occasional hard starting on '04 RSV

[HalLootsinator]

My '04 Midnight RSV occasionally turns over slow while starting but eventually starts. Most of the time it starts fine. The battery is 6 months old. The only accessories drawing on the battery are the radio and passing lights. This started a few months ago and I thought a new battery would fix the problem but it didn't. Answers are of a more urgent nature now because last night, after being parked 15 minutes, it wouldn' start and the battery appeared to be almost totally dead. After waiting a half hour for AAA I thought I would try it and it spun over fine and started. Battery is 12.4V engine off and 13.2V at idle......then just need 14V at 2500 rpms. I live in the Tampa Bay, Florida area so cold isn't a problem. Does anyone have an idea as to what can be causing this occasional difficult starting?

[eusa1]

take the battery connections off and wire brush SHINE the post and the wire connections and add some dielectric grease when done.

often folks will add a new battery to a vehicle and assume the new clean connection is fine.....wrong... the post will have a coating of grey substance to keep it from corroding on the shelf before purchase.

hope this helps.

Mike:cool10:

[MikeWa]

It sounds like you may be developing a starter problem. Turns slow when hot.

 

Mike

[Yammer Dan]

take the battery connections off and wire brush SHINE the post and the wire connections and add some dielectric grease when done.

often folks will add a new battery to a vehicle and assume the new clean connection is fine.....wrong... the post will have a coating of grey substance to keep it from corroding on the shelf before purchase.

hope this helps.

Mike:cool10:

 

 

Make sure you get ALL connections.

[HalLootsinator]

My auto parts store used a computer to check the system on the bike. Says battery is strong but charging system has an "open diode" per the computer. He said to check the stator. Does this make sense?

[eusa1]

guess that depends on if you tried the other suggestions first?

[eusa1]

I have seen poor stator connections cause this also:detective:

[HalLootsinator]

The problem turned out to be the stator. Two new rectifier/regulators did not help so I checked the three stator wires at the connector under the battery and a continuity & ground check with my meter showed the stator wires were grounded. I installed a Rick's high output stator from their New Hampshire plant (they actually make the ones there for the RSV). It now puts out over 13.2V at idle and goes over 14V at only 2000 rpm. The bike starts quicker and runs better. It took a while to replace it but wasn't difficult.