[Emmi]

New to Indian and this site. Not sure it I'm posting in the correct thread, if not I apologize
Recently purchased a 2002 Spirit that has been setting in a garage and not run since 2018.
After getting it home and purchashing and fully charging a new batter the bike will not start.
When key is turned on speedometer jumps all the way to the right and drops back.
Then a hum is heard from under the gas tank
When pushing the start button a single click can be heard but no response from the starter
Humming is still present after trying to start the bike
The lights are bright and do not dim when pushing start button.
Help Please... thanks

 

[BOBBYP]

The hum is your fuel pump and is normal. You are not getting enough juice to your starter. I would start with the starter relay after chrcking bsttery connections, frame ground and maybe having the new battery tested!

 

[pablo94]

The hum is your fuel pump and is normal. You are not getting enough juice to your starter. I would start with the starter relay after chrcking bsttery connections, frame ground and maybe having the new battery tested!

There is no fuel pump on an 2003 Spirit. It is gravity feed and a carbed bike.

 

[pablo94]

So far everything you describe is normal. That speedo will make a slight humming sound and it will go over to the right and back each time you start it.

If you are only getting a click, then try charging your battery overnight. New batteries often need charged before use. Especially, MC batteries as they don't turn them over like car batteries. I replaced my starter 2.5 years ago, bought a new battery and had the same result as you. After charging it over night it fired right up after sitting for about a year untouched.

If you are getting a click then your relay should be intact. If they relay goes out then usually nothing happens when you hit the starter button. No click, no sound, just nothing.

Go ahead and pull your dash off and make sure all the plug connectors to the speedo are tight. You can do the same with the control module. Just cut the zip tie, turn it over and make sure all the connections are tight. You just need a large zip to put it back together on the frame neck.

Also as Bobby suggested do check your battery terminals. They need to be tighter than you think. The frame ground on these bikes is pretty solid so I doubt that is an issue like the newer Indians and the older bikes aren't sensitive to voltage drop like the new VCM's.

I would load a couple videos for you, but they are too big in MBs for this site...

 

[Emmi]

Thank you everyone. So far we have checked all connections, bran new battery from Batteries Plus charged over night with full charge. We also took the charged working battery off my Harley, put it on the husbands Spirit and the same thing happened with that battery so I'm thinking time to go back and recheck and re-tighten everything!

 

[Emmi]

So far everything you describe is normal. That speedo will make a slight humming sound and it will go over to the right and back each time you start it.

If you are only getting a click, then try charging your battery overnight. New batteries often need charged before use. Especially, MC batteries as they don't turn them over like car batteries. I replaced my starter 2.5 years ago, bought a new battery and had the same result as you. After charging it over night it fired right up after sitting for about a year untouched.

If you are getting a click then your relay should be intact. If they relay goes out then usually nothing happens when you hit the starter button. No click, no sound, just nothing.

Go ahead and pull your dash off and make sure all the plug connectors to the speedo are tight. You can do the same with the control module. Just cut the zip tie, turn it over and make sure all the connections are tight. You just need a large zip to put it back together on the frame neck.

Also as Bobby suggested do check your battery terminals. They need to be tighter than you think. The frame ground on these bikes is pretty solid so I doubt that is an issue like the newer Indians and the older bikes aren't sensitive to voltage drop like the new VCM's.

I would load a couple videos for you, but they are too big in MBs for this site...

Pablo94
Could you email me those video to [email protected] ... Thanks

 

[BOBBYP]

There is no fuel pump on an 2003 Spirit. It is gravity feed and a carbed bike.

I realized that after posting and I should have known better, had many bikes from that era!

 

[rpsibew110]

Check all fuses and relays.

If you get a click the relay is closing but you still don't know if the contacts are passing voltage to the starter.

Make sure all connections are clean and tight. Since you get a click one would think the connections to the relay are good from the starter button. But the connections from the battery to the starter through the relay may not.

The fact that the lights don't dim tells me that the starter may have an open meaning it draws nothing when the start button is pushed. It also tends to make one think that the motor is not seized. If it was I think the lights would dim.

You could also try to push starting to get it going. This will one let you take a quick ride if you like and also point more towards the starter and not something else.

If you have a voltmeter use it to check for voltage at the starter when you or someone else pushes the start button. If no voltage is at the starter work your way backward checking at all connection locations until you find the voltage.

If you have voltage to the starter if you can remove the wire feeding the starter and use the ohm function of the meter and put one end on the stud where the wire was and the other end on the case of the starter. (all surfaces must be bare metal and not painted or covered with something else.) If you get a reading and it is not open move to the motor, then the frame of the bike then the negative of the battery. What you're looking for a break in the path back to the battery.

If you are not familiar with the use of the ohm function turn it on and notice the reading with the leads not touching anything, that's open. Now touch the leads together,(The bare metal parts of the lead) that's shorted. Now pinch one lead between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand and the other lead in the right hand the same way, that's a reading.

Wanna have some fun you hold one lead and have someone else hold the other lead. (The bare metal parts of the lead) Now with the free hands touch just the forefinger tips, check the reading. Now add the naughty fingertip notice the reading it will get smaller or lower meaning less resistance. Keep adding fingertips noticing the resistance lowers each time. Sorry just is cool to me.

 

[Emmi]

rpsibew110... thanks for the suggestions! Off the the garage...

 

[rpsibew110]

rpsibew110... thanks for the suggestions! Off the the garage...

If you have not found the problem.

What is the voltage when the key is off and when the key is on and when the key is on and you try starting the bike?