Wont start

[Radiocure]

I had a chance to search your site, but I couldn't find anything that fit the situation. So, I hope this doesn't annoy anyone.

During the past few weeks, I have been using my car. The bike was covered in the backyard. I got it out yesterday to start it up. (I made sure to charge the battery for a while before hand.) I also set it to 'prime' for a minute to make sure there was gas in the carbs, then set it back to 'on'. I tried starting it, and it made a few tries. But then it stopped.

Now all it does is make loud clicks when I try to start it. I thought that this might be the battery. So i charged it again. But it still doesn't want to do anything but make clicking noises. Since I'm a noob, I feel pretty helpless.

Plus, I feel really guilty for leaving it outside for so long without running it.
I was just distracted.

Any advice? Thanks a lot.

_Carl Stanley, Hayward, Ca.

[Radiocure]

anyone out there?

[John Bates]

My guess is that the battery didn't get enough charge.  Let it charge overnight and try again.

[Kerry]

It definitely sounds like a lack of electrical "oomph".

Once you get the engine to turn over, let us know if you have other problems with starting or running.

[Radiocure]

alrighty, thanks a lot. I'll give it a try

[scratch]

Check to make sure the battery has fluid, too.

[coll0412]

If throwing it on the charger doesn't work you can always push start it...

Since you are a noob....

I mean to do this what you want to do is first is put the bike in 3rd gear, find a desent slope, or a friend to push you. What you need to do is get the bike moving at a descent clip(pull your clutch in), make sure your ingnition is on, kill engine button is on the run postion, and a good speed drop the clutch and she hopefully fire up the first time

[TheGoodGuy]

you may have volts, but not enough amps...

do one thing check your fluid and top it off, give it a good charge.. if that doesnt work, jump it from you car (but it should not be running). Your car battery has more than enough oomph to kick the GS starter.

[dgyver]

Check for any corrosion on the battery cables and connections.

[Radiocure]

there was a lot of corrosion on the battery cables. In fact, one of the screws looks like its stuck together with the nut. And theres some rust on the black cable connection.

[dgyver]

All of that corrosion needs to be cleaned off. That is what is limiting the current flow. After cleaning, apply some terminal grease to keep it from happening again.

[Radiocure]

what should I clean it with?

[Radiocure]

oh. and if there are some scratches on the connectors, would that affect current too?

[dgyver]

Scratches won't make any difference. Use a wire brush, steel wool or somethng similar. Baking soda in water solution will react with any battery acid build-up, usually on the positive terminal and has a white granular texture. Wear safety glasses and gloves when cleaning. Nasty stuff. Kerry has a pic somewhere.

[Kerry]

Kerry has a pic somewhere.

I'm not sure which picture you're referring to.

There's this one, of water & baking soda that was applied to the negative terminal while the battery was in the bike (dumb!  dumb!) and dripped down onto a connector.  (This is the connector that went bad and had me running on one cylinder for a while. :x) ...




... or this one, of the same battery after I had retired it and left it sitting for a couple of years.  (The stuff on the terminals "grew" there afterwards - the terminals were fairly clean when I pulled the battery.)

[dgyver]

That may be the pic I was thinking of.

My bad...it is the negative terminal the gets most of the corrosion, not the positive.