New member from Michigan with the dreaded "click problem"

Joesmoe said:

Just grasping at straws here. I remember in the old days, American Fords were known to have weak ring gears, and could have a condition where the starter would lock. Owners facing this condition were careful to park where they could easily budge the car, moving the ring gear a smidge and allowing the starter to engage normally.

And did you say you swapped starters ? Just wondering about the solenoid repair kit that is available.

Either something is preventing the starter from turning, or, as it sounds, a click 90% of the time is not enough electrons are reaching the windings in the starter motor, because a battery (much discussion here in past years about the deceiving reading of a meter, and the need for.a load test to understand what the battery is really doing when called to serve) - or, there is a significant drain somewhere competing with the starter when the button is pushed, making the battery carry its load, uphill, as it were.

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Nutcase76 said:

Yes I've swapped starters. Originally I put the new Toyota motor on the original starter. Once that didnt cure it, I took the complete starter from the black bike and installed it in the red bike. Again, I had clicking even with the starter from the black bike in it. The red bike starter is still in the black bike and it has never clicked once.
I bought 1 new battery and installed it in the red bike. Load tested fine but still had click. Pulled battery from black bike and installed in red bike and still no change. Voltage drain doesn't seem to be the issue. I'm not exaggerating when I say that sometimes it can take 30 or 40 pushes of the start button for it to finally start. You would think that every time I push button it would drain a tad bit as the headlights are going on and off each time. When it finally decides to engage, it turns over completely fine with no slowness whatsoever. And it's completely random. Today it started on the 1st push each time but tomorrow it will go back to clicking a ton. I can start the bike 3 or 4 times in a row just fine and the next time I get the click. Sometimes it starts after 3 or 4 attempts and sometimes its 30? Just completely frustrating.

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Pete said:

hey nutcase
Search for “the famous starter click” to see info on solving the click on my roadster. Triumph copper crimp terminals are sh!t, the female side loses tension with a bit of heat. I found the female terminals inside the start relay holder needed to be removed and squashed a little bit with pliers to make sure they gave a good connection with the male spade terminal on the relay. Bad connection at the start relay stops a full 12v getting to the starter resulting in a click when the start solenoid closes but does not have enough voltage to turn the starter.

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Joesmoe said:

It's going to be something simple, when you find it. Sufficient electricity is clearly NOT getting to the starter.

FWIW, I had a 1971 Jaguar E-Type Series III that had that. I replaced the starter twice. I was stuck on the road once, used a pay phone (remember those ?) to call a Jaguar mechanic. He said the open the bonnet and put a screw driver just so on the firewall, and the car started. Got the car to him, and he said it was (then) a $12 GM relay.

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Starmanut said:

A shot in the dark here. This happened to me. You may not have the same thing, but there are two wires coming off of the + Battery terminal. The smaller one on my bike was shorting out on the frame near the first plug. BUT that did not cause just a click, made my speedo and all go nuts and of course no start. It is an easy check, though, just behind the right side cover. Might be a possible power drain spot.

And welcome from Utah. Hope you get it figured out!!

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Joesmoe said:

Just grasping at straws here. I remember in the old days, American Fords were known to have weak ring gears, and could have a condition where the starter would lock. Owners facing this condition were careful to park where they could easily budge the car, moving the ring gear a smidge and allowing the starter to engage normally.

And did you say you swapped starters ? Just wondering about the solenoid repair kit that is available.

Either something is preventing the starter from turning, or, as it sounds, a click 90% of the time is not enough electrons are reaching the windings in the starter motor, because a battery (much discussion here in past years about the deceiving reading of a meter, and the need for.a load test to understand what the battery is really doing when called to serve) - or, there is a significant drain somewhere competing with the starter when the button is pushed, making the battery carry its load, uphill, as it were.

Click to expand...