Author Topic: Newbie, with a no crank questin (Read 5012 times)

chitown rider · « **on:** June 09, 2006, 11:42:38 PM »

Hello All
I'm a proud new owner of a 99 1200 with 17,000 miles, and I'm trying to get it to turn over. Unfortunately its been parked and sitting out in the street since fall and even though the battery still has plenty of juice to run the lights, brights, and horn, along with the oil, green and blue lights in the gauge cluster, the starter wont turn over....not even a click or a dimming of the headlight. The P/O is of little help other than I know for sure it was running well last summer. Ive searched and am unsure of a couple of things. First should my tach and speedo needles on a 99 also"sweep" when I turn the key to the on position? And if I "jump" the safety sensors on the clutch and kickstand does that mean I should "hotwire" the 2 wires together before the sensor?, Also when I have it in neutral should it cancel out those kill sensors. Other than being left out and neglected since last year its in decent shape with no visibly clipped or manipulated wiring. Any insight or advice is very much appreciated. Thanks in advance

Daytona · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2006, 02:45:14 AM »

Like most bikes as long as the clutch lever
is pulled in the eng will start with kick down in neutral. If the clutch
switch isn't making contact (closing) the starter Relay won't get the signal. The kick stand is open when its up and only acts like the kill
switch on the R-bar end. You can jump the starter relay's 2 main
wires, one's hot from battery and other goes to the starter.
Here is a diagram from a parts site that is helpful. #10 looks
like it and on the left under the seat cowling area. Been there ,done that! it was my clutch switch. A bit of WD in the little
dude and it worked till i traded her.

chitown rider · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2006, 11:42:52 AM »

Daytona, Big Thanks for the helpful reply and the diagram. I was out there yesterday trying to track the all the wiring. I know this bikes gonna need a little work before its drivable...ie bad gas and no winterization was done to it before our long cold season, but getting it to at least try to turn over before I start the tune up and carb cleaning would be good stuff. I'm about to go out and get to it, so I'll let you know how things turn out.
Thanks again

chitown rider · « **Reply #3 on:** June 10, 2006, 08:40:29 PM »

Sure enough a few shots of wd-40 in the clutch lever assembly and she started turning over...unfortunately no start though. I drained the tank, emptied the fuel bowls, put in fresh 93 oct., put in new NGK JR9B's gapped them to .026 but no start. #1 checked out good for spark, but the #3 plug well was filled with water...I used a spray bottle top to suction the water out before removing the plug and cleaned the boots well before installing the new plugs. After a few attempts it started to fire up for a couple of seconds then cut out...a couple of more tries and the battery finally died. I have it trickle charging now so tommorrow I'll give it another shot. I appreciate the very helpful advice given, and welcome any other tips, tricks or links that may help me get her fired up.
I'm thinking if I have no luck tommorow with the freshly charged battery that I'll have to pull and clean the carbs.
Thanks Again

chupacabra · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2006, 05:58:33 AM »

Put some Chevron Techron® in the fuel and drain the bowls, then prime the bowls, and try again when you chareged up.
The Techron® well clean the carbs up if their not really bad.

Sven · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2006, 10:07:22 AM »

I have an '03 B12S, and the needles do "sweep" when you turn the key to the "on" position...not 100% sure that's true for your earlier model. But, a recentl failure to sweep was the indication I should have taken to mean the battery was too low to go. I wouldn't do anything (kickstand or clutch switches, etc.) before I made sure I had a good battery.

chitown rider · « **Reply #6 on:** June 11, 2006, 06:18:31 PM »

10-4 on the chevron, and I guess the earlier models dont sweep across the gauges. She fired up and kept running after a few tries this morning. It sputtered and popped a little at first but eventually smoothed out, although not so much that it wants to idle without holding the throttle a little or keeping the choke on partially. I ran it awhile and tried to work out the cobwebs as much as I could. Maybe it just needs to run through a tank of fuel or so. I could'nt get any highway miles or really jump on it yet since I just got it and havent taken care of the legal stuff...I wanted to make sure I could get it running first.
Big Thanks for the replies and help.

Daytona · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2006, 06:53:04 PM »

Off the topic but why is this page tooo wide!!!????
I forget but has to do with your page set up on your
PC rite! It sucks like when a picture with too many pixels!
One of you bill gates wana bee's wade in here please!

Hey i guess it was me all along!!!

99er · « **Reply #8 on:** June 13, 2006, 07:17:23 AM »

If your gas is older than a month or two, drain the tank and bowls completely and add fresh. Old gas won't even run in my Briggs and Stratton ancient mower. Don't ask how I know. $3.00 a gallon makes one do strange things.

Oh, and don't waste your money on 93 octane. 87 works fine in the B12, some say better. Octane not needed is a waste of money.
Marc/Atlanta
'99 semi-trashed and green
mods

chitown rider · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2006, 05:16:22 PM »

Thanks for the tip 99er. That was the first thing I did, when I got it on Friday the tank was a quarter full and the fuel was cloudy...It had'nt even been started in 6 or 8 months and was left outside through winter. I also added some of that Chevron fuel treatment as advised. Its running Ok now, it just "coughs" a little more than I'd like when idling and takes about 5-10 minutes before it wants to w/o the choke partially engaged. I'm still waiting on the title so I can register it and really take it out.

On another issue...in the little I've been able to ride it so far, I've noticed that the clutch is slipping pretty badly when slightly torqued and I'm assuming its the clutch springs and/or pressure plate(?) I'm planning on replacing both along with the oil this weekend, does anybody have any advice as to what kind I should put on there and who to order from?
Thanks Again

99er · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2006, 07:29:52 PM »

Amazing that the clutch will slip with less than full throttle. The gen1 will slip with mods and synthetic also makes it more likely to do so. If it slips, get a Barnett spring added. I think Dale still sells them but they're in catalogs like Dennis Kirk, too. Yours may have more issues.I'd pull it out and check it for wear and burned/warped steels.
Marc/Atlanta

chitown rider · « **Reply #11 on:** June 14, 2006, 10:19:49 PM »

Yeh, it starts to slip at 1/4-1/3 throttle if I dont accelerate gradually. If I push it any harder it'll just start slipping and rev up to redline if I let it. It seemed strange to me too especially with only 17,000 on the clock. As far as I can tell everthing is stock down to the paper air filter. I'm not sure about the oil...it needs to be changed though...it has a heavy fuel odor at the fill hole and who knows when it was changed last. The P/O did'nt come across as the kind of guy who sweated preventative OR corrective maintenance

I'll take your advice and crack it open when I change the oil this weekend to see if there is evidence of warpage or visible other "issues" and post my results before I go and order a kit. I sure don't want to start throwing unnecessary parts at it.
Thanks for the advice and the link to Dales site.

Daytona · « **Reply #12 on:** June 15, 2006, 02:36:40 AM »

Wow that's got to be a first one i know of! Are you sure it only has 17k? My 98 had 43 on it and never slipped once! Change the oil, use shell Rotella T 15-40 cheap but the best, see if it doesn't cure it. The clutch lever has a bit of free travel to it rite? Maybe some crud is holding the push rod in, slave cyl on primary sprocket cover!!! If the DOT 4 B fluid isn't changed often it will sludge up. The window in the master's reservoir will be muddy. Had it happen!!!

Daytona · « **Reply #13 on:** June 15, 2006, 02:41:32 AM »

U think there may be a correlation between the no crank prob & the clutch slippage! I had the return spring in the master break before maybe it jammed? the lever should snap back to almost no slop when its rite!!!!

chitown rider · « **Reply #14 on:** June 15, 2006, 05:05:10 PM »

I got a chance today to change the oil and pull the clutch cover. No difference after the fresh oil. Its still slipping anytime I start to jump on it. While I had the oil drained I pulled the clutch cover off. The plate and rings push out and seat themselves fully again when I release the clutch lever. Nothing visibly burnt or out of place. Although I didnt get into any further disassembly. When I got the bike the clutch lever WAS frozen in the engaged position (theres no guessing for how long). Maybe being engaged for that prolonged time permantly warped or flattened the springs and is causing it not to grab? I guess thats the next step, I tried to get some locally while I had it open but they could'nt get them until wednesday at the earliest. I think I'd rather upgrade anyways for added piece of mind. I'll keep you posted