HELP! Funny Starting Quirk on 885EFI 2000 Tiger

[fxrs89]

It is just plain weird...



   I have to hold the starter button down for about 5-10 seconds, then it cranks up fine.  Just bumping the button doesn't even produce anything, even a click.



  My weak electronics background tells me that my starter relay may be slowly going bad?



 Any hints or similar occurences from the listers?



V/R-  Ron, Ridgecrest

2000 Triumph Tiger

885 EFI

[tig99black]

I have the same bike, same problem. I have lived with it so far. Maybe the start switch contacts are getting a film on them. CRC might do it. Off to the shed I think.

[jmoonx14]

Very strange. Sounds like it is a fairly common problem as two of you had it with the same bike. Being clueless with the build of those electronics I would think your hunch is right in that it might be a relay, solenoid or some of capacitive circuity that has to build a charge and the cap is weakening. This happens a lot in automotive circuits with timers like windshield wiper delays and old turn signal blinkers. Like me, they get slower with age. Never heard of it in a starter circuit tho.



Whatever it is, it's sure to get worse as time goes on and I bet it's an easy fix for a mechanic.



I had a scare today as my Tiger would turn over but not start. Kickstand was down and I was in 1st with the clutch in. My other bikes have always had the same saftey feature but instead of turning over with no spark they just didn't turn over at all. Live and learn.

[Chris Canning]

It's a common problem with the 900i i had two, both bikes did the same thing,Triumph new about it within weeks of the launch in 99,the crank moves but the pickup on the ignition doesn't,if it doesn't fire straight away,turn the ignition and try again,sometimes it will fire up and run crap,which is the same problem.

[fxrs89]

Long trip to Tucson gave me a chance to experiment.  Seems if I turn on the key, wait and watch the idiot lights, they will suddenly glow brighter after three seconds, Then the bike will start perfectly.  Is it possibly initializing the computer or injectors?  I am guessing it could be a built in delay?



ron-

[toddtruby]

Sounds like a problem with a relay to me.

[Bruincounselor]

Long trip to Tucson gave me a chance to experiment.  Seems if I turn on the key, wait and watch the idiot lights, they will suddenly glow brighter after three seconds, Then the bike will start perfectly.  Is it possibly initializing the computer or injectors?  I am guessing it could be a built in delay?



ron-

I have same bike w/no problem. Perhaps low fuel pressure is the problem? I usually wait for the fuel pressure to get up before I try starting.

[99Tiger]

Check the wires comming from the clutch safety switch.  My 99 Tiger did this for a while so I finally stripped the insulation back and found brown copper wires.  I replaced the bad section of wire and it fixed it.



Good Luck

[german]

I agree with all guys,

You have 2 possible courses the starter relay or the starter sw,

I remember that when you turn on the key sw and you put on (run) the selector you can listen a little click sound, this relay is under the seat.



You can clean the starter sw contact terminals inside the command panel.

[tyrebyter]

The dash lights glow brighter after three seconds because the fuel pump shuts off (until you start cranking) reducing the load on the battery. When it does crank, do your headlights shut off? If not, you have a weak battery. By the way, my '98 Speed Triple does the same thing and coincidentally has the same engine.

[tigerhund]

My wife's 1999 Tiger does all of these things, and the problem is getting worse.  Typically, I have found that turning the switch off and back on, followed by waiting a few seconds, has coaxed the starter button to life, but today this did not work.  In my frustration, I shoved the bike and popped the clutch, moving the internals a bit.  The bike started right off.



Perhaps this has something to do with the crank position sensor, as someone mentioned earlier, but I also know that having the brights on always prevents the bike from starting, and once the brights are switched off, it will often start.



I think this is a complex problem, but moving the crank seemed to help today.  The battery in the bike is relatively new and it gets regular exercise.



Will take it to dealer for diagnosis soon.



MJ

[tigerhund]

To clarify:  I moved the internals, then hit the starter button, and the starter fired right off.

[tigerowner_ut]

What about a weak battery?  My friends GS was having ABS troubles.  Turns out the battery was low on current and wasn't providing the ABS system enough juice.  My battery in my 99 is the original and I have to hit the starter button twice.  Once to jolt the system and another to get things spinning.  I imagine if I had a decent battery things would get energized on the first try.

[tigerhund]

I started my wife's bike tonight after a week of sitting in the garage.  I turned the switch on and hit the starter button:  nothing.  The bike was in first when I turned the switch on the first time, and I (obviously) had the clutch held in.  I left the switch on, rolled the bike backward, popped the clutch, then hit the starter switch and it fired off immediately.  



I still think this is a complex problem, because I have had the starter switch come to life after I switched the brights off  (wife rides in daylight with brights on because she has no aftermarket lights), but this is twice that moving the crank has immediately brought the starter button to life.



Will keep testing this.  Battery is one year old.



MJ

[TigerTrax]

ALERT!



Just a word of caution to you Steamer riders....



Want to find out how much a SPRAG CLUTCH replacement costs....

take care of those starting problems. A weak start will set you up to blow a sprag clutch .... and relieve you of about $1500 !



ALWAYS make certain your battery is full charge and your starter motor engages immediately.



This is NOT an UNCOMMON problem.