak connection somewhere and thought I would ask for suggestions.

RandyA

 

What is voltage at battery terminals when cranking?

Gary

[timgray]

I had the same problem until I replaced the fuse box. the old round fuse holder fell apart in my hand when I removed and reinserted the fuses. The Brass holdesr in there are incredibly brittle.

[Venturous Randy]

What is voltage at battery terminals when cranking?

 

Gary

 

 

I think is was at least 12 volts. Once I started it and then started checking the volts on restart, it was starting so quick, I was not getting much of a reading. The battery was reading over 13 volts. Once it warms up a little, I am going to do some more voltage and resistance readings.

I replaced the fuse box about seventeen years ago. It is my hope to get the updated TCI from Dingy at some point.

I know I need to change the sparkplugs and have a set that I started changing while at Asheville this last summer. I changed the right front one and when I went to the right rear one, it barely moved and was way too tight. I decided to just leave it and try later when back home.

I appreciate all the suggestions.

RandyA

[GeorgeS]

Open the Main Fuse Holder, remove fuse element, clean it, and re-install, the two small screws that hold the element in place might be loose.

 

Open up the right handlbar, and check the KILL Switch !!! If your voltage is low, you may find this Switch, dirty, and has turned into a RESISTOR, which is lowering the Voltage.

 

You might have High Resistance, dirty Contacts across the Main Ignition Switch, On/Off Contacts. ( you might have to dissassenble and repair the Ignition Switch, or replace it )

 

--- Check the Ignition Fuse, Fuse Holder, !!! Actually the first place to look !!

 

After all of this, It is still possible that there is something else, in some other Circuit, Drawing down the voltage, and basicly it could be almost anything.

But the Above Items, are Common Trouble Spots. !!!

 

Talk to " AtlantaDragonSlayer" , about the " Kill Switch Thing " He know all about it from first hand experience !!!

 

Everybody knows about the bad Ignition Fuse, problem !!!