Hard Start- Starter problem?

[biggiej42]

My starter feels like it's laboring to start the z up. As of this morning, it won't even start. Just a few cranks. The battery is new as of the summer, and it's always on a trickle charger. It tries to turn over for about half a second, then the main starter power wire starts getting pretty hot. (Relay begins clicking, see video)

Do you think my starter is going bad and pulling high amperage? I don't have my meter at home to measure draw, and I've checked my grounds. I'm going to try jumping it with a pack later and see if that fixes it, but any ideas otherwise?

Is there something i'm missing being at 12.5:1 and no decomp? Should I be adding the drz decompression on this?

The battery is actually hooked up to the trickle charger during this video.

Starter relay - YouTube

Starter relay - YouTube

[chrism102602]

I actually put a starter in my bike last night for the same exact thing. It would crank real slow or the solenoid would click. I put a new battery in it thinking that might be the problem since it was several years old and it didn't change a thing. Swapped it out with another starter I had laying around and it started right up. Funny thing is it just started right after I installed some OSHC's. Not sure if that had anything to do with it or if it was just a couincidence.

[biggiej42]

I picked up a starter on ebay, hopefully that's the problem! I checked all connections, jumped the relay, loosened the starter and re-torqued and all I get is a failed try to start. It'll turn about a quarter turn and then the wires heat up and the relay clicks.

Without my amp clamp, i'm just taking a wild guess that the windings in the motor are going bad and drawing a ton of amps. It's not blowing the fuse, but I think it's enough for the relay to quit.

[TuckerHardRide]

Do you have the right fuse in if its not blowing it?

[biggiej42]

Update: I am sofa king we todd did.

I did have my battery tender hooked up to the z, but someone *cough *cough disconnected it from the wall. Now if my garage was clean, i'd have been able to see that. The battery was not fully charged, and from me messing around, starting it, showing it off, and not riding it for a while, it must have discharged enough to not start (but power everything else).

That being said, I have a glass mat from auto zone in there. It's the second one this year, b/c the last one started it a few times and went totally dead (I have no parasitic draw besides the trail tech).

Any one have a good recommendation on a battery? My stock one lasted 5 years, so I may just go back to one of those.

[z455]

I have the raptor battery. Its taller than the stock one but has way more CCA's. Its also a glass mat from walmart(Everstart). It had sat in 50- degrees in the shop for a few months, put it in and it started the z right up!

if you want I'll go get the P/N

[Tmeder511]

I bought a cheap gel battery off ebay for my warrior last summer and it has exceeded my expectations by far. I always have it on a trickle charger when not in use and it always shows that it fully charged and it has never gotten weak on me. For the price i was a little weary on how it would hold up but it has been one of the best batteries i have ever bought.

ATV Battery YTX9-BS Suzuki LTZ 400 LTZ400 250 QuadSport | eBay

[CFM-Z440]

+1 on the warrior/raptor 350 battery... More cranking amps, smaller, and lighter, but more $$

[biggiej42]

Thanks guys. I found this one with a two year warranty. Anyone have any experience with them?

TruGel Battery Cross Reference & Specs

Ordered the bike master battery, in the raptor/warrior 350 size !

[biggiej42]

So I installed the battery today, and sure enough, same wooter. I forgot my fluke meter at work again this weekend, so i'll have to check it out tomorrow, but i'm pretty sure the starter is bad. Awesome.

[z455]

^^^ thats also what my starter was doing. Some advice, don't try to start it too much, you will might fry your solenoid. ask me how I know The new starter should fix it.

[biggiej42]

Lol, I grabbed a cheap used solenoid on ebay just incase. Thanks!

Which starter did you buy?

[z455]

Used stock one from a member here. Turns my Z over great! Even faster when the valves are cupped

[biggiej42]

Originally Posted by z455

Used stock one from a member here. Turns my Z over great! Even faster when the valves are cupped

I picked one up on ebay...
NEW Starter Motor Suzuki ATV LTZ400 Z QUADSPORT 2003-07 | eBay

Hope it's a good one.

Glad to hear that i'm not the only one that had this issue, and the starter fixed it. On the upside, i've got an extra, perfectly good battery!

[z455]

Wow, Nice price for a new one, I think i paid $40 shipped. But I can't complain it works flawlessly.