QuestionI have a vt1100c. It sat for about 3 years. I replaced the battery. The guy I got it from had another guy try to start it. They said the start stop switch was bad. I replaced that and no start. The motor does not turn over. I hear a click when it switch from stop to start. They tried to start it by direct to the starter. Could it be a bad starter? Could it be another electrical problem? I tried jumping the starter but no dice. I really am stuck. Thanks William
AnswerWilliam..... you need to see if the motor is seized or not, before you go further. Remove the big slotted plug at the front of the right side engine cover, put a wrench on the crankshaft and see if it turns over. If so...
probably fried starter motor or something has jammed in the starter drive system. If not, then the engine is seized due to any number of possibilities... broken camchain, lack of oil/coolant, rod bearing failures...etc.
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If you jumped directly to the starter motor terminal with a car battery and it doesn't do anything, then the motor is bad or engine is seized... see above.
The "click" you hear is the starter solenoid, trying to energize the starter motor. Clicks there often indicate a low/bad battery, but if yours is new and fully charged, then there are mechanical gremlins afoot.
Disconnect the battery and try to extract the starter motor for inspection. The starter clutch and reduction gears are behind the crankshaft rotor/flywheel. SEE ALTERNATOR images for details.
Being that it has been sitting for three years, you will have to pull the carbs for cleaning, as well as check the rest of the fuel system, after you have got the motor to turn over again...
Bill Silver
