SXV 550 starter issues.

[rmemedic]

Buddy has an 07 SXV 550 with the recall 2010 motor in it. Just bought it so we are working some kinks out.

Battery may be weak, it's on the charger now, but we could get it to crank over pretty decent... When it would crank.

The relay on the left side of the frame clicks once when the start switch is pressed. No noise from the starter. All fuses are good.
I put the bike in first, rocked it back and forth, put back in neutral and could get the bike to crank about 40% of the time. It started once, but wouldn't again after that (had a plug wire cap come apart when I pulled it off the plug to check the plugs)

Im thinking, neutral safety switch somehow? Or a mechanical issue with the starter itself?

Bike is sick just sitting on it in the garage... I want one.

 

[spaceboy]

I've been doing a lot of research on these bikes, planning on getting one myself.

Assuming the battery is fine, it may be the starter. The starters on these bikes are not very strong and are known to burn out if cranked for too long.
The wiring sounds fine but try and jump the starter directly. If it is indeed a bad starter, many SXV owners upgrade to one of these: http://ricksmotorsportelectrics.com/part/60-500/MDdBcHJTWFY1NTA=


Once it can be turned over again, make sure the compression release mechanism is functioning. Do this by compression testing each cylinder. If compression is high, the motor will need to come out. Not a common issue, thankfully.


Edit: I was ready to buy that bike when the owner told me someone already picked it up that morning

 

[frekeyguy]

It should be dead simple to remove the starter and spin it with your fingers and hook it up the battery and spin it over.

When starters get hot - they don't tend to turn over motors easily. I am gussing it might be due to bad bearings.

IF the bearings are bad - they should be easy to replace.

 

[frekeyguy]

This is a picture of a starter out of a '06 636, owner never had a starter issue until one day. Thought it was just a fuse or relay...but it wasn't to my surprise. When I took the starterout of the bike - it was totally seized and I found the internals had exploded....

Starters might be going bad - but its hard to tell, this owner never felt it going. It is an easy enough process to take it out and inspect and put it back...easy way to rule it out.

 

[spaceboy]

Any updates on the issue?
If it's giving him a headache I'll buy it