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Posted by Phil, Squid-in-Training on April 12, 2006, 1:33 am
Rob Kleinschmidt wrote:
> Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:
>
>> Just to play around a bit, I go to the kitchen, pick out a dirty
>> fork, and use a pair of pliers to short the starter leads... works
>> like a champ. Now I know where to start it if the relay actually
>> breaks.
>>
>> Every time something breaks on the bike, I try to calculate in my
>> mind how much I could sell this thing for... but once I fix it,
>> that proud feeling just comes back and everything's peachy.
>>
>> The earlier ride today had probably loosened the battery contacts
>> enough so that something kooky happened with the relay once I tried
>> to start it again.
>>
>> All in all, stupid mechanic, easy fix, and a cheap fix. Also got to
>> learn a bit more about the starting system.
>
> I'm impressed at your fortitude. I really am. Let me humbly suggest
> though that you really, really need one or more manuals, preferably
> with good color electrical schematics. I very much like my Haynes
> manual's electrical diagrams. Gotta confess the rusty fork part of
> the story made me wince.
Well, as a mechanical engineering student, I wouldn't be staying true to my
studies without taking things apart to see how they worked! ;)
The fork was just dirty, not rusty. Apparently the resistance of the fork
was high... the started cranked lethargically. I had to use it because
there was a vertical divider between the two leads. Probably for a good
reason ;)
> I set up my battery using a couple lengths of stainless steel bolts
> with the heads sawed off. On the inside of each battery lug, I
> threaded two nuts onto the stainless and tightened them so they lock.
> On the outside of the lugs, I used a couple of wing nuts and brass
> washers to hold the cable in place. Connecting and disconnecting the
> battery negative now takes about 15 seconds and requires no tools.
> Really convenient and fast.
Interesting... I'm planning on wiring up a snap-connector that I can simply
connect my battery to without having to remove anything. Gotta Radio Shack
that stuff and solder it up.
> Congrats on finding the problem. Remember not to let the smoke out.
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training
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