Odessey batteries

[Chris Canning]

I found a US made Deka battery that tested at 360 cca (spec is 200).  Problem is that the battery was not the problem.  I am having a slow crank issue on my 01.  Spins fast when warm, slow, like half dead battery slow, when cold.

Ran a jumper cable from the battery to the starter to bypass all the wiring and it still cranked slow.  It is either my starter getting weak or something internal to the engine.  I know I have the soft intake valves issue, but even if the clearances went down to near zero it would still spin at the same speed.

Same bike/same year/same problem and it's always been the same,well for the last 9 years anyway!!.

[oxnsox]

Does it (starter) sound more loaded and laboured when it's slow, or the same as when it's hot?

[blacktiger]

I found a US made Deka battery that tested at 360 cca (spec is 200).  Problem is that the battery was not the problem.  I am having a slow crank issue on my 01.  Spins fast when warm, slow, like half dead battery slow, when cold.

It is normal for the engine to spin slower when cold because the oil is thicker when cold. If it's very slow I would be looking at the oil you're using. If it's too thick at cold temps it would slow the spin on the starter quite a bit. Hence when it's warm and thinned out the engine spins quicker. Triumph do specify a 10W-40 so if you're using a 20W-50 it'll have that effect.

As for Odysey batteries. I wasn't impressed when I bought a gel one for a BM100GS because I was doing a lot of off road with it. It failed after about 15 months because it fell apart internally. Fortunately I still had the original 10 year old Varta OE battery which I put back on.

[Sasquatch]

It is normal for the engine to spin slower when cold because the oil is thicker when cold. If it's very slow I would be looking at the oil you're using. If it's too thick at cold temps it would slow the spin on the starter quite a bit. Hence when it's warm and thinned out the engine spins quicker. Triumph do specify a 10W-40 so if you're using a 20W-50 it'll have that effect.

Aware of that.  I am running 5/40 Rotella synthetic.  It cranks SSLLLOOOOWWW.  Way too slow for the oil to make that much of a difference.  Seems barely fast enough to start.  I checked my dads Tiger and his spins almost as fast cold as it does hot.

When mine is warmed up it cranks fast like it should.

it would actually spin faster if your valves were at zero clearance as you wouldn't have compression to deal with .......

could it be that the starter sprag clutch is going or the starter motor itself
you can ohm the windings in the starter motor which will tell you if you have a set of windings that are kaput . but other than that electric motors don't get weak . if it spins good warm my bet is sprag clutch is slipping

Thought about swapping the starter out with the one on my fathers tigger to see if that makes a difference.  Never thought about the sprag.  Does not feel like anything is slipping under that side, but I would have to pull the cover and see.  It just seems really labored.

Thanks for the input guys.  I am going to get into it this weekend.  I also think the throttle bodies are out of sync, the IAC motor is a bit lazy when cold, and the thermostat is stuck open.  It (wont warm up much when cold out and the radiator heats up at the same rate as the engine.  The radiator should not even see hot coolant until the engine has reached the opening temp of the thermostat.  

I am thinking about checking the valves, just because, while I am in there.

[oxnsox]

So going back to the battery....
If it's not fully up to spec then when the engine is cold it'll have trouble spinning things past the added friction, and when things are warm (including the battery which would have just had a charge) you wouldn't think it had a problem.

[Sasquatch]

So going back to the battery....
If it's not fully up to spec then when the engine is cold it'll have trouble spinning things past the added friction, and when things are warm (including the battery which would have just had a charge) you wouldn't think it had a problem.

That was my first thought.  Hence the reason I searched to fine a Deka battery.  New battery, tons of juice (tested at 360cca), slow crank.

[NKL]

If its not the battery it could be a power drop to the starter motor, check the conections to the starter and solanoid, try bypassing the solanoid, or it could be the brushes in the starter motor are worn out.  Doubt it is the sprag clutch, I find they either work or dont and when they slip they normally try and grip every now and again and you get some horrible clanking noise.

[Mustang]

Doubt it is the sprag clutch, I find they either work or dont and when they slip they normally try and grip every now and again and you get some horrible clanking noise.

not when it first starts going the horrible clacking comes after it is truly screwed
I find that the first symptoms are an inconsistent cranking speed of the motor when cold .............in the very beginning of the spag starting to show it's age
slow fast slow fast , and then one day the clacking starts
usually just before the sprag starts to go clack clack  the cranking speed on  the engine is not fast enough to light it up . due to it slipping
I also find that when trying to start the bike in gear first thing in the morning by just pulling the clutch is extremely hard on the poor old sprag .