Need help troubleshooting no crank

mr_malina · March 21st, 2020, 11:18 PM

I just got a 2008 Ninja 250R, previous owner had it sitting outside under a tarp for a couple years. I can get the bike to crank if I jump the battery to the primary starter wire but not using the start circuit.

What I have done:
*Bike is connected to a car battery at moment, I am sure its not a dead battery issue.
*Verified start button functions
*Jumped clutch safety switch (no change)
*Verified power at start relay and it appears to be working. Also swapped with headlight relay, no change.
*All fuses are good
*Checked the wires on the starter solenoid. Large white wire has power and two small wires appear to be grounded.

My understanding is neutral safety switch is irrelevant since I jumped the clutch switch. I am also under the impression that the kick stand switch wont matter for this test.

What am I missing?

DannoXYZ · March 22nd, 2020, 07:45 AM

Hi Derek and welcome to Ninjette!

BTW - clutch switch has two positions to indicate lever open & closed (SPDT). Make sure you jumped closed position for testing. It's very tempting to leave them jumpered after you've made things "work". You'll want to not permanently jump and bypass any switches as people have died without these safety features. To pinpoint problem, trace and measure both positive & negative sides of starter circuit to make sure it's operating properly.

1. fuses - pull out each and every fuse and measure resistance across its legs. If I had nickel for every time I've heard "fuse looks OK", but fuse doesn't actually conduct electricity... Also measure 30-amp main-fuse at starter-solenoid.

2. positive - with key ON, measure voltage at each junction between battery and starter. Battery -> starter-solenoid -> inlet to ignition switch -> start/stop switch -> starter button -> starter-relay -> starter-solenoid -> starter.

If you find power is gone at some junction, previous segment is at fault. Except between starter-relay and starter-solenoid. No power here usually means ground-terminal of starter-relay isn't grounded. That's done through series of interloc safety switches performing and/or logic.

3. interloc ground switches - Verify continuity/no-continuity (resistance) to ground across switches: clutch-switch squeezed position, neutral switch, kickstand switch. There's a rod that moves when kickstand is up that flips kickstand-switch. Make sure that's aligned and working properly. Also make sure kickstand switch is properly positioned and working correctly when activated.

mr_malina · March 22nd, 2020, 10:29 PM

Got it, thank you. I was on the "interloc ground switches" step and I noticed the neutral safety switch had been rubbed through by the chain. Repaired wire and bike now cranks.

DannoXYZ · March 22nd, 2020, 10:35 PM

Awesome job tracking that down! Guess there's always something new that can go wrong as I've never heard of that happening!

mr_malina · March 22nd, 2020, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DannoXYZ

Awesome job tracking that down! Guess there's always something new that can go wrong as I've never heard of that happening!

Murphy's law

March 21st, 2020, 11:18 PM	#1
mr_malina ninjette.org newbie Name: Derek Location: Shelton, WA Join Date: Mar 2020 Motorcycle(s): 2008 250R Posts: 3	Need help troubleshooting no crank I just got a 2008 Ninja 250R, previous owner had it sitting outside under a tarp for a couple years. I can get the bike to crank if I jump the battery to the primary starter wire but not using the start circuit. What I have done: Bike is connected to a car battery at moment, I am sure its not a dead battery issue. Verified start button functions Jumped clutch safety switch (no change) Verified power at start relay and it appears to be working. Also swapped with headlight relay, no change. All fuses are good Checked the wires on the starter solenoid. Large white wire has power and two small wires appear to be grounded. My understanding is neutral safety switch is irrelevant since I jumped the clutch switch. I am also under the impression that the kick stand switch wont matter for this test. What am I missing?

March 22nd, 2020, 07:45 AM	#2
DannoXYZ ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: AKA JacRyann Location: Mesa, AZ Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T EX250F-street Ninja250R-race CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR VFR750F Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17	Hi Derek and welcome to Ninjette! BTW - clutch switch has two positions to indicate lever open & closed (SPDT). Make sure you jumped closed position for testing. It's very tempting to leave them jumpered after you've made things "work". You'll want to not permanently jump and bypass any switches as people have died without these safety features. To pinpoint problem, trace and measure both positive & negative sides of starter circuit to make sure it's operating properly. 1. fuses - pull out each and every fuse and measure resistance across its legs. If I had nickel for every time I've heard "fuse looks OK", but fuse doesn't actually conduct electricity... Also measure 30-amp main-fuse at starter-solenoid. 2. positive - with key ON, measure voltage at each junction between battery and starter. Battery -> starter-solenoid -> inlet to ignition switch -> start/stop switch -> starter button -> starter-relay -> starter-solenoid -> starter. If you find power is gone at some junction, previous segment is at fault. Except between starter-relay and starter-solenoid. No power here usually means ground-terminal of starter-relay isn't grounded. That's done through series of interloc safety switches performing and/or logic. 3. interloc ground switches - Verify continuity/no-continuity (resistance) to ground across switches: clutch-switch squeezed position, neutral switch, kickstand switch. There's a rod that moves when kickstand is up that flips kickstand-switch. Make sure that's aligned and working properly. Also make sure kickstand switch is properly positioned and working correctly when activated. Last futzed with by DannoXYZ; March 22nd, 2020 at 07:47 PM.

March 22nd, 2020, 10:29 PM	#3
mr_malina ninjette.org newbie Name: Derek Location: Shelton, WA Join Date: Mar 2020 Motorcycle(s): 2008 250R Posts: 3	Got it, thank you. I was on the "interloc ground switches" step and I noticed the neutral safety switch had been rubbed through by the chain. Repaired wire and bike now cranks.
	1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.

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March 22nd, 2020, 10:35 PM	#4
DannoXYZ ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: AKA JacRyann Location: Mesa, AZ Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T EX250F-street Ninja250R-race CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR VFR750F Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17	Awesome job tracking that down! Guess there's always something new that can go wrong as I've never heard of that happening!