RyanT Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Hi, I have a 1998 Honda VFR and the engine won't start up. I can turn on the bike and the fuel injection works but when I press the ignition switch the bike completely turns off but turns back on when I let go of the switch. I got a fully charged new battery and a new starter but those did not work. I was wondering if anyone would be able to help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer DannoXYZ Posted February 7, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 7, 2023 Do these 2 measurements: 1. battery voltage with everything OFF. volts = ??? 2. battery voltage when pushing START-button, volts = ??? Make sure to put probes on battery-terminals themselves and not any of cabling. Also as test, jump-start bike from know-good auto-battery. That is, it starts car just fine. Leave car off, we're just borrowing its battery. Even better, remove battery from car and bring to bike. Because, inevitably out of desperation, car always seems to get turned on. Which will fry bike's regulator and perhaps some wiring as well, making things much worse. Redo those 2 tests above after attaching jumper cables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Lorne Posted February 7, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 7, 2023 3 hours ago, RyanT said: Hi, I have a 1998 Honda VFR and the engine won't start up. I can turn on the bike and the fuel injection works but when I press the ignition switch the bike completely turns off but turns back on when I let go of the switch. I got a fully charged new battery and a new starter but those did not work. I was wondering if anyone would be able to help? Before digging out any tools check that: 1. the kill switch is in the run position 2. bike in neutral or clutch lever is pulled Next step is to check the side stand switch is functioning correctly. Good luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer DannoXYZ Posted February 7, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 7, 2023 Some related threads: https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=335199 - 13.6v https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=74813 https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=61661 - charging fixed https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=113945 https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=368961 https://www.motorcycleforum.com/threads/battery-problem.95559/#post-634109 https://www.motorcycleforum.com/threads/new-battery.122626/ - 14.21v https://www.motorcycleforum.com/threads/starting-problems.80408/#post-485100 https://www.mvagusta.net/threads/bi...oltage-12-52-really-not-enough-voltage.41789/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanT Posted February 7, 2023 Author Share Posted February 7, 2023 Thanks for the websites I will take a look at them. I tried what you said and tried to jumpstart my bike but the starter click and the bike died again. With the bike off the voltage was 12.54 and with the bike on it was 11.36. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer DannoXYZ Posted February 7, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 7, 2023 Well, that's some progress as clicking is improvement over nothing. Did you jumpstart from good auto battery? That you confirmed starts car? Did you measure voltages after connecting jumper cables? Sounds like jumper battery was barely any better than your moto battery. Or cables didn't get good bite. Wiggle them around after clamping. Put battery on trickle charger overnight. Want it +13v before trying to start bike. here's mine with everything OFF and during cranking with START-button pressed Your voltage-drop from 12.54v OFF to 11.36 ON is extreme. Now do voltage measurement when you have START-button pressed and everything dims. Volts = ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdgenred Posted February 9, 2023 Share Posted February 9, 2023 Posts 2 & 3 for sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toreckman Posted February 10, 2023 Share Posted February 10, 2023 On 2/7/2023 at 2:06 PM, RyanT said: Hi, I have a 1998 Honda VFR and the engine won't start up. I can turn on the bike and the fuel injection works but when I press the ignition switch the bike completely turns off but turns back on when I let go of the switch. I got a fully charged new battery and a new starter but those did not work. I was wondering if anyone would be able to help? Sounds similar to the issue I am having, I also think it is the battery as others have posted, I have a new one to in tomorrow myself. Do you know the age of your battery? Is the bike in regular use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanT Posted February 10, 2023 Author Share Posted February 10, 2023 Ok sorry for the late reply to everyone but I had time today to test out my battery. I tried my lead acid battery I got in November and with everything off the volts were at 11.4 and when I pressed the starter the volts dropped down to 4.3 and the bike died. I thought it was an battery issue so I got a new agm battery on Tuesday and then it hooked that up with everything off the volts were at 11.99 and when I pressed the starter the volts dropped to 0. I am wondering if I just got bad luck with the batteries I got or is something else wrong other then the battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer jefferson Posted February 10, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 10, 2023 Get the batteries full charged and get them load tested. Sounds like you have a large draw on the battery when you turn the key on. You need to find out what is pulling so much juice. Are you getting a large spark when you connect the cables up to the battery? Voltage on a fully charged battery should be 12.6 or better with nothing hooked up. That battery you got in November has been sitting for at least 3 months and would have been discharging all that time which explains the 11.4 voltage. Thats for all intents and purposes dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanT Posted February 10, 2023 Author Share Posted February 10, 2023 Ok thank you I will buy a battery charger and hook that up to the battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer bmart Posted February 10, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 10, 2023 A trick to revive wet/AGM batteries is to connect them in parallel with a very good 12V battery. I use my car, then charge. I've resurrected more than one battery like that and they've lasted for many years after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer DannoXYZ Posted February 10, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 10, 2023 2 hours ago, RyanT said: Ok sorry for the late reply to everyone but I had time today to test out my battery. I tried my lead acid battery I got in November and with everything off the volts were at 11.4 and when I pressed the starter the volts dropped down to 4.3 and the bike died. I thought it was an battery issue so I got a new agm battery on Tuesday and then it hooked that up with everything off the volts were at 11.99 and when I pressed the starter the volts dropped to 0. I am wondering if I just got bad luck with the batteries I got or is something else wrong other then the battery. New batteries do not come fully charged and needs to be topped off before using. New battery at 11.99v is completely dead. You want it well over 13v before using. Also should do confirmation test with known-good auto-battery with tonne of reserve capacity. This will confirm or deny jefferson's idea of short somewhere drawing power. Or locked up engine would do this as well. Either way, big battery will provide more useful data to work with. Although, pretty confident your issue is dead-battery to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanT Posted February 11, 2023 Author Share Posted February 11, 2023 Ok that sounds good I am looking at chargers and I am debating between these two. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W46BX31/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00068XCQU/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=AC0UA62Z9ZBMG&psc=1 When I get a chance to I will do a confirmation test and thanks all of you for all your help so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer DannoXYZ Posted February 11, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 11, 2023 Noco looks better. Has desulphate mode and works with lithium batteries too! 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrcapn Posted February 11, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 11, 2023 And another charger option, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06X9GGNZC/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanT Posted February 11, 2023 Author Share Posted February 11, 2023 Thanks for the suggestions, I got the Noco battery charger with overnight shipping so I'll charge up my battery and see if that works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanT Posted February 13, 2023 Author Share Posted February 13, 2023 Ok so I charged my battery overnight and got it load lested at auto zone. They said its a good battery so I went to try to start my bike. With everything off the volts are at 12.90 and when I press the start engine the volts dropped down to 6.90 again. Someone suggested I should try a good branded battery so I will look into that. If anyone has suggestions for a good battery or another solution I would greatly appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanT Posted February 13, 2023 Author Share Posted February 13, 2023 I have found these two batteries that both have been recommended for the 5th gen. https://www.amazon.com/MotoBatt-MBTX12U-Factory-Activated-QuadFlex/dp/B003YMRH70 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DCXIJJG?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1&ref_=navm_ftr_fullsite&th=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer jefferson Posted February 13, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 13, 2023 If the battery load tested ok then you need to look else where. Try jumping straight to the starter and see if it spins. Sounds like the starter may be the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Captain 80s Posted February 13, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 13, 2023 16 minutes ago, jefferson said: Sounds like the starter may be the issue. On 2/7/2023 at 6:06 AM, RyanT said: I got a fully charged new battery and a new starter but those did not work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Ughandi Posted February 13, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 13, 2023 Could even try push-starting her just to isolate if it's a starter motor issue. Even on low voltage you should still be able to turn her over using inertia. Once/if she fires up, let her run and charge that battery you got... then... we'll cross the next bridge when you get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer jefferson Posted February 14, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 14, 2023 Just because the starter is new doesn't mean it's good. New might also mean rebuilt. Easy way to eliminate it as the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Captain 80s Posted February 14, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 14, 2023 1 hour ago, jefferson said: Just because the starter is new doesn't mean it's good. New might also mean rebuilt. Easy way to eliminate it as the problem. Yes, obviously. I haven't come across "new - rebuilt" starters in the Honda motorcycle world though, like cars. And the chances of 2 starters failing in the exact same way is pretty slim. But, you're certainly right, not impossible and you never know. "New" could just mean "different", don't think he definitively specified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrcapn Posted February 14, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted February 14, 2023 With everything off the volts are at 12.90 and when I press the start engine the volts dropped down to 6.90 again. You’ve mentioned this several times in this thread. Have you opened up the start switch to make sure it’s good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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