2000 here. Bike ran fine during summer and battery got low over winter. Replaced battery in spring and now starter not cranking at all. everything lit up and seemed fine. Hit the starter button and relay clicked and headlight dimmed. i spent the money and got the relay upgrade and installed it. same exact problem. This is driving me crazy. Any ideas? thank you in advance.

It sounds like your starter is frozen. Just curious if you have tried to bump start it. Get a few people behind pushing and try it in 2nd or 3rd to make sure it will run. Hopefully the motor isn't seized up. Have not run into this yet on the forum so I am sure others will chime in with ideas.

are sure you have refitted all the wires to the battery?, could be in reverse, could be side stand switch you need to check all these components if it has been sitting for so long, it could literally be anything good Luck.

Hate to ask something simple, but are you sure the kill switch is completely in the "run" position? I constantly make that mistake.

Make sure the transmission is in neutral to eliminate the sidestand switch ... It should start with the stand down in neutral.

You did the starter relay upgrade but maybe you have a loose connection on the upgrade?

Also try and see if the starter will crank with jumper cables applied directly to it (bypassing the relay). If it cranks, it ain't the starter.

You might want to load test the battery. It might not have the beans to turn the motor over.

Yes, just because the battery is new or newer, does not eliminate it from possibilities. You need to put a volt meter on it when you try to start the bike. If it drops lower than 9.5 or 10 volts there is a problem. Also the problem might be a frozen starter drawing lots of current (lights dimming). Not unusual for the old style starters to have a field magnet fall off inside the starter jamming things.

I did try to connect the starter directly to a running truck via jumper cables with everything else disconnected. the starter cranked over some but i think i had a poor connection from the positive wire off the starter ( the small flat round factory connector to the teeth of jumper cables) and the starter was cranking the engine but spotty.

To my best knowledge the wires on the battery are all connected. I checked all the wires that i could find to and from battery/starter for corrosion and tightness. All seemed fine. As for all the other switches i am trying to figure out how to test them all. That is my next step.

Just tried it. Battery at 12.69V key off. Key on it went to 12.45V (dash lights and headlight on). Hit starter button relay clicks then went to 11.45V. let off button back around 12.45V. Key off back to 12.69V

I think you have to pull the starter and have it tested. After that, make sure you clean it inside and out and provide some lubrication before you reassemble it an reinstall.

The starter should be turning at that voltage because the rely would not click if it was below 11 volts period. I would re-look your installation of the new relay to make sure you have the correct wires tied together tightly at the relay since you attached pigtails from the new relay to existing wiring.


You can also try jumping with only one wire from your own battery (+) to this tie point behind the battery where the starter wire is located. Don't even need the key on to see if starter is spinning.

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Having similar problems with my 2004 with the newer style relay. Hit the starter button and just hear a click from the relay. Battery is always on charger when not in use, voltage is at 13V etc. Just wondering if relay is fubarred? Stripped the old girl down and removed the relay, tried getting one of our Tech guys at work to test the relay, but they weren't sure if they would fry it by putting a full 12V through it.

Considering purchasing a new relay, but at $235 CDN for a new one, I want to make sure it is in fact the relay? Any suggestions? I did try a push start with the bike in second gear down the slope out of my garage, she fired up right away and ran just fine. Went down the road and back, shut it off in the garage...hit the starter...nuthin!! I'm thinking it is in fact the relay...any other opinions?

If 12V fries a 12V relay, then it was defective to start with.

That's what I thought, according the the Techs, they've never seen a relay quite like it. It's a little more complex than the average relay they normally see. From what they tell me, it's got some type of transistor in it and they were worried that it might be fed by 5V from a source within the electrical box. just thought I'd see if anyone know anything about them?

I have thankfully not had any trouble with mine and am not real familiar with them. I think JohnZ is probably the resident expert.

My recollection is that BMW had some issues with relays sticking when battery voltage was low. I suspect the high current draw at low voltage was overheating the contacts, but I don't know the root cause for sure. I believe the later relays had a voltage sense circuit added to prevent relay actuation if the voltage was too low to crank the engine at the desired RPM. It certainly would be wise to have a wiring diagram to properly identify the relay terminals. Or search the forum as I believe this relay has been discussed at length in the past. Or wait until JZ has time to reply.

Thanks Voyager, I'll search around the old forums and see what I can find. I'm starting to suspect the relay is fubarred...

Yes, low voltage is a serious problem, thus protection. The low voltage creates a high current flow situation and the main contacts weld closed. Smoke ensues.
(be cautious about assuming batteries are okay just because you keep it charged, occasionally they are not and only a load test shows the truth. Voltage should not drop below 10 volts with a starter load on it.)

I did try boosting with a charge pack to ensure there was enough voltage running through the battery. Would that be enough or should I be load testing the battery? I did put a voltage meter on it and is at 13V with key off, drops to 11.9 with key turned on and all dash lights and headlamp on, still just a click in the starter relay. As I stated earlier, I did push start the bike and it fired up without issue did a run round the block and returned, shut off and still no starter.

If the relay is clicking then there is an issue down stream. It is a complex circuit inside the blue relay box. It ties into other circuits and also measures the battery voltage before it will engage the relay portion in the blue box. First one is original old relay then the retrofited relay.

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I was hoping to avoid pulling the starter but i may have no choice.

I will try jumping the starter directly. It seems that they are a pain to replace. i hope it is not the problem.

Sorry to piggyback/hijack on to your thread Adamhieatt...I think it has been a great help though!

I pulled the battery this morning, checked voltage and it's up at 14V, however, I removed the maintenance fill caps to check water levels, to my surprise it was bone dry in every cell! I'm thinking my problem is definitely the battery and not the starter relay. Doh!!....Should've done that first thing instead of over thinking it and stripping the old girl naked!

I'll try installing a new battery and hopefully the problem is solved? If not, it's back to the drawing board? I'll post if the problem is solved, if not, I'll continue the investigation. Thanks in advance to those who chimed in to offer their advice and thanks Adamhieatt for originating the thread, again, my apologies for hijacking.


Dan

If you are measuring 14V open circuit on a 12V battery, then something is seriously wrong with your voltmeter.

meter is working fine. Most 12V systems are actually putting out 14V or very close to it. Try your meter on a charger some time or if you check the charging system on your vehicle, it will usually read over 13.5 volts. Just sayin....

You said you "pulled the battery" which generally means to remove it and then checked the voltage. You didn't say you were measuring the alternator output voltage. It pays to clearly state what you actually did.

Just sayin'...

I do believe that was my original suggestion WAY up at the top of the page…

No problem

It was and i appreciate it. I tried that before and the starter did crank but it was a spotty crank, not constant. It didn't seem to be dragging, but more of a bad connection it seemed. possibly from the small flat connector on the wire to the tooth on the jumper cable. Going to check it again now. Thanks again for the suggestion.

Slow or spotty cranking starter with 12volts directly supplied by jumper cables would indicate to me that you need to pull the starter and thoroughly clean, check for physical damage, repair if warranted, lubricate and reassemble. Good luck. Let's us know what your outcome is.

Thanks Biometrics, I just direct jumped the starter again and nothing this time. Starter didn't even attempt to do anything whereas before it was spotty then stopped responding. I thought it was a bad connection but it appears to be a bad starter unfortunately. After volt testing everything to starter and all seemed fine it must just be the starter. I will try to find a good thread or two on the procedure. Thanks again to you sir and everyone else for taking the time to reply.

There are 61 listed on eBay from new ($150) to "pulls" ($24)!

One more shot is to remove the starter wire from the tie point behind the battery (see my earlier post). Then snake it out to where you can see the other end on the starter. Does it look tight? If so now touch the free end of that wire to the battery (+) and see if the starter spins. If it does not you might as well prepare for a clutch change while you have the transmission removed for the starter replacement.

And... on another note it could be a bad ground for the starter. Check this bolt and make sure it is tight then make sure the brown wires are tight on the transmission.

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I tried what you said and nothing. looks like i am going to have to tear it apart. Is the clutch a pain to do as well?

Since both tasks require the removal of the transmission - you really only want to do that once. You may want to look over this article to get an idea what you are up against.

And look through this thread

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File Type: pdf

Changing a Main Seal and Clutch Slave Cylinder Guide.pdf (3.87 MB, 240 views)

Just a quick update on my starting issue. Problem solved! Turns out it was the battery aferall. I should've done a load test right from the start instead of relying only on the voltage readings I was getting. I've learned that the voltage reading from the meter only tells part of the story...lesson learned. Thanks for the input and advice to all.


Dan

So, what did you're volt meter tell you when you had your meter hooked to the battery, volts selected,you turned on the ignition and pressed the starter button. It should have stayed above 10 volts. If it dropped below, it is a good test for the battery load. Problem is a high voltage drop can occur with a damaged starter also, so it is a process of elimination. First and primary suspect is the battery even if it is new or "in good condition" or "on a battery tender all the time". Reading electrical problem threads over the years, so many times it is the battery. And many of those the owner swears the battery is fine. As you found, a load test really helped. I have a nifty little electronic battery tester made by the folks who make Optimate chargers, works slick and is fast. Cost a few bucks though.

Beech,

If I had $10 every time someone on a forum told me:
"I am sure my battery is good as it is new ...OR... I just tested it and it is good ...OR... garage / AutoZone told me it was good... whatever..."
I think I would be rich adding these up ;-)

In more than 50% cases similar to this one, it is the battery. Sadly, very few understand elementary tests you can do to confirm this...even with a simple VoltMeter as you have explained above. Also, failure to do simple checks like BOTH battery poles being clean and tight is not rocket science.

So i got the starter off and it is bad. Does anybody have any suggestions in particular for an aftermarket starter or are they all about the same in your opinion?

Dealer or junk yard (beemerboneyard.com) are about your only choices. Or e-bay.

Ebay as JZ said has a bunch listed. If you need a Viton O-ring for doing the clutch while you have it apart, I can send you one. Your profile is not complete enough for me to know where you are and I don't see it mentioned in the thread yet but PM me with your address and I will send one if you are going to do the clutch while you have it all apart. Even if it isn't leaking yet, it is a good idea to take care of it while you have the transmission out.

I had Phil at Phil's Starter & Alternator in Cherryville North Carolina rebuild my starter. Phil is a Bosch factory trained re-builder.

Get yourself an Odyssey PC 680 battery it's the best out there for these bikes. Also I believe the Mothership (BMW) says NOT to push/jump start the bike...

Hi. I have the same problem but I have tried a few different good batteries as well as portable jumper with no luck. My question is, if the starter relay clicks, as in my case, does that mean that the relay does make the power connection to the starter? And that if I have to access the starter relay and then the starter, is there any instructions as to how to do it step by step preferably with pictures?
I have a 2001 which was working fine till battery got weak and I got it going a couple of times jumping it till it stoped cranking while all the lights are on ok. Been a Virago rider, just switched to the wonderful K1200LT.
Thanks for your inputs

Welcome to the forum houmem24. If you are hearing the relay click but the starter is not turning, you can do a test to see if it is making the connection to the starter. You can see the starter if you look deep in front of the battery and you can see the power wire bolted to it. If you can get a volt meter on that starter screw post and test for voltage when you press the button and hear that relay click, it will tell you if the relay is good or not.

I am not recommending you do this but some have used a long screwdriver and connected the positive battery post to that screw ( carefully ) to make sure the starter will try and turn when voltage is applied.

There are some tie points under the seat just in front of the rear fender where the starter wire connects and then back to the relay under the tank. Make sure those are clean and tight. They are fairly low about half way down from the battery top.

One more thing to check for while you are looking at the starter through that opening is the grounding screw that holds the starter. Look back in this thread to post #32 by jzeller for a picture of where that screw is. If it is missing or lose, tighten it first then do your tests.

If all that is done and you don't get 12V to the starter when you press the button, I would say that your relay is very likely bad. Since you have a 2001, I would replace it with the retrofit starter harness and blue relay as it has safegaurds built in to prevent relay fusing if the battery gets low. Later models already have this installed. If by chance this relay was installed by someone on your bike already, there should be a white tag on the diagnostic plug saying ANLASSERMODUL from the kit pictured below If you already have this relay and they don't go bad very often, then you would buy the new blue replacement relay only and not the kit. The original is black.

61 35 7 663 945 SET: RETROFIT KIT, STARTER MODULE (to 05/01) 0.24 1 $222.36

Yes, the kit is expensive but worthwhile to install if you don't have it already.

Let us know what you find.

Edited to add the picture referenced.

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Thanks a lot Gordon,

I am so glad to have joined this Forum to enjoy kind people like you.

Very wise advices. As they say, always start with the simplest and cheapest possibility of what may be wrong. I just was not sure if to access the starter I have to take the fairings and the tank off (big and scary job, at least to do it for the first time). I will do the starter tests once back in town and will let you know.

As for the relay, if bad, I will upgrade it for sure. I don't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere and regret not having spent the $222. he battery may drain without you noticing and catch you when you least expected. I will not know if it has been upgraded by the previous owner until taking the fairing etc. apart if I had to. Funny thing is that my bike was produced some 300 before they upgraded the relay in the production line (bad timing!).

Thanks again,
Shawn

On the same subject. Though you and especially jzeiler have covered the issue extensively, from my experience in working on my Land Rover, if the relay clicks, it means the magnet inside is doing the job making the connection.In such a case one must follow the path looking at the starter. I am not educated in the field but have always tried to learn using common sense and teachings like those of yours and jzeiler.
Cheers,
Shawn

On the same subject and though you and especially jzeiler have covered the subject extensively, I have learned from working on my Land Rover that once the relay clicks, it means the magnet works and the power is sent to the starter. I am not educated in the field, but have tried to learn using common sense and enjoy teachings from people like you and jzeiler.

Cheers
Shawn

Here is a picture of those tie points. You can jump from the battery positive to the starter tie point to bypass the relay.

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Had that from your other posting jzeiler. Thanks very much.

Update:

Connected the positive to the starter...nothing.
Banged on the starter (based on previous experience with my car), turned for a fraction of a second.
Assuming that if the starter is turning a bit then the relay is doing the job and the starter is moving freely and getting the power from the relay, and that the juice is not enough, due to repeated cranking efforts, boosted it with another source.
Bang, started right away.
It was a good learning experience for me and I am sure for others with similar problem.
Appreciate the help.
Cheers
Shawn