Is starter bad or another problem??

[tjlacy69]

I have an 1994 Katana and the problem that i am having is that when i push the start button the only thing happens is that the engine whines and whines but will not turn over. I hold the button and give it gas over and over until the battery almost goes dead. I use to be able to jump it from my car but that doesn't work anymore. Is my starter bad?? Or could it be my starter solenoid?? SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!!!!!

[The CyberPoet]

Whines and whines?
1. If you put your hand over the exhaust pipe, do you feel any pressure waves (even weak ones) coming through while the starter is spinning?
2. What happens if you try to push-start it?

Reason:
Starter clutch mechanism bad. This traditionally is the problem if the starter spins but the engine doesn't (i.e. - no exhaust puffing on item #1 above).

HINT:
Download the factory service manual and use the troubleshooting tree for the starter next time
Manual here: http://katriders.com/wiki/index.php5...Service_Manual

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[RaiderRC]

Whines? no cranking sound? I don't understand how you could have jumped it then from a car?

If the bike is cranking which if you jump started it... I kind of assume you had more power going to the starter turning the starter faster making a bad tuned engine start.


check
1. fuel flow
2. whens the last time you cleaner the carbs?

[Kreylyn]

Clean all your connections between the battery, starter solenoid, and starter as well. Sometimes corrosion can reduce the power flowing to the starter making it not work as intended.

Krey

[DumbLuck]

lets not forget toasting an electrical component by jumping it from a car. I agree with the above tho, need a better definition of "whining". is the starter just spinning without turning the motor itself over?

[tjlacy69]

The whining noise just goes on and on and the engine will not turn over. I have had the carbs cleaned earlier this summer because it sat all winter. After they where cleaned the buke ran well for about a month. Then i started having the problems of it not turning over. Thats why i "thought" it might have somethinf to do with the starter or soleniod.

[The CyberPoet]

The whining noise just goes on and on and the engine will not turn over. I have had the carbs cleaned earlier this summer because it sat all winter. After they where cleaned the buke ran well for about a month. Then i started having the problems of it not turning over. Thats why i "thought" it might have somethinf to do with the starter or soleniod.

What we're driving at is that there is a difference between the engine actively rotating it's masses (being driven by the starter) but failing to start, as verses to the starter spinning without engaging the engine.

If the starter is spinning without moving the engine's pistons/cams/crank, then it's the starter clutch.
If the engine is spinning, but not starting, it could be a larger number of issues (and the starter clutch is NOT one of them); typically replacing the spark plugs would be the first step in this scenario.

KNOW THIS:
Every time you significantly deplete your battery, the remaining long-term storage capacity of the battery drops by 25 to 40%. Run your battery dead too often and it simply won't have the capacity to spin the engine fast enough to start (or to spin the engine at all in the end).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[wepainters]

I have a older honda that did this exact thing and it does make sort of a whine noise.
MY problem is this

I put the bike {years ago} on a big battery charger with a boast and started the bike it had been sitting for some time.

when the bike started it was turning over so fast as i had the boast on the charger on the the starter did not disengage fast enough so it striped a few teeth off of the starter clutch gear.

I never did fix it as i didnt want to split the case as it does start half the time with the starter the other half of the time i push started it LOL

Maybe ill fix it this year as i now have other bikes to ride while it is down

It does drain the battery after multible trys to start it without starting so i had to put on a bike charger and plug it in every nite to avoid haveing a low battey all the time.

anyway food for thought im not sure if the kat has the same type of set up but i bet it is close as there both i4 engine etc

IM only posting here to get my post up a bit more

[IndyGunner]

lets not forget toasting an electrical component by jumping it from a car.

You cant fry a kat as long as the car is turned off. They are both 12v systems.

[The CyberPoet]

You cant fry a kat as long as the car is turned off. They are both 12v systems.

As long as you're careful with the cables. The problem tends to be people using car-style jumper cables (huge aligator clips) and the positive grounding against something it shouldn't, and/or cooking off the motorcycle battery (by effectively charging it up from dead so fast that it overheats).



Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet
_____________________________________________
The Best Motorcycle Tire Valves in the World (Aluminum!), plus lots of general motorcycle help files & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.
CyberPoet's KR-special deals' are here (click)

[IndyGunner]

i agree, but thats a problem w/ human error not charging from a car.

As long as you're careful with the cables. The problem tends to be people using car-style jumper cables (huge aligator clips) and the positive grounding against something it shouldn't, and/or cooking off the motorcycle battery (by effectively charging it up from dead so fast that it overheats).



Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet
_____________________________________________
The Best Motorcycle Tire Valves in the World (Aluminum!), plus lots of general motorcycle help files & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.
CyberPoet's KR-special deals' are here (click)

[The CyberPoet]

i agree, but thats a problem w/ human error not charging from a car.

+1



Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet
_____________________________________________
The Best Motorcycle Tire Valves in the World (Aluminum!), plus lots of general motorcycle help files & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.
CyberPoet's KR-special deals' are here (click)

[Sierraromeobravo]

If the starter is spinning without moving the engine's pistons/cams/crank, then it's the starter clutch.
If the engine is spinning, but not starting, it could be a larger number of issues (and the starter clutch is NOT one of them); typically replacing the spark plugs would be the first step in this scenario.=-= The CyberPoet

I agree with the Poet, check the plugs. I had to do the same with my bike coming out of storage.