The famous starter click

[Rocket Scientist]

Fred, just wondering if the kit cleared up your issue. I am having the same problem.

Actually no, it didn't. This winter I'm going to pull the starter motor apart and see if the brushes are worn / sticking. It's never failed to start (so far) but doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. I also need to check where the ground cable bolts to the engine block.

 

[Jabo75]

Actually no, it didn't. This winter I'm going to pull the starter motor apart and see if the brushes are worn / sticking. It's never failed to start (so far) but doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. I also need to check where the ground cable bolts to the engine block.

Thanks. I ordered a new solenoid ($65) , but I am going to check the ground wire too. Sometimes I hit the button 30 times to get it started. Will keep you posted.

 

[laraza]

I did the solenoid rebuild and put in a second ground cable, still clicks, starter upgrade next

 

[Nat67]

Mine has done that a few times. All it needed was the battery posts tightened.

And a clout with a big hammer !

 

[Tripps]

I had a truck years ago that the starter was going on, so I had to make the rounds at apartments I owned, I was careful to leave it running, and I had my 6 or 7 year old daughter with me. At one stop I absent mindedly shut it off. Crap, dead of winter, too. So I had to explain to my daughter how to start it, and to let go of the key when it started, but not before, and crawl under the truck in the snow and rap it with a hammer while she held the key until it started.
When I got back in the truck she said boy, you're really smart, dad, I said why is that? She said because you knew it wasn't going to start. Yup, brilliant, I am.

 

[R3T-Too]

I did the solenoid rebuild and put in a second ground cable, still clicks, starter upgrade next

Just a FYI; I had more trouble with my starter clicking when I had the 1.4kw motor installed.

I recently added a 2nd positive cable (already had 2 negative cables) and switched back to the 1.2kw motor.
My starter has only clicked once since doing that (very hot motor) and it started right up after rocking it one time.

I think our engines are almost too big for a motorcycle battery; so any kind of borderline capacity/charge or resistance issue causes a click.

When I keep my battery on a charger; not a trickle charge; I don't seem to have problems.

All of my starter clicks happened with a HOT engine. (the 1.4kw starter motor is a lot closer to the exhaust crossover)

Summer is almost over this year but late next spring I'm buying a new battery regardless of what my current battery reads.

 

[Tripps]

I have the Carpenter 240 package, 1.4 k starter and upgraded both cables, if I recall, my Motobatt battery always starts it easily, never had the click

 

[Jag]

I had the dreaded click after 1 year, I got her new! I did every upgrade no luck! Lastly I bought the 1.4 kw starter and just took all the part off the 1.4 that would fit onto the stock starter and 5 years later not one problem since!

 

[Mittzy]

@Rocket Scientist Fred, check and retention all connectors in the relay mount for your starter curium located left side cover towards the rear 5 pin standard relay.
your relay may not be providing enough grunt to the starter solenoid.....

 

[Gregger]

One other thing to consider is the condition of the flywheel ring-gear and starter drive teeth. They should have a clean bevel to the gears to aid in meshing. Since the solenoid forces the starter drive to mesh with the ring-gear before it can spin, the condition of those teeth needs to be relatively good. No mesh = click, click.

Anyone know if the starter will engage with the engine running (I've never tried). If so, doing that a few times (by accident) will quickly destroy the ring gear and starter drive.