[S-28]

Yesterday I broke the seal on the barn and got the wifes bike and My beloved sophie out of winter storage.

Both batterys were placed on the charger for a final charge, as both had been stored inside in the basement all winter and subject to at least a monthly trickle charge.

The sealed battery on the wifes SV fired her bike up right off!

The Yuasa old school battery I'm stuck with in my 01 M900s took a longer charge but the bike was able to be bump started and ran fine.
I ran up the road about a mile and got some burbles and farts so I figured it was gas that had gone bad despite the fuel stabilizer added last September.

Fuel tank was emptied via a siphon tube and 2 Gal of fresh gas was added.

Battery was put back on the charger overnight.
This morning she fired right up and we took a 3 mile ride, lots of farting and weirdness.

Got home and parked the bikes.

Went to move Sophie about an hour ago and she just spins with no starting.

I ran the battery to the point of clicking the starter, intermittently trying to get her to fire.

I checked the fuel line for kinks, and let the bike sit for 30Min. before trying again in case of flooding.

Same thing. No fire.

My question is this.

Would charging the battery while connected to the hot and ground leads damage the ignition?

The battery sucking problems of last season might indicate something amiss but the local dealer looked over the bike and found nothing.

I am honestly at a loss.

This kicks my Butt HARD as I thought I had a handle on the critter!

Park the thing while it was running, and now It wont start!

The only thing between the two points is time!

Also, I do NOT trust the dealer.
Buncha goofy Honda Maggots that sell Ducati as a sideline.

I really wish a modern Maint. free battery was available AND I had a dealer I could trust, but then I want World peace as well......

Anybody go an idea?

If so it would be very much appreciated!

Thanks all!
S-28

 

[Herb]

Re: Spring woes, and possibly and old problem home

This sounds like the vent line on the fuel tank may have gotten pinched when working with the battery. Check to see that the vent line isn't pinched down around the hinge area. If it is, it'll be starved for fuel and run lean.

Oh, and the battery is junk, get a new one.

 

[S-28]

Re: Spring woes, and possibly and old problem home

Herb,

Will do. Be right back. Slippers and all I'm running to the garage.

This is KILLING ME!!!!!!

Been sitting here contemplating letting the Honda Maggots touch the old girl is a bit much!

The Battery was new last July. The previous battery lasted all of a season and never really was reliable.

If I let the bike sit for 5 days the dadgum battery would be flat.

The Honda maggots said that the electrics were fine so I have always suspectsed the battery but I am beginning to wonder.

My own fiddling with the voltmeter has shown nothing abnormal according to the shop manual.

Vent line....

Lemme go check!

Thanks!
S-28

 

[DTMsurf]

Re: Spring woes, and possibly and old problem home

I bought a sealed Odessy battery for my bike and it has been great. I also charge (trickle) my batteries while in the bike all the tiime, no problems.

 

[S-28]

Re: Spring woes, and possibly and old problem home

Herb,

The line at (There are 4 so I will use positions according to the face of a clock to describe them)
10oclock looks like it may be a bit reduced in thckness because of a bind, but with the tank down I can't get an eyeball on it to see if it is kinked.

Now I have another issue. the stupid battery is flat again!

I hooked up the trickle charger and will leave it on untill I hit the rack.

This battery thing is really starting to piss me off.
Have had the bike for 3 seasons and this will be the fourth, and I am now on the 4th battery, with the last three suffering quick loss(3-5 days!) between chargings if the bike isn't ridden.

Also, is there a cure for the vent line kink issue?

The stupid connection is facing the wrong way to avoid such a thing and unless a 2" longer length of line is attached I can't see this not being an issue.

Does anyone make a 180 degree adaptor?

The new Monster S4R is looking better all the time even if I am in love with Sophie!

(Gnashing sounds and screams of frustration in the background..)

Thanks for the ideas, and I'll keep on what I have untill I find it.

All the best!
S-28

 

[putz]

Re: Spring woes, and possibly and old problem home

If Sophie is vapor loking due to a kinked vent simply opening the gas cap will relieve the pressure for a short time. Open the cap and listen for a sucking sound (different than the suching sound of the engine cranking without firing :-[). If the bike runs for a short time a vent is clogged.

The battery issue is out of hand, thats way too many batteries for the lenght of time youve had the bike. Charge the battery then:
Disconnect the neg battery lead and switch your meter to the ten amp range and put one lead on the post and one on the neg batt cable (dont let the cable touch metal), with the ignition off is there a current draw? if so you have a short somewhere thats killing batteries.

 

[Skier]

Re: Spring woes, and possibly and old problem home

Buy a new battery, waste of time to play with the old.
It is dead and is not giving enough juice.

Get new spark plugs.

It should work.

You can also do these one at a time to really see was it a battery or sps or both.

Relax, that will be very easy job.

Skier