1974 R90/6 Electrical problems

[mojord]

After a year of rest, I went to start my '74 r90 and it turned over nicely for about 10 secs.. then stalled .. hit the starter again and a little sound (like a short) and then nothing.. battery is fully charged. Nothing!
~ Dim headlight and indictor lights when I turn the key on..
Thanks!

[Airbear]

Hullo Mojord, and welcome to the forum.
I'd be checking the battery terminals first, making sure they are clean and tight. Then I would check the two fuses in the headlight bucket - sometimes they need a quick twist to remake their connection. Somebody with real expertise with electrons will probably chime in soon with some useful test procedures.

[Ken in Oklahoma]

After a year of rest, I went to start my '74 r90 and it turned over nicely for about 10 secs.. then stalled .. hit the starter again and a little sound (like a short) and then nothing.. battery is fully charged. Nothing!
~ Dim headlight and indictor lights when I turn the key on..
Thanks!

Hello mojord. Let me second Airbear's welcoming you to the forum.

Like Airbear my first thoughts would be to look at and clean up all four battery connections. Fortunately 3 of them are easy to get at, the fourth being the positive cable's connection to the starter solenoid under the top engine cover. The cable itself can be bad, usually from corrosion hidden under the cable jacket at the ends of the cables. You might need to do some probing.

Aside: You know to go easy on the bolt which connects the negative battery cable to the transmission don't you? Due to insufficient aluminum those threads are relatively easily stripped.

I'm confused by your statement, "hit the starter again and a little sound (like a short) and then nothing". A short doesn't have a characteristic sound unless it would be an arcing sound from a marginal high current connection (like a battery cable). Or something going up in smoke!

Do you mean instead that when you hit the starter button you heard the familiar clunk of the solenoid moving the starter gear into the flywheel--then nothing? If so that too would point to a bad battery connection (or bad high current contacts within the solenoid).

That the battery is "fully charged" doesn't make give me a warm fuzzy feeling that the battery is OK. A battery can read 12+ volts and still not deliver the high current needed by the starter. Unless you know for dead sure that your battery can deliver a high current it is suspect. If in doubt a battery store can do a load test on the battery to ensure that it is up to snuff. You can also use jump cables to a car battery to substitute for your bike's battery. The greater current delivery capacity of the larger battery won't hurt your starter or electrical system. The starter will only take the current from the battery that it "needs".

The dim headlight and panel lights are definitely a clue. They are telling you that for some reason they aren't getting the voltage or current at that point to light them up properly. That symptom can come from a bad battery connection. But it can also be a corroded connection elsewhere in your wiring harness, or a battery that isn't up to the task.


Ken

[Chuey]

Judging by the pictures he posted, he knows more about where the electricity comes from and goes that I did when I first got my bike.

Chuey

[mojord]

@KEN

"Do you mean instead that when you hit the starter button you heard the familiar clunk of the solenoid moving the starter gear into the flywheel--then nothing? If so that too would point to a bad battery connection (or bad high current contacts within the solenoid).

That the battery is "fully charged" doesn't make give me a warm fuzzy feeling that the battery is OK. A battery can read 12+ volts and still not deliver the high current needed by the starter."

Well, you were right! ... a battery that reads 12.8 v and the battery tender says. "Its charged and ready to go" ... does not mean it's a good battery ... full power when connected to my car battery!

Thanks!

[Airbear]

Ah, good to hear that your problem is so easily fixed, albeit with the input of some probably hard-earned dollars. Thanks for reporting back - your results add to the knowledge base. Happy riding.

[Deleted User 72]

Ah, good to hear that your problem is so easily fixed, albeit with the input of some probably hard-earned dollars. Thanks for reporting back - your results add to the knowledge base. Happy riding.

You have been missed. I don't know what we did to make you stay away so long, but I'm sorry for it.

[Major Softie]

Judging by the pictures he posted, he knows more about where the electricity comes from and goes that I did when I first got my bike.

Chuey

I believe I may have said this before, but...

Thank god bicycles have almost no electrics.

[Airbear]

You have been missed. I don't know what we did to make you stay away so long, but I'm sorry for it.

Hullo Native, ol' chap. Thanks for the kind thoughts. I've been busy with studies - first year at university. (Does that make me a 'freshperson'? It's not a term we use here). I look in daily to see what's going on - still addicted to the place but don't often have the time to contribute.