New battery fitted but drains quickly

[Sin_Tiger]

When you said 3 hrs to a full charge, was that from not turning condition and disconnected from the loom. If so that's pretty good and I would say you haven't managed to kill it    yet.

[Bixxer Bob]

It all comes back to the first reply though, and will take no more than five minutes to understand exactly where you are.  Turn everything off.  Disconnect the battery +ve lead, set your multimeter to Amps in a range that will read up to 30 amps (that's to protect the meter but to be fair, if you were drawing 30 amps with everything off, you'd kinda know about it) connect the red multimeter lead to the battery +ve and the black multimeter lead to the red bike battery cable.  It should read zero amps.  Click the setting on the multimeter down to it's most sensitive setting in stages until you are at the most sensitive.  You should still have a reading of zero.  Anything else is a leak.  If you have a leak then the fun part starts, ie finding it.

[Frosties]

It all comes back to the first reply though, and will take no more than five minutes to understand exactly where you are.  Turn everything off.  Disconnect the battery +ve lead, set your multimeter to Amps in a range that will read up to 30 amps (that's to protect the meter but to be fair, if you were drawing 30 amps with everything off, you'd kinda know about it) connect the red multimeter lead to the battery +ve and the black multimeter lead to the red bike battery cable.  It should read zero amps.  Click the setting on the multimeter down to it's most sensitive setting in stages until you are at the most sensitive.  You should still have a reading of zero.  Anything else is a leak.  If you have a leak then the fun part starts, ie finding it.

All checked yesterday, just wanted a known good battery to start with. 3hrs to a green light is damm good.

Set my Fluke on 10A range to start (just in case) = no drain (meter in series). On 400mA range = 0.002ADC.....no drain!

Checked starter switch impedance - all good. Checked starter relay contact impedance - all good.

Looking sadly like my starter motor, but didn't have time to strip it all down.

Question is - do i punt for a starter strip down and clean, a 2nd hand starter off Fleabay (as good as any 2nd hand one for guarantee) or a new one at £460  http://www.worldoftriumph.com/triumph_motorcycle_parts_locator.php?block_01=&block_02=304255&block_03=23773  unless I can find cheaper.

Forgot to mention on previous posts that when it has failed to start with very slow crank speed, the lights are 100% as are the grips so plenty of juice available.

Anything I've missed - apart from a shite termination of +ve or earth at the starter ???

[London_Phil]

I'd be interested to know if there was any voltage drop across the starter relay during cranking, but sounds more like starter, and to be honest, you can get a 2nd hand starter for less than £50, Its got to be worth a try.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1992-Triumph-Trophy-3-900cc-with-29-971-Miles-Starter-Motor-/190967768357?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item2c7690e525

[ram33]

surely it would be best to try stripping and cleaning starter 1st as its free, but maybe have to replace brushes?

[Bixxer Bob]

surely it wouldBeethovene best to try stripping and cleaning starter 1st as its free, but maybe have to replace brushes?

Ditto!

[Frosties]

surely it wouldBeethovene best to try stripping and cleaning starter 1st as its free, but maybe have to replace brushes?

Ditto!

I agree...but it all comes down to time. If I buy a Fleabay one for £50 then its a straight tank/carbs off, replace starter and refit - reckon 3 hrs tops.

If I remove starter then strip, inspect and clean only to find I need new brushes (3 day delivery) or its knackered, then i'm stuck with my backup bike (Fazer 600 without heated grips, guards etc) for a while due to commitments.

Going to punt for a Fleabayer and then strip the old one down after. If it can be refurbed/cleaned/re-brushed then I just need to find another 3hr slot to fit a known good one.

Will keep you posted.

Cheers for all the advice fellas, much appreciated.

[Sin_Tiger]

Find your nearest auto electrical workshop and give them a call with as much details as you can lay your hands on. If you get one that dies the work on site you should able to get it done next day. You often find that stuff like this being not run of the Mill and skewing a bit of enthusiasm they will make the extra effort.

Take it out and have a look, there's not that much to them that a decent lecky can't fix. Even if it comes down to skimming the commutator and undercutting the elements, it's not even Rocket III science, I've never come across a small starter burning the windings.

[ssevy]

You might also look for a Nippon Denso dealer. My buddy got a brand new starter for less than $100 US. His old one would have needed the commutator skimmed, as it was thoroughly covered with a burnt-on film, and it would have needed undercutting as well, as the contact pads were very worn down. Getting it out was kind of a fussy job, and were it my hours, I'd spring for a new one if I could find it cheaply enough. His was dodgy from the get-go with 5800 miles on the bike, so I wouldn't put much faith in low miles on a used starter as a guarantee of anything.

[London_Phil]

For £26 delivered.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-900-STARTER-MOTOR-1280000-8630-BENCH-TESTED-/321265925725?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item4accf0fe5d

[Frosties]

Cheers for that Phil, cheapest I've seen is £50 ish. £26 including postage???? Is that too cheap?

[London_Phil]

Go On, you know you want to, just press the little blue box, and the treasure is yours... 

[Frosties]

Go On, you know you want to, just press the little blue box, and the treasure is yours... 

    Just couldn't do it Phil..........way too cheap including postage! Didn't look right.

Phoned around a few local bike mechanics and found a guy who works part time for the local main Triumph dealer (was a full time engineer there for years) - also runs his own setup and specialises in Triuymphs 

Cracking bloke and yup...he had a starter in his spares stockpile of gold dust, sprinkled with fairy dust and guaranteed good. Fella only wanted £20. Had a good chat with him about symptoms and checks I'd already done - he reckoned 90% chance it was the starter so one happy bunny with a fairy dust starter 

Should have it fitted by tomorrow night. Will let you know outcome.

Aaaaaaaaaand that friggin little blue button has got me into a lot of trouble with the misses Phil......"Why the hell do you need that?"..........."Don't need it yet.....just wanted it lol"

[ssevy]

Did the replacement starter fix it?

[Frosties]

Yup, new starter sorted all issues - sweet as a nut now 

Cheers for the advice fellas