750 No Crank No Fire

I left Lil'Red sit for a while. Now it won't crank again. Seems someone helped me with this once when I was cranking it by shorting at solenoid with screwdriver. Can't remember what we did. If I short it out and crank it now I can hold plug in my hand. No Fire.

NEED TO BUILD GARAGE!! Where should I start so it will start??

If it is not firing while cranking from the screwdriver trick, then it is not getting power to the coil (or bad coil). Since it doesn't crank from the button, it is unlikely the coil is bad. The simple answer would be key or fuse.

Goose

Took start button and kill switch apart and cleaned. It only takes about 1/2 hr to find that little spring if it gets away from you!!! When you hit start button it is pulling lights down so I think button is working??Still won't crank or fire. New battery fully charged. Key??

You mean ignition switch?

Of course it ran fine when shut down about Nov.

i hate to ask, but did you properly charge the battery? if it's drawing that much that the lights dim significantly, it seems like the battery is reading proper voltage, but doesn't actually have a good charge.

failing that, is the starter moving at all? if not, i'd take a look at it, it could be seized.

try tapping the motor with a small hammer.

of course, check all your connectors and fuses, and then probably clean them anyhow.

might not hurt to bust out your voltage meter and start checking the voltage at the coils, starter solinoid, ignition, etc.

Took start button and kill switch apart and cleaned. It only takes about 1/2 hr to find that little spring if it gets away from you!!! When you hit start button it is pulling lights down so I think button is working??Still won't crank or fire. New battery fully charged. Key??

You mean ignition switch?

Of course it ran fine when shut down about Nov.

I thought in your first post you said you could short the starter contacts and get it to crank, which would say your battery is OK. But now you say it dims the lights when you hit the start button, indicating the electrical circuits are fine and your starter is trying to draw more power than your battery can provide????? Can't help much without a more clear understanding of what is actually happening. Clearly the ignition switch and fuses are OK if the lights come on and then dim when you hit the start button.

Goose

Cranking fine when I short it out on solenoid. But no fire. Won't crank with button even after taking apart switch and cleaning. Soleniod maybe?? But that wouldn't stop it from firing?? Battey was charged right. Slow charge overnight. Battery charger claims full charge.

Was the Key on when you used the screw driver

Key On. Hit button and it will dim lights but won't crank. Short out on solenoid and it cranks fine but no fire. I can hold plug in my hand. I cleaned Kill switch and starter button. No change. Battery is fully charged.

Dan,

What kind of bike is it?? If it's a Yammie, does it have a sidestand switch? Check for a loose or oxidized fuse.

Frank

Seems like the classic poor ground connection from the battery, neg passes voltage but not much amperage. Might help knowing 750 what. If it is a Virago then they are well known for gobbing up the ground connection at the engine. Lots of people recommend putting a second ground from the battery to the frame. Leaving any bike for 5-6 months outside is bound to get corroded connections.

1982 XJ 750 Maxium Yamaha

Hi Dan

You have the same ride as I do. 82 maxium 750.

When I rebuilt mine this past winter I noticed that I had a bad connection in the fuse box under the seat. It would not turn over. Cleaned the contacts and repaired the one fuse holder and it works fine now.

If thats where it is its an easy fix.

Steve

Sounds like a good reason to take a ride this weekend. You got coffee? Is Warden in a good mood? etc.

Ugly is running. Need to check out clutch. Got warden almost agreeing to Vogel.

I'm taking 89 down to the camp this weekend to clean it up. Going to cut some grass then take a ride somewhere. Might have to load it on trailer to get it there rain coming.

I got house full of grandkids. Hard to get Bike time. So far I've cleaned Kill Switch and Starter Button. Pulled Starter and cleaned. Changed out battery and charged overnight at slow charge. Pulled Plugs and cleaned. When you hit the starter button it is pulling lights downbut nothing from Starter or Solenoid. Bad Solenoid? If I short it out across Soleniod terminals it cranks but I can hold plug in my hand and No Fire.

Fuses all look good. Clean anyway?And start cleaning connections?? I'm thinkiong two problems here at once. One with starting system and one with Ignition??Got to take Grandkids out to see animals this morning at Game Farm. Will get back to it this afternoon. Will pull fuses and clean first. Second???

You might check the Connector between Handle Bar Switch and Main Harness. Maybe there are some Posts corroded and not giving Voltage out to the Igniter.

Can you check Battery Voltage across the Battery Post while short cutting at the Solenoid ? Might be, the Battery (even when new) is dead and the Voltages drops a LOT, Lights go dim and the Igniter wouldn't even start to work ?

Battery is reading 14.9 this morning. (not while cranking) Charged it overnight. Will leave sit until I get back and check it before I start on it to see if it drops any. But I don't "feel" this is a battery thing.

Also to confirm the battery, jump it from a known good battery (like a running Saab or something).

RR

When you cranked it with the screw driver was the key over on run??? Just a thought...

Also to confirm the battery, jump it from a known good battery (like a running Saab or something).

 

RR

i thought never use a running vehicle because it could push too much amps at the battery in the bike?

I would check the sidestand and clutch switches and the solenoid connections. I would also add a ground wire and check all the connectors from fuse box. Good luck Rod

Dan,

Your best clue is that the lights go dim when you try to crank it with the starter button. Take a voltmeter OR a test light and put it across the battery (right on the terminals). Try the bike and read the meter at the same time. If it goes way down (below 10 volts) you have a bad battery. If it doesn't go down, put the negative lead on the bike frame. Try it and read the voltage. If it goes down now, check your ground connections, especially the side that attaches to the motor. If it read OK, move the positive lead to the battery side of the starter solenoid. Push the starter button and see what happens. If it goes low when you try to crank, check the positive battery and solenoid connections. If you still haven't found anything, we'll keep on looking.

Frank

Some good ones to check here. Had to spend day chasing grandkids. will get back to it in the morning

Some good ones to check here. Had to spend day chasing grandkids. will get back to it in the morning

Are you taking the 750 to Vogel this year?