[LouDogg]

Hey Guys + Gals

I am in desperate need of your expertise here...
I recently acquired [just this evening] a 97 M900 at a pretty good deal [until I got her home that is].

Test Ride: Everything's working fine, starts right up, rides as she should

Get Home: Unload her from the trailer and go to start her up and pull her into her new home...

WON'T START

the only thing I get is this whirring / humming sound when I hit the starter button...no clicking / bumping sounds of the bike trying to turn over...just the first sound described [almost like a pencil sharpener or very weak blender...sorry I'm trying to describe to the best of my abilities]

Does anyone know what this sound is??
And what could be the culprit keeping her from starting??

I have read over many of the other posts regarding starter[-ing] issues and will try some of those remedies in the morning, but none really covered the sound that I seem to be encountering and wanted to get your inputs.

I just hope it's a fairly simple issue [since it sounds like removing the starter is a royal pain in the arse], b/c even though I got a good deal on the bike...I don't want to have to shell out a ton of money to get her going [especially since I've only owned her for about an hour and I'm already incurring my first maintenance costs ]

 

[KaliDuke1]

I had starting issue days after getting my 99 M900.
It needed a new battery and plugs, which is not uncommon when buying an older bike.

 

[ducpainter]

I'd try a known good battery first, but it sounds like the starter sprague is not engaging. It is under the left side cover behind/part of the flywheel.

 

[Norm]

Plus 1 on ducpainter's advice.

 

[LouDogg]

I'd try a known good battery first, but it sounds like the starter sprague is not engaging. It is under the left side cover behind/part of the flywheel.

If it is the sprague, that's going to require a whole new starter unit, correct??

Is removing the starter as big a pain as everyone makes it out to be [b/c of removing the left side cover, etc]??

 

[Mark1305]

So much collective wisdom on here has been forgotten again.....

Before looking at the serious stuff, including a new battery. Check the cabling from the battery to the starter relay and from the relay to the starter motor. Don't just check it by touching it or wiggling it. Disconnect it at each place, inspect the lugs, scuff them shiny bright with a wire brush or piece of emery cloth, and reconnect. Start at the bottom and work up from the connector on the starter motor, because not only is it the easiest, but the 90s models were notorious for getting water in the little rubber boot (which is upside down and thus becomes a water cup rather than a water shield). That constant water usually corrodes the nut and the lug to various degrees. On my 95 M900 the nut was down to only threads which I was able to literally unwrap like a piece of foil.

This used to be one of the first bits of advice when I first got on this forum because it was happening to so many people. Either the newer bikes aren't plagued with it, or it hasn't been long enough for a new wave of incidents to crop up.

In connection with the corrosion issue, most folks were in agreement that the 10mm2 cable used on the 90s models was at the very low end of the cross section area desired for a 12V DC circuit of this nature. The cure is replace battery cables (pos and neg) with 6AWG cable (which is 13mm2 ) and new lugs. I got lucky because I was doing electrical fab in a boat factory at the time and the job was a snap for me.

But the corroded connector hunt is the most important place to start. It can be an intermittent problem - starts one day, won't start the next. Also check the ground cable connectors from the battery to the frame and another short ground from the right upper rear of the crankcase to the backside of one of the rearset mounting bolts. It gets left loose lots of times because peolpe forget to put it and its nut back on when remounting the rearset brackets. That connection wasn't a show stopper on the Monster, but on my 900 SS track mule it wouldn't even try to turn over without it connected.

Only after checking all the connectors, move on to the battery as the suspect. If you get those ruled out, then you can start worrying about the sprague clutch and other stuff. I'm not including the starting relay in my trouble shooting flow xhart, because it usually just clicks and you don't get any whirring or other noises, or it doesn't click at all (I've had them fail in both manners).

 

[opwierde]

If it is the sprague, that's going to require a whole new starter unit, correct??

Is removing the starter as big a pain as everyone makes it out to be [b/c of removing the left side cover, etc]??

+2 on norms +1

The sprague can be removed after removing the left engine cover and the flywheel. The sprague and flywheel are bolted together. The starter engine doesn't need to be replaced or even removed. If you lay the bike on its right side (at about 45 degrees) you can even leave the oil in.

 

[greenmonster]

Is removing the starter as big a pain as everyone makes it out to be [b/c of removing the left side cover, etc]??

There is a shortcut if you want to change/check brushes, battery connection etc.. Remove oil lines + the screws they`re attached to on right engine cover. Remove starter cap o cover.
To remove it completely, engine cover must be removed.

But first, follow Mark`s advice, then check battery, then other parts.
The sprag spring can often be adjusted. Starter brushes are cheap.
So hopefully there is no need for replacing expensive parts.
There is a very good spragfix page on the MAD site:
http://www.mad-ducati.com