Nothing at all from starter

[RedEyedStranger]

I have a 2016 250 XCW and I know that they are known for starter issues earlier in the generation but I believe some was fixed for 2016. What is happening to me now is bizarre. New lithium battery and worked great for a week. Really amazing, touch the button and instantly comes to life. Started it at the beginning of my ride today cold and same thing, barely touch and right to life but after a rest mid ride I hit the button and nothing. No click, buzz, or other starter sound. The only thing pressing the button does now is dim the small computer behind the number plate. Got home and sanded all battery connections and made sure there is a ground. I am positive all the connections are good, and the battery is less than a week old with 2 rides on it. WTF! What did I break now, how do I fix it.

[GasItandCrash]

If you have a horn or a headlight, start the bike and rev the bike up to a cruising rpm and hit the horn, or turn on the headlight.  If the horn is quiet or the headlight is dim, then the charging system is not working.

[RedEyedStranger]

If you have a horn or a headlight, start the bike and rev the bike up to a cruising rpm and hit the horn, or turn on the headlight.  If the horn is quiet or the headlight is dim, then the charging system is not working.

I don’t have a horn but my headlight does work fine. Along with tail light

[GasItandCrash]

Since I don't have a schematic, I can't be specific, so generally, if the light is bright, or normal brightness, it means that the alternator is producing voltage and current.  I would start checking the wiring from the battery to its connection to the charging system.  If you have a rectifier, AND the light is powered by the alternating current from the alternator, that I would suspect a bad rectifier. 

Good Luck

[RedEyedStranger]

Since I don't have a schematic, I can't be specific, so generally, if the light is bright, or normal brightness, it means that the alternator is producing voltage and current.  I would start checking the wiring from the battery to its connection to the charging system.  If you have a rectifier, AND the light is powered by the alternating current from the alternator, that I would suspect a bad rectifier. 
Good Luck

It does have a rectifier/regulator, and the light is working but I believe that the battery is fine. Is there a way to test a rectifier before I buy a new one? I will try to find a schematic

[GasItandCrash]

There should be around 4 connections on the rectifier.  Two will come from the alternator.  Us a multimeter set to AC and test across those two contacts.  Note the voltage at the RPM that gives a good headlight.  Then set the multimeter to DC, and test across the two connections that go to the battery.  At the RPMs that give a good headlight if the rectifier is working properly, the voltage should be between 12vdc and 14vdc.  If not then the rectifier could be bad.

Additionally, check if there is a fuse between the battery and the rectifier.   If the fuse has failed, replace it and test again.  If the fuse fails again, you might have a short on the battery side of the rectifier.

Good Luck

[TwoHundred]

The headlight runs off the AC part of the circuit and therefore will work even with a dead battery. Battery voltage needs to measured with the bike running to ensure the rectifer/regulator is charging the battery. Could also refit your original battery to test with that aswell.

[RedEyedStranger]

This is the stock one

And this is the new lithium

Re attached the stock one and the starter clicks and turns every now and then with repeated pressing. Ok so the battery is dead, glad it’s not my starter, now what the biggest question yet is. What would cause this brand new battery to drain to where it is completely dead after half an hour of riding!!! Once again started perfect cold and now has 8 volts while the dead stocker has 12 still?

[RedEyedStranger]

And this is the lithium while running with a good headlight so the alternator and rectifier are good

[RedEyedStranger]

Tested the Lithium battery and it read this and fired right up like before.

Started working again just as fast as it stopped, except I’m not complaining this time.

Makes no sense, I’ll update if anything else happens.

[TwoHundred]

Could be a bad lithium battery, if the stock battery is refitted you could test ride to isolate the battery as the cause.

[GasItandCrash]

Sounds like you have a bad cell or two in the lithium battery. 

If I understand correctly, you tested the stock battery disconnected from the system and came up with 12.45vdc. 

You then tested the lithium battery, which had been sitting for a period of time, and came up with 9.53vdc.

Then you started the bike and while the engine was running you tested the voltage on the lithium battery and got 14.60vdc

Then you turned the bike off and almost immediately tested the lithium battery again and got 13.39vdc.

If that is indeed the case, then you have one or two bad cells in the lithium battery.  The bad cell won't hold a charge, so if it's been sitting for a while it will drain down resulting in the low voltage.  When you crank the bike up, the bad cell starts to or completely charges to its capacity.  When you then test the bike right after shutting it down the bad cell would have only started to lose its charge.  So you get an almost fully charged value.

Now if you test the battery again after letting the bike sit for a while and it still holds a charge, then everything written above is worthless bullshjt.

Good Luck

Edited July 21, 2018 by GasitandCrash
Clarification

[zig06]

Bad lithium battery.

[RedEyedStranger]

Sounds like you have a bad cell or two in the lithium battery. 
If I understand correctly, you tested the stock battery disconnected from the system and came up with 12.45vdc. 
You then tested the lithium battery, which had been sitting for a period of time, and came up with 9.53vdc.
Then you started the bike and while the engine was running you tested the voltage on the lithium battery and got 14.60vdc
Then you turned the bike off and almost immediately tested the lithium battery again and got 13.39vdc.
If that is indeed the case, then you have one or two bad cells in the lithium battery.  The bad cell won't hold a charge, so if it's been sitting for a while it will drain down resulting in the low voltage.  When you crank the bike up, the bad cell starts to or completely charges to its capacity.  When you then test the bike right after shutting it down the bad cell would have only started to lose its charge.  So you get an almost fully charged value.
Now if you test the battery again after letting the bike sit for a while and it still holds a charge, then everything written above is worthless bullshjt.
Good Luck

Came out this evening and it fired right up after sitting all day. Near the end of the ride it stopped again and won’t start now. Just emailed Rocky Mountain trying to get a return going, ugh... brand new, shouldn’t be doing this. Wonder if it will start tmw

[Randy300XC]

I have a 2016 300xc with stock battery. Mine has done the mid ride shut down before, but was intermittent. Like the starter was binding or something, then worked normal again. I cleaned and inspected all the gears in the starting system, didn’t see anything abnormal, put fresh grease and it was normal for 6 months. I think it’s the brushes in the starter motor, and maybe an aging battery. 

[RedEyedStranger]

I have a 2016 300xc with stock battery. Mine has done the mid ride shut down before, but was intermittent. Like the starter was binding or something, then worked normal again. I cleaned and inspected all the gears in the starting system, didn’t see anything abnormal, put fresh grease and it was normal for 6 months. I think it’s the brushes in the starter motor, and maybe an aging battery. 

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to grease the gears in there. I’m pretty sure I just have a bad battery because it reads 8 volts sometimes and 13 other times. What type of grease did you use and what exactly did you grease? Thanks

[signal15]

On 7/22/2018 at 4:49 PM, RedEyedStranger said:

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to grease the gears in there. I’m pretty sure I just have a bad battery because it reads 8 volts sometimes and 13 other times. What type of grease did you use and what exactly did you grease? Thanks

Superlube!

https://www.amazon.com/Super-Lube-41160-Synthetic-Translucent/dp/B0083R1FME/ref=pd_sim_328_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0083R1FME&pd_rd_r=48acc12f-8f8a-11e8-905a-8dd5e9b59285&pd_rd_w=yl2Ub&pd_rd_wg=GLeJC&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=2610440344683357453&pf_rd_r=0AZ56HTKXR6EFAY2PSZX&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=0AZ56HTKXR6EFAY2PSZX

 

This might be the world's best grease.  I used it on my starter gears and bushings in my 200 XC-W, I took the grease out of brand new wheel bearings and replaced it with this, u-joints on a 1998 Polaris ATV, and the CV joints on at 2007 Polaris ATV, I use it on RC car gearboxes, used it in a gearbox for my Kitchenaid mixer (it's NSF rated grease), and countless other things.  I'm sure at some point I'll have a bearing or gearbox fail with this stuff, but nothing yet... which is surprising.  I've gone through 2 of those big tubs of it and I'm working on my 3rd now.  I also bought some tubes to use in my mini grease gun and the normal size one.

These guys should pay me for how much I tout their product.  So should Benjamin Moore, Rymar, and Ex Officio.  

[Randy300XC]

The first step is to disconnect  the battery, then get the starter cover off. Then remove the starter. Inside the upper stator cover are gears that transfer the motion to the flywheel. Clean, inspect, and grease all that stuff...?