Dr Big - Starting issues...

Hello there

As a great summer season comes to end I guess we all have some maintenance to do Smile

Here lies my issue.....

DR 650 RSE 1992

Had developed some "noises" on starting. When down in Montenegro the starter clutch finally seized. Found a great guy, Nick who turned out to be a very resourceful mechanic and managed to source and replace the part in a day Big Grin

Then the next day after dropping the bike it wouldn't start again. It was turning over at the beginning and then wouldn't anymore. Got it started by shorting out the starter relay and this worked for a while and then that didn't work anymore. Got it to the ferry and back home and have now had it apart.
The starter clutch is still good and I can start it by shorting the starter relay again but it won't turn over when the start button is pressed!
There is alight clicking noise at the starter relay but nothing else? The battery is good, alternator changed about a month ago and new starter relay also about a month ago!

Any of you out there got any ideas where I should be looking as I am a bit lost at the moment Huh

Thank you for any ideas or answers you can post!

Cheers Ewan. (Randolph69)

Normally it would be the starter relay that is at fault, and it`s quite common, but you say you have replaced it.
If it`s a new one (and hopefully not Chinese ) and it`s getting plenty of juice from the battery, then the only other option is that the relay has a bad earth.
Try running an earth wire from the battery to one of the mounting bolts.

(25-10-2021, 09:55 AM)BigBob Wrote: [ -> ]Normally it would be the starter relay that is at fault, and it`s quite common, but you say you have replaced it.
If it`s a new one (and hopefully not Chinese ) and it`s getting plenty of juice from the battery, then the only other option is that the relay has a bad earth.
Try running an earth wire from the battery to one of the mounting bolts.

Thanks Bob

So I tried this and it made no difference. I think I'll change the relay again (I only use genuine parts;-)). But I am convinced that there is a negative polarity problem somewhere along the line. I checked the main earth connection on the engine block only to find the the bolt has sheared, *@$!&ç....Does this mean a new engine block for me?
I did reconnect the negative cable from battery to various points of the bike and also changed the relay-starter cable but all to no avail! Any other ideas bigman?

Much appreciated, thanks!