trumpetdude Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Just died about 5 miles from home whilst passing an HGV going up hill awesome fun! Fuel is fresh and the bike is used regularly. RAC came along and gave the battery a hefty charge. Started the bike checked the battery was charging and it was. RAC followed me home (about 5 miles) with no problems. Got home left it ticking over with lights etc on and still no problem. I thought it may have been the reg/ rect as it went about 2 years ago and I used a 2nd hand one but unlikely now as the battery is receiving a charge. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator DirtyDT Posted October 10, 2012 Moderator Share Posted October 10, 2012 If it is the rec/reg then you will need to see what charge it is pushing through at various revs. A normal sign is the the lights dim at higher revs. If you get a healthy charge all through the rev range then it is unlikely that. When it stopped what happened when you tried to re-start it? I deleted the doubled post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted October 10, 2012 Moderator Share Posted October 10, 2012 I deleted the doubled post. If it is the rec/reg then you will need to see what charge it is pushing through at various revs. A normal sign is the the lights dim at higher revs. If you get a healthy charge all through the rev range then it is unlikely that. When it stopped what happened when you tried to re-start it? I deleted the doubled post. did you delete the double post? Battery may be at fault too, sometimes the plates can warp and short out. Vibration and overcharging does this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator DirtyDT Posted October 10, 2012 Moderator Share Posted October 10, 2012 did you delete the double post? ....................... Opps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetdude Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 Hey guys, I was at motorway speed overtaking an HGV when the bike stuttered and I lost power, managed get over to the side of the road whilst down shifting try to coax the bike to the hard shoulder. I tried to start the bike and there wasn't much from the battery at all. Being not far from a layby I tried to bump start it over 1/4 of a mile, and nae joy. RAC turned up, gave the battery a hefty charge, attached it to the bike and it started no problem. Checked the battery once it was running and it appeared to be charging fine. All this happens within about 5 miles from home, after a cold start, the choke was off. Cheers folks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted October 11, 2012 Moderator Share Posted October 11, 2012 what you on TD? you just asked that question in the heading? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator DirtyDT Posted October 11, 2012 Moderator Share Posted October 11, 2012 What happened when you pushed the starter? Dim lights? Clicking, turning slowly over? Nothing? Did you notice the lights getting dimmer before it cut out? Have you tried to start it since and what happens? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetdude Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 Sorry guys. Phone app seems to be a bit awkward. I'm on an xj600n-98. When I tried to start from the button the bike had a few goes at trying to turn over, sluggishly, so the battery wasn't totally gubbed but after a few more attempts I killed the battery and got the usual click. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted October 11, 2012 Moderator Share Posted October 11, 2012 If it's charging I would say the battery is in fact... 'gubbed' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetdude Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 Started fine a couple of times today. No probs. Not going to buy a new battery until I'm sure it really is gubbed. Will be Sunday before I can stuck into the bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator DirtyDT Posted October 12, 2012 Moderator Share Posted October 12, 2012 I am with airhead on this one. Battery knackered. You may get a bit longer out of it but as soon as the first cold morning hits, the bike won't start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Cynic Posted October 12, 2012 Moderator Share Posted October 12, 2012 Sorry guys. Phone app seems to be a bit awkward. I'm on an xj600n-98. When I tried to start from the button the bike had a few goes at trying to turn over, sluggishly, so the battery wasn't totally gubbed but after a few more attempts I killed the battery and got the usual click. A car battery minimum charge state is around 85% before terminal damage is done. M/C batteries are even worse as they have far less spare capacity. If it is too weak to start the bike it is nearer 50 maybe less and every time you hit the button to start it your making it worse. The strange behaviour may be a loose terminal somewhere or possibly an inernal connection. Had that on an old van stuffed me for a couple of weeks. One day fine. Then not starting or cutting out. Drove me nuts. I'm with airhead and DDT on this one. That battery is toast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetdude Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 Hmm. I'm inclined to believe it's the battery as it needed regular charging last winter. It will sit for a week though, then start fine. One thing's for sure, I need to get myself a multi meter! Cheers folks. I'll let you know how I get on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyday58 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Good battery shops over here have testers that put a load on the battery to do a full check on it. Do your shops have that ability? I am just wondering how the battery could be dying when It's only had a RAC re-charge and been seemingly fine since. How far do you reckon you'd gone when it quit, or is that the 5 miles? If so, I would think the battery good, keeping you running until the battery charge got too low to keep it going. But I don't know your bike either, so don't know if you have an alternator/ charge light/gauge. Is this a solid-state regulator or points-type? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetdude Posted October 13, 2012 Author Share Posted October 13, 2012 Hi Mate, no charge light. Solid state reg /rectifier. Lucky if I'd even gone about 5 miles, probably less. It's almost the same place it happened just recently although I managed to keep the bike going the last time, probably as I had a bit of a down hill to aid me. I'm planning on going around the block a couple of times and see if it dies, measure the battery at this point and go from there. Also get into the cars and check the choke / throttle movement. It's due to go in for car balancing and a couple of new shims so if it's beyond me I'll get them to have a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetdude Posted October 14, 2012 Author Share Posted October 14, 2012 I may have found the problem, well, only reading through Haynes initially but going to check it out first before buying a new battery. My Divvy has got an electric fuel pump. After reading Haynes it turns out I should hear it when the ignition switches on, just for a few seconds until the carbs are primed. This may explain why it'll run for a short period and then die, if the carbs aren't getting any fuel they'll just use up what was previously in the chambers until dry. Not sure how to explain the bike running again afterwards, maybe vacuum drawing the fuel through but unlikey, may just be down to a dodgey pump relay or wiring. It was actually the fuel/power problems XJ650 that got me on to thinking about this. Anyone any thoughts about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetdude Posted October 17, 2012 Author Share Posted October 17, 2012 So, I just tested the fuel pump circuit and there appears to be no power going to the pump on turning the ignition key to on. I'm limited as I've only got one pair of hands to test the relay. I also connected the pump accross the battery directly (very briefly!) and the pump fired up fine, I wouldn't know what else to test that could interupt the power to the pump at ignition so I'm going to go with the relay and replace it for now. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetdude Posted October 17, 2012 Author Share Posted October 17, 2012 p.s. Battery is holding a charge of 12.9 volts and it's not been used since I got the bike back from the breakdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted October 17, 2012 Moderator Share Posted October 17, 2012 You're the one with the haynes manual dude! is the pump protected by a fuse ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wild foamy Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 is there a fuse for it? may be worth checking that, if you can find a wiring diagram then trace it back through the wiring loom, check for voltage at the plug where the pump connects, if theres nothing there keep moving back towards the ignition key (im assuming you have a multimeter?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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