Home › Forums › Parts & Technical Info › My Widow eats batteries for breakfast!!!
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July 1, 2011 at 11:21 am #2608
Havent visited the site in a while but thought i would run my problem by the members to see if anyone else is having the same problem I am. My 2004 Widow needs a new battery every year.Ibought a new battery in Aug of 2010 it is an exide the sealed type and as i was told it was told that it put out more juice than your average battery. I rode the bike maybe ten times last year and then put the bike away for the winter. I pulled the battery out of the bike and put it on a trickle charger. Went to get the bike ready this year and once again the battery just wont do the trick.
The real problem is that i put my jump box on it and still it just cranks sloww then the starter clicks.Finally i hooked up jumper cables from my truck to the bike and it is doing the same thing just turning over slow then clicking. I sent my starter out to Spyke and had it rebuilt by them at the end of the 2009 season and have only taken the bike out maybe 20 times since then. Couldn this rebuilt starter have only last 20 starts or is it once again the battery. Any help would be great.loop-single-reply.phpJuly 3, 2011 at 1:49 am #2609My first question would be is your charging system and regulator working properly? It sounds like you may be running on battery w/o charging. One thing to remember is your charging system doesn’t really charge under 2000 RPM. So when you ride get it up into the rev’s. Second I keep a trickle charger on my bike 24/7 when its not being ridden. Its doubtful its the starters problem but that may be a symptom of a faulty charging system. Time to take it to a mechanic and have them test the charging system.
loop-single-reply.phpJuly 6, 2011 at 10:34 am #2613thanks for the reply and as soon as i could get it to start i will check to see if the charging system is working. Like i said i even tried to jump it with my car and no luck. I may have to have someone give a push so i could pop it into gear and hopefully it will start.
loop-single-reply.phpJuly 15, 2011 at 10:09 am #2614Me: 2005 Banshee
Long story I’ll try to make short
My problem sounds same as you (Booster cables and still no start)
I bought the strongest Interstate battery that would fit
Trickle charger 100% of the time when parked
Starter to Spyke TWICE
Finally I was riding in Daytona and it died at a red light would not start (Omit Long part of story)
I own a company and several vehicles described all that was done to my mechanic his first question: Have you checked the starter relay???
I when into the very small wiring box found starter relay and it fell apart in my hand rotted to shit. $9.83 at parts store 1.5 hours trying to get everything back in that box, and my bike cranks stronger than ever since I have it. Now only put it on Trickle charger if going to set month or more I still can remember the difference. Before new relay I would nail the starter switch and engine would barely roll over, now bam every time. SO I would suggest invest in a new starter relay and go from there. One other thing the reason my original one rotted was because it was in the bottom of the box and when washed or in rain (very seldom) water will stand in bottom of wiring box. I drilled a small hole in bottom and when repacking the box put the relays in the middle not in the bottomloop-single-reply.phpJuly 15, 2011 at 1:28 pm #2615Great addition! How easily we forget. The relays can fry especially the ones in the key switch box behind the motor (how hot does it get there?) Duh! Yes. check the relays.
loop-single-reply.phpJuly 17, 2011 at 10:12 am #2616Thank for the quick response guys got a new relay today hopefully that will do the trick.
loop-single-reply.phpJuly 17, 2011 at 11:19 pm #2617we used 30 amp breakers. But Jim recommends going with a 40 amp. so your starter gets the full juice from the battery.
loop-single-reply.phpJuly 18, 2011 at 7:40 am #2618Went to my local HD dealer and overpaid for a new starter relay only benefit is that it is 40 amp.
Of course it is never easy and now I plugged it in and I am not getting power to the starter. Actually I am also not getting power to my speedo either did do some checking with a test light and I have power to the ignition switch but when I turn the key on no lights at all even headlight is out. Makes me onder is I touched wires together when I either took it apart or put it back together. I did have a hard time getting the little control box out from behind the.oil bag. Am I doing something wrongloop-single-reply.phpJuly 19, 2011 at 1:10 am #2619I should have mention in my post that I had to pull out and repack my box 3 times and replace one connector before everything started working correct. Frist time my left turn signal would not stop. Everything has to be just right some heat shrink and electrical tape on anything naked. These are great machines but the electrical wiring guy was not tip-top aluminum wire, copper wire, soldered connections you put solder connection in DC current and you have made a resistor (current passing from wire through solder and back to wire makes heat). Mine has burned through 3 and I hope there are no more. I hope your relay is the answer also don’t mean to be a smart ass but the relay has to be same diagram stamp as one removed it not only controls the starter but also the compression releases. I got mine at NAPA
loop-single-reply.phpJuly 19, 2011 at 2:39 am #2620Wiring diagram is same on both actually both are 5 wire with only 4 wires it is a drag specialty alought I am sure it is a cheapo with brand name packing well I will continue to try to get the box back together thanks again.
loop-single-reply.phpJuly 20, 2011 at 1:50 am #2621Finally got the control bax back together but still nothing working i went over all the wires to make sure they were all tight i cant find anything. The bike is just dead. Brand new battery and i have power to the key switch but no lights will light up and no power to the switches on the bars, At this point I dont know where to turn. I dont want to bring it over to the dealer and have him charge me 500 bucks and hope he finds the problem. I am sad to say it but i think i have had enough of this bike i have had nothing but problems since the day i bought it new and brought it home and it only has 4000 miles on it. Man did i learn an important lesson with this bike.
loop-single-reply.phpJuly 20, 2011 at 3:48 am #2622Make sure the ignition switch is good. Check for power leaving the switch. Also, to have all the lights not work on the bike would either be the main harness plugs under the tank or at the oil bag not being connected or the turn signal module has died. Also check the 15 amp circuit breakers.
loop-single-reply.phpJuly 20, 2011 at 1:09 pm #2623Patience Grasshopper electrical problems are hard to find and easy to fix. My first problem I am riding down the road and all goes dark Speedo, lights, all when I pull over engine goes dead. Then it was like no battery. Problem; about 3 inches from the + battery post was a solder connection in the hot wire going to key switch burned into on battery side of a solder joint like it had been cut with a lazar. Finally had to replace that wire from battery to switch. You need to pull everything out of the box turn key to on wiggle wires see if any result. If not then bring a 12ga wire from + side of the battery and by pass the switch see if you can get everything to power up. Trick: you don’t have to cut any wires just get a needle from your wife’s sewing kit or from a new shirt take needle nose pliers and push it through the insulation of the wire you want to energize and then touch your hot wire from the battery to the needle. Its difficult to trouble shoot over this forum but you just by pass stuff until you get life then back track from there. BE CAREFUL you can get seriously bit but you can take the test hot wire all the way to the starter solenoid and check the starter Good Luck
loop-single-reply.phpJuly 21, 2011 at 1:15 pm #2624Worked on the electrical problem again today and i think i may be making progress. I am trying to take in everyone’s responses to try to get this thing figured out before the snow flies here in NEPA. I was having a problem with my battery charger when it was hooked up to my bike it kept tripping a circut i guess. As soon as i put it on it just clicked then no charge to battery. It doesn’t dont any other time. Ok so i pulled the starter and oil bag off to get a better look at the wirig. Using the test light i found that with the key bin the on position the grounds on the bike are energized and still no lights, i do have power to the ignition and checked all breaker all look good. Could someone help me understand how the starter relay gets power over to the starter motor. There is no conection from the start button on the bars to the relay which is how i thought power got to the starter when u push the button. any help would be great
loop-single-reply.phpJuly 25, 2011 at 11:09 am #2630I tried to bypass the starter today hooked neg. cable from battery directly to starter then hooked positive to smaller wire on starter which comes from relay. All i am getting is an electrical type buzzing noise starter doesnt turn over. Would this mean my starter is shot. I had this starter rebuilt by spyke a year ago and have only ridden the bike maybe ten time. If that is the case what a piece of sh$# product they put out. I did end them an email but i already know how that is going to go.
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