Stumped

Thundersam

New Member
I have an 2008 EFI Mastiff that has me thoroughly confused at the moment. I went out to start up my bike and quickly found out I would not be having any such luck. I had weak lights, and the bike would barely crank. Having had battery issues before I opted to just purchase and install a new battery. The new battery is in and, as directed by the warning sticker on the bike, I turned the key on, hit "run" then turned the key off for 15 sec to allow the control module to reset. When I turned the key back on I had full lights/electrical, but the bike wouldn't start, crank, turn over ... nothing. I tried unhooking the battery and starting the entire process over again, but ended up with the same results.

Any ideas on either where I went wrong on the battery installation or what I need to do to get my bike running again? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sam
 

dingo

First 50
Did you get any clicking ?

Presuming the battery is kept on a tender (if not, it should be :D), I would first double check the connections to the starter.

Please don't forget to post an Into.....:2thumbs:
 

Staffy

Active Member
its not clear - did is CRANK with the new battery installed?
If yes the next step would be to check the spark...make sure GAS is making it to the carb...DO NOT CONTINUE TO CRANK the engine aimlessly - just a couple of spins and it should fire up....
Also, has the bike been sitting around for a while? What is the temp around where you live? Although not a big fan - do try starting with the ENRICHER engaged...
Let us know how you make out - Good luck....
(there is an excellent thread on how to....check the spark. Please do a search...if all fails next steps - the dreaded...ignition/EHC trouble shooting....lol..should be something real small hang in there.)
 

Raywood

The Pirate
Staff member
Calendar Participant
Troop Supporter
When you turn the key on do you hear the fuel pump running?
Might check the circuit breaker and see if it tripped.

You won't find an enrichener so don't bother looking.

Give us some more info

:cheers:
 

Thundersam

New Member
Unfortunately my bike has been sitting for a while. It's been snowing like crazy with high temps around 38 and lows around 10, so riding conditions have been less than ideal.

After I installed the new battery and turned the key on, I did hear the fuel pump running. Unfortunately, after I turned the key off, waited the 15 seconds and tried to fire it up, it did not crank at all.

I'll check the connections, circuit breaker (not even sure where to look for that one) and do see what happens from there.

Thanks
 

Raywood

The Pirate
Staff member
Calendar Participant
Troop Supporter
Unfortunately my bike has been sitting for a while. It's been snowing like crazy with high temps around 38 and lows around 10, so riding conditions have been less than ideal.

After I installed the new battery and turned the key on, I did hear the fuel pump running. Unfortunately, after I turned the key off, waited the 15 seconds and tried to fire it up, it did not crank at all.

I'll check the connections, circuit breaker (not even sure where to look for that one) and do see what happens from there.

Thanks
Ok, get it on a battery tender. Your owners manual tells you that it looses 2% per day so take care of it.
Search and you will find plenty on what the circuit breaker looks like. But it's just a little siver box with 2 large battery wires going to it. It has a little black reset button on it.

:cheers:
 

mobsta

Well-Known Member
if the bike cranked slowly with the old battery and now nothing with the new battery i would check the connections,look for a wire that didnt get connected and maybe a circut breaker that ray said but why would you check for fuel flow?good luck:cheers:
 

bigdogtech01

Well-Known Member
its not clear - did is CRANK with the new battery installed?
If yes the next step would be to check the spark...make sure GAS is making it to the carb...DO NOT CONTINUE TO CRANK the engine aimlessly - just a couple of spins and it should fire up....
Also, has the bike been sitting around for a while? What is the temp around where you live? Although not a big fan - do try starting with the ENRICHER engaged...
Let us know how you make out - Good luck....
(there is an excellent thread on how to....check the spark. Please do a search...if all fails next steps - the dreaded...ignition/EHC trouble shooting....lol..should be something real small hang in there.)
He has an EFI bike, Fuel injected, not carb.
 

bigdogtech01

Well-Known Member
I have an 2008 EFI Mastiff that has me thoroughly confused at the moment. I went out to start up my bike and quickly found out I would not be having any such luck. I had weak lights, and the bike would barely crank. Having had battery issues before I opted to just purchase and install a new battery. The new battery is in and, as directed by the warning sticker on the bike, I turned the key on, hit "run" then turned the key off for 15 sec to allow the control module to reset. When I turned the key back on I had full lights/electrical, but the bike wouldn't start, crank, turn over ... nothing. I tried unhooking the battery and starting the entire process over again, but ended up with the same results.

Any ideas on either where I went wrong on the battery installation or what I need to do to get my bike running again? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sam
I have had a couple of the early EFI bikes actually loose the memory in the EFI ignition module. I had to hook it into the computer and upload the information back into it. BDM claims this was caused by having a dead battery in the bike for too many months. The lights still worked with the bikes but they would not start at all.
Make sure all the wires are hooked up and not loose in the connections to the battery. The EFI bike are very sensitive to any electrical malfunction, such as a loose or broken wire. I repair almost every EFI bike we had on the floor, installing new ends on the wires ( small 16ga ) that hook onto the battery posts. Be a good idea to check them all and put some new ends on.
 

woodbutcher

Mr. Old Fart member #145
Staff member
even though the battery is new, check to make sure it is at full charge. new does not mean adequate.
 

knucklehead

Member
even though the battery is new, check to make sure it is at full charge. new does not mean adequate.
What kind of battery did you buy? The same thing happened to me when I bought a cheap Batteries Plus battery. It was rated over 300 cca's and tested fine at the store but wouldn't turn my bike over. I replaced it with a Harley softail battery and it fired right up!
 

KnotSo

Admin
Staff member
It has been my experience that most new batteries are not fully charged, and in fact they could have been sitting in a warehouse losing 2% (daily) of their charge untill you picked it up. You may want to unhook it and fully charge it up then try again.:cheers:
 
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Throttle

Member
My EFI, you turn the key on, engage the fuel injection system after the light goes out, than press the starter button. Otherwise, it will not turn over when you press the starter button. You will have lights, no action.
 
Thundersam,

Sorry to hear about your problem.
By buying a new battery, you've done the right thing there. :2thumbs:
But as others here have mentioned, the use of a tender is "mandatory" on these dogs to insure a constantly fully charged battery. :2thumbs:
But forget the issue of EFI not working, if you can hear the pump running, then it's most likely ok.

As others have mentioned :yesnod:, check your starter connections very carefully, especially the small green wire (trigger wire) going to the starter. Somewhere, either in the external electrical connections of the starter or internally, it sounds like it's developed condensation which has also caused a bad connection.
Once you've ensured that you have "good" battery connections and "VOLTAGES" at the starter. Then check the little green wire, disconnected, to see if it has around +/-8.8 dc volts with nothing on, that would be correct! Then check the little green wire, disconnected, when you try to start the bike. The voltage should then climb to +/-12.8 dc volts. If not, then your EHC is not sending the proper signal, but if so, reconnect and move on and try to start.
If the starter clicks, it may only be a bad solenoid contact plate.
If it doesn't click, it could be bad brush contacts with the armature. This has been commonly known to happen, especially with bikes that have sat for some period of time of with environmental variations.
If this is the case, I'd suggest that you take the starter off and take it to an starter & alternator rebuild shop for repair.

Good Luck! :2thumbs:

dead :cheers:
 
Last edited:

mobsta

Well-Known Member
do you have an alarm system?i believe paul had the issue of changing battery and no start,all lights worked,by replacing the battery it set the alarm and would not crank,just something to look at
 

bigdogtech01

Well-Known Member
I have an 2008 EFI Mastiff that has me thoroughly confused at the moment. I went out to start up my bike and quickly found out I would not be having any such luck. I had weak lights, and the bike would barely crank. Having had battery issues before I opted to just purchase and install a new battery. The new battery is in and, as directed by the warning sticker on the bike, I turned the key on, hit "run" then turned the key off for 15 sec to allow the control module to reset. When I turned the key back on I had full lights/electrical, but the bike wouldn't start, crank, turn over ... nothing. I tried unhooking the battery and starting the entire process over again, but ended up with the same results.

Any ideas on either where I went wrong on the battery installation or what I need to do to get my bike running again? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sam
Did "Thundersam" ever get this figured out?
 
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