Wife's CRF230, 2003 model.

always ran like a champ, started with a simple bump of the button.

after the winter...(yes fuel drained, battery is always on a tender etc)
the battery would BARELY turn the motor over but not spin it enough to fire.

so I got a new battery - same result

I took everything apart - traced all the electrical connections from battery all the way through the entire mix to the starter motor - all in place, dielectric grease on everything, tight, snug etc...
no change

acts like the battery is ALMOST dead (all the batteries show a full charge etc on the MM)
take my battery out of my CRF250x
same result - but on my X, the same battery spins the starter motor like no ones business.

So...

its my ignition module bad, or going bad or ???

what would cause the motor to BARELY turn over with any motorcycle battery with only storage being the "variable".

I did jump it from my truck - standard heavy duty jumper cables - and it lit right up like always (but there are a few more amps there)

anyone have any idea as to what Im missing here?

signed - clearly electrically challenged and bald.

HR

You need to see how many amps the starter is drawing with a DC amp meter. Since the battery works fine on the other bike it would seem the battery to be good. The inside of the starter could be dirty or worn brushes etc can cause high amp draw. Just like on your car the starter goes bad some times and like you said the extra amps of the vehicle battery could make it jump the starter faster than the little battery could turn.

Thanx...
and
another thing that finally came back into this old brain.......(sucks getting old trust me)

valves may need adjusting

easy check - pull the plug and see if the motor spins freely with the happy button........

duh........



sigh........

HR

I would think that if the valves were bad enough to cause a slow start problem it would be bad enough that it would not run when you jumped it with the vehilcle. I would still be looking at starter a little closer.
Also getting old sux, I feel ya. Just remember you don't quit riding cause you get old. You get old cause you quit riding!

i once had a car starter that got hung up due to bad bearings---any thought toward removing starter and trying to run it free of engine effects? And checking starter bearings/teeth, etc.?

Edited by calbikeman2, 24 April 2012 - 02:56 PM.