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New battery but barely cranks

jademe

New member
2003 R1150RT.

New Ballistic 12 cell battery installed prior winter storage, battery tender jr. all winter. Dealer installed battery with service (68K miles) and ran fine prior storage.

Turn key and head light is bright and all dash lights up....radio security code broken and radio reset to 00:00 indicating loss of connection. Reset clock yesterday and 00:00 again today

Engine barely turns over. Finally started yesterday. Voltage at power outlet 12.7. No start today.

I'm stuck..?

Thanks. Jim
 
2003 R1150RT.

New Ballistic 12 cell battery installed prior winter storage, battery tender jr. all winter. Dealer installed battery with service (68K miles) and ran fine prior storage.

Turn key and head light is bright and all dash lights up....radio security code broken and radio reset to 00:00 indicating loss of connection. Reset clock yesterday and 00:00 again today

Engine barely turns over. Finally started yesterday. Voltage at power outlet 12.7. No start today.

I'm stuck..?

Thanks. Jim

Visit their web site as it discusses the terms of the 3-year warranty.

I'm not sure what's going on with that company. One page says Made in USA however when you get to a deeper page within that contains far more detailed information it clearly states "designed, developed, assembled in the USA." To me that means manufactured in China but they're afraid to say it. I only bring this up because I think they are presenting deceiving information. But... I could be wrong.

I hope your warranty works out for you.
 
Assuming it's the original starter, has it been tested? Magnets coming loose inside the starter as well as the shaft bushing being worn are not uncommon problems.
 
Starter worked fine when you put it away but now doesn't want to work? Battery is hooped.

Take it out and have it tested to confirm.
 
Thanks for replies. Voltage drops to 4v with starter which causes clock to 00:00.
Sitting alone battery read 12.7v
Guessing new battery is bad. Will replace and hope that solves things
 
Voltage drops to 4v with starter which causes clock to 00:00. Sitting alone battery read 12.7v.

You have a stalled starter, a bad connection at the starter or a dud battery. A simple load test of the battery will confirm. A 100A load tester can be had for about $20 at Harbor Freight.
 
Assuming it's the original starter, has it been tested? Magnets coming loose inside the starter as well as the shaft bushing being worn are not uncommon problems.
+1. Since the headlight is bright, I'm thinking that it is not the battery, although it could be. I had the same symptoms after I replaced my battery with a PC680. It got to the point where sometimes it would start almost normally and other times the battery would be flat dead. One day it was working, the next day it wasn't.

It turned out to be a simple repair of the starter.

The steel cover over the planetary gears, inside the starter, often "falls" onto the armature. When it does, it shorts the armature to the case causing symptoms much like you describe. Mine had arced to the point of burning holes through the steel.

Once repaired, the starter operated like new and has since. So I would look at that cover and the magnets.

RB
 
Thanks again for the ideas. I'll check on the starter
Talked with dealer/service today......another situation just like mine came in this week which leans pretty strong on bad batch of batteries.
 
Jademe,

Check for voltage drop on the positive post to starter stud - Positive meter lead to battery positive post - COM meter lead to stud on starter, crank engine. You should have no more than about .2 volts on the meter display,more than .2 V, clean connections, maybe faulty cable.

Do the same on the ground side - Positive lead on case of starter, COM lead to battery negative post, crank engine, here no more than .2 V

If readings are in spec, do you have a way to measure starter current draw?

Kyle
 
Had a similar problem with my 2004 1150RT last year. Bike had been cranking fine, but then would not crank at all 2 hours later. Battery tested okay with two different type battery testers. Traced problem to a TINY (almost not noticeable) bit of corrosion on the positive battery cable terminal at the starter relay. All connections were found to be tight. Cleaned terminal, cranked right up, and no problems at all since then. From your testing, sounds like it might also be a faulty connection at one end or the other of your negative/ground cable.
 
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