I have been having an issue with my bike not wanting to start when the temperature gets below about 45 degrees. It starts but it turns over really slow and I get that VINERR code every once in a while. One morning while trying to go home from work it wouldn't start at all. It was 33 degrees that morning. I had to jump start it.

I tested the battery and everything looks good. It shows 12.7 volts while off, doesn't drop below 9.0 volts while cranking, usually around 9.5 to 10.0, and 13.9 volts while running. This is while it is about 60 degrees in my garage.

So I disassembled everything to check and clean up all the connections and this is what I found on the starter assembly. A lot of corrosion. I disconnected the wires and cleaned up the connections and the terminal on the starter the best I could but I'm wondering if this is something that warrants replacement of the starter. Also, what else should I check? All I have is a multimeter and I really can't afford to take it to the dealer right now. Thanks for any help.

 

Here is what I found when I dug deeper


https://www.hdforums.com/forum/gener...ry-cables.html


I replaced the stock cables with some 2 ga, most of the stock cables are adequate at best. Since I had been having this go on for a while I was concerned about low voltage to the relay so I also replaced the starter relay, inexpensive part that can be gotten at any auto parts store.


Some dielectric grease when you put it all back together should help to slow the corrosion also.

 

I would clean up the connection real good, then put some Dirichlet grease on it. I would also clean the other connections like the ground especially where it connects to the frame. Also do you use a battery tender?

 

Thanks guys. I did clean all of the connections, including the one that connects to the frame. I guess I will have to disassemble again and apply some dielectric grease. I will also check the cables closer and may buy some thicker guage ones when I can. And I do have a battery tender but have not used it yet. I ride just about every day but I did put the pig tail on today. I have to get an extension cord since my garage only has one outlet, which is to far away from my bike.

 

Yeah, good Idea to charge it, with the corrosion you haven't been putting back as much charge as you normally would so the battery may be a little weak.

 

The important part of that cable is under the rubber boot,where the actual cable is crimped into the end. With that much corrosion visible,it's possible that you are losing some contact between the cable and cable end.
A new cable is cheap.

Ah I just checked out stereoguy's pics. That's what I'm talking about,and they don't even have to look that bad,to lose a lot of voltage at those ends.

 

I had a similar problem. no corrosion but I was getting the same type of heart starting with the code. In the end turned out my battery had a bad cell in it. A bad cell in the battery won't show on a normal multimeter test.

 

Well it did turn out to be the battery which I didn't think was likely because it was less than a year old. Went and had it tested and they said it's capacity was way low. So there went another $100. Oh well. I still need to check the cables though. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

Doesn't matter if you ride it Daily. If you don't put it on a battery tender periodically it will shorten the life of the battery.

 

I'm having trouble understanding why this would be the case unless I only do very short rides. The battery gets charged every time I ride it. I don't have to put my truck on a battery tender and I don't drive it nearly as much as I ride. It goes weeks, sometimes months, at a time without even being started. How often are you saying I need to put it on a tender? Weekly? Monthly? Because I refuse to do it every day unless it's not being ridden.