I did the National Road Rally at the weekend so the bike had to do 12 or 13 starts during the day and all good until after the second to last control when it wouldn’t crank over
I pulled all the relays and reseated them and got it to start, shut down to put my lid on and then it wouldn’t turn over again.
Fiddled about and then it did GRRRRR
However, come the final stop if turned over and fired up straight away
So how do I tell the difference between a relay failure needing the wiring mod and a dodgy side stand switch which are think are the 2 most probable culprits?tris2013-07-08 07:28:14
In my limited experience it’s usually those pesky side stand switches causing the intermittent problems. I disconnected mine at the nearest connection, then completed the circuit to effectively bypass the switch. That cured my problem until I could replace the switch.
However I found relays tend to fail completely in my experience, so I always rode with a spare, then I never needed one again!
On the newer bikes the side stand switch…spray it regularly I use WD40 also the clutch has a micro switch too.
Micro switches can be got from Maplins
Worth doing the mod on start relay on older bikes as well as having a spare one…relays for SOME available from "Pyro Dan quick service and good relays other bikes relay 30A+ from car accesory shop
I would hope I’ve got good battery connections as I only made them off on Thursday last … but maybe that why I have’nt got good battery connections
I’ll check 'em first
Side stand swich sounds like its clicking in and out OK
Ref Relays
Can anyone tell me which relay is the starter relay?
Facing the bike I have 4 in a row, 2 or 3 fuses and then one odd relay at the other end on its own
I tried to work what does what but have not been very successful
FWIW, I had something similar. Some morning’s bike would turn over and start, others just a click and the clocks resetting themselves. But then try again and work fine!
Turned out to be the positive battery connection was loose, just loose enough that the current for starting couldn’t get through. Finally got loose enough to refuse to start at all. That’s when I discovered the loose connection. Tightened, all OK. (Except ECU reset, leading to poor running, but that’ll be the subject of a fresh post rather than hijack this one.)
You have to go through the symptoms. If, when you press the button, all the lights go out, then you have a battery connection problem. If the lights stay bright, but you just get a click, then the start relay/wiring needs investigating.If you hear absolutely nothing, then possibly the side stand switch is playing up. But that depends on the model, on some the side stand swtch just kills the engine, on some it prevents the starter motor from turning.
This needs a systematic fault-finding approach rather than guesswork. I’m looking at this, presume it’s the correct one ~ http://www.thisoldtractor.com/guzzi007/schematics/1994_California_1100.gif There’s lots of series connections that can go wrong, ignition switch, kill switch, 2 multi-way connectors, relay 41, sidestand sw, relay 35. I note sidestand sw has to be on all the time and also relay 41 so that starter and ignition will both work, so could be that but you haven’t had the ignition cut-out while riding? Or have you? EDIT: I might short together 30 & 87a of relay 41 (i.e. pull it out and replace with a wire link with a blade on each end) if I wanted to completely bypass the sidestand function.
Mike H2013-08-03 13:15:14
Wait a minute that would also affect headlamp relay 42 so would have to disconnect pin 86 on that as well, or 87a of relay 35. Which makes 42 redundant so that could be replaced with a wire link as well.
I know the 1100i is more difficult due to the headligh relay, as you can end up with the relay permanently energised, which in turn would flatten the battery.When I did the wiring mod to one I remember having to remove the relay and replace it with a link.
No on there “37” is the basic starter relay as per all Tonti models etc., equivalent to 35 on the Cali 1100 diagram above. I do recall mention of a fifth relay in the past, possibly, but can’t remember what it was about.
