is it the battery or something else - wont start hot

zukracer

zukracer

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ok, so I finally found some time to take the busa for a spin today. Its got a newer battery ...well it is probably less than a year old, taken the bike out 2 maybe 3 times on that battery. Its been on a battery tender at all times when not running (thanks Charlie! ) and fired right up this morning, heck fired up 3x this morning. Took it for a ride, maybe an hour or two of average paced riding on a mid 80's day. Stopped for some water and sure enough she wouldnt start afterwards. It would make all the right noises (fuel pump, lights, gauges reset, starter sounded like it was trying) but nothing. I let it sit a while and it seemed to get closer to starting but still nada. Finally pushed it a few blocks to a dealership and jumped it with a jump box. It fired right up.

Now everything I described says battery. My question is this: What else could it be? This battery shouldnt be dead after 3 rides and less than 10 starts having been on the tender at all times should it? I should say that after sitting for 5hrs in Charlie's driveway it fired up and again after sitting for a little while longer in his garage it fired up, having NOT been on the tender since the jump.

I get that I can toss another battery in it but thinking maybe there is something more sinister at hand? Any suggestions as to what I should check next and recommended process for eliminating other issues would be hugely appreciated :bowdown:

Thanks in advance :thumbsup:
 
Last edited:
Typically slow labored starts on a hot engine is a bad battery. I'm not sure if the resistance goes up in the starter on a hot engine or if the heat from the engine transfers to the battery area and weakens the battery.

Is this a good brand sealed battery or did you get a cheap one from a place like Autozone or Walmart that needs the water levels topped up every so often? And if so have you checked the water level of each cell? I have had those types of batteries drop in water level over winter while on a float charger.
 
This is the Golden Rule for a battery.
Never wrong, even if it is brand new.
Wrong voltage and you need a new battery.

Batt Voltage.jpg
 
Voltage readings alone don't cover all the bases. I've had car and motorcycle batteries show 13+ volts with no load and instantly drop to 3 or 4 volts as soon as the ignition switch is turned on activating the headlight.

I have the original '04 Busa battery that will show over 13 volts, start the bike fine when cold but drop down while cranking when hot. Just replaced it two weeks ago because its at the beginning of the end of its life.

Only way that's never wrong is to use a special tester that checks for a full charge and then puts a load on the battery.
 
Its a yuasa battery, the 14 so the larger of the 2 with the higher CCA.

I'll check the voltage, possibly take it and have it tested under load to see? Could it be a starter issue?
 
Turbo-Torch said:
Voltage readings alone don't cover all the bases. I've had car and motorcycle batteries show 13+ volts with no load and instantly drop to 3 or 4 volts as soon as the ignition switch is turned on activating the headlight.

I have the original '04 Busa battery that will show over 13 volts, start the bike fine when cold but drop down while cranking when hot. Just replaced it two weeks ago because its at the beginning of the end of its life.

Only way that's never wrong is to use a special tester that checks for a full charge and then puts a load on the battery.
Click to expand...

Yes if the voltages are in the range quoted, and you are still having trouble, then a load test is desirable.
If the voltages are below the ones quoted, no need for a load test - the battery is toast.
 
Since it's a newer yuasa it's probably good but I'd still have it checked. If it's ok I'd start to question the starter. I don't have the manual handy, but there's probably a resistance check. The ohms reading might be fine when cold but get way out of spec when hot.
 
zukracer said:
ok, so I finally found some time to take the busa for a spin today. Its got a newer battery ...well it is probably less than a year old, taken the bike out 2 maybe 3 times on that battery. Its been on a battery tender at all times when not running (thanks Charlie! ) and fired right up this morning, heck fired up 3x this morning. Took it for a ride, maybe an hour or two of average paced riding on a mid 80's day. Stopped for some water and sure enough she wouldnt start afterwards. It would make all the right noises (fuel pump, lights, gauges reset, starter sounded like it was trying) but nothing. I let it sit a while and it seemed to get closer to starting but still nada. Finally pushed it a few blocks to a dealership and jumped it with a jump box. It fired right up.

Now everything I described says battery. My question is this: What else could it be? This battery shouldnt be dead after 3 rides and less than 10 starts having been on the tender at all times should it? I should say that after sitting for 5hrs in Charlie's driveway it fired up and again after sitting for a little while longer in his garage it fired up, having NOT been on the tender since the jump.

I get that I can toss another battery in it but thinking maybe there is something more sinister at hand? Any suggestions as to what I should check next and recommended process for eliminating other issues would be hugely appreciated :bowdown:

Thanks in advance :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

My bike does this also, I thought maybe it was just the starter having trouble with motor once it's gets pretty hot. I usually just give it a second or try some quick clicks of the starter switch an it gets her going again. Let me know how you do with yours.
 
we had to let red's rest for like 2-3 hrs before it would start again... his been having same problem. not sure what solution he came up with
 
opened up cap cold today, started up, drained some coolant from overflow, let it run........saw some flow from cap hole but it just kept gettin higher & higher after a bit......Think I may just replace thermostat & start there....
Posted via Mobile Device
 
Get the battery load tested. If it checks good then start looking at the starter. Hot engines can be harder to start than a cold one but the bike and starter are designed for that. You may have stated this, but is the motor stock or have you changed compression and/or added some displacement :poke:
 
test the battery, test the carge system, then the starter. standing voltage on a decent battery after sitting overnight should be between 12.2 & 12.6. start bike, run at 2800, using DVOM, battery should read 13.6 or higher. load test battery at Auto-zone. verify '+' & ' - ' connections. using DVOM, monitor battery volt while cranking hot. if passed load test and won't crank or cranks slow.......STARTER
 
Rectifier (voltage regulator)!! Was having the same problem on my 08, would start fine in the morning, go out for an hour ride or so, try to restart and it sounded very sluggish cranking over and would not start, sounded just like a dead battery. The rectifier was fried and the battery was not being charged at all while riding, so if i was out riding for an hour or more the battery was basically dead by the time i got home
 
:poke: when mine did that I pushed it 15 feet and dumped the clutch ...started right up
 
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