1050 Triple (2010) Not Starting, Only Clicking

Hi all, would really appreciate some help with this head scratcher

Symptoms: Ignition on, dash lights up, tach needle does usual sequence, fuel pump runs. But, the check engine light persists and no headlights...?!

Hitting the starter button and solenoid under seat clicks. No cranking.

Battery voltage tested, 12.8V. Hooked up a car battery (>13V), no improvement. Fuses look fine. I also removed leads for trickle charger and GPS cradle to rule them out. Chassis has continuity with -ve terminal. Removed battery leads, cleaned with wire brush, reattached.

History: Bike sat for a while over winter, needed jump starting. Seemed fine once started, bought a trickle charger anyway to keep her happy. Went for ride on Saturday, started fine first time. Stopped for fuel, 5 mins later weak crank, wouldn't start. Bump started it and rode home. Got home, immediately turned ignition off and on, started fine twice in a row, headlights still working. 3 hours sat on the driveway later, wouldn't start, only clicked, no headlights. How strange.

Any thoughts? Burnt out wiring? Burnt out solenoid? I find it strange the lights don't work....

Many thanks,
C

 

Ignition off: 12.8V, Ignition on: 12.4V. Starter button depressed: 12.4V

Thank you all for the suggestions. Just tried connecting to a running car (14.2V) but issue persists.

I'm leaning towards the starter relay except.... I find it odd that the headlights don't work. Other lights functioning as usual (turn, brake) horn also functions. Could a damage headlight wire cause issues starting?

 

It would appear so: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/804154/Triumph-Speed-Triple.html?page=365#manual

I'll give it a go

Dont think so, but it does have a headlight relay, if that's gone it would explain the headlight situation.

Thanks very much Oldyam, a few things to try.

I unseated an reseated the relays already, but will double check them. The terminals had some paste on them but I think that's normal?

 

I agree Callumity. Can't seem to get under the relays to short the high amp side, looks like there isn't any slack between them and the fuse box. Fuse box held in place by some clips not sure how to remove those.

Noticed the headlight relay and starter relay were the same type, swapped them over, still no headlights and no cranking. I think it's unlikely that they both failed simultaneously in the 3 hrs I left the bike outside.... possibly loose connection to the fuse box?

 

Thanks sprinter. I was hoping to avoid looking at a diagram with that many lines on it... And call me an idiot but I didn't realise the starter relay and starter solenoid were different things.

Edit: Might be getting closer. I don't know if this circuit diagram is accurate for my bike: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/804154/Triumph-Speed-Triple.html?page=373#manual

but if it is, it suggests that power for the headlights passes through the starter relay then the headlight relay.

Therefore if either of the relays had a bad contact on the high current side, OR the cable connecting the relays had a bad connection, then neither the headlights nor the starter relay would get current.

This is my current hypothesis. Now to stick wires in sockets and try not to break any worse.

 

Cheers Callumity, I updated my post above.

Checked continuity on the relays. Getting continuity between pin 30 and 87a in unswitched position (good). Nothing between 30 and 87 (good). About 80 ohms between pins 85 and 86 (within spec of 85 ohm +-10%). So best as I can tell both relays working fine in the unswitched position. AND fuses checked again (3rd time) still fine.

For the curious, relay appears to be similar to the RELAY 12V 20/40A SPDT from Hella. Page 17 of this catalogue includes technical specifications: https://www.hella.com/hella-us/assets/media/HINC_Electrics_Catalog.pdf

If the wiring diagram is correct, and there is continuity between pins 30 and 87a, then the headlights should be working. UNLESS there is a problem with the wiring. Either between the two relays, or between the relays and fuse, or between the relays and lights, or between the lights and ground.

1) Between the two relays. Output of starter relay in unswitched position (87a) should be connected to input of headlight relay (30). Checking the corresponding points on the socket. Yes continuity.

Checking a few other things and wait... why is there continuity between 85, 86, 87 and 87a on the headlight socket? There is no way that should be correct.

I think this may be the problem, a short circuit across the headlight relay. Hopefully the ECU recognises that current leakage and puts the bike into a safe mode otherwise this could possibly do a lot of damage.

 

Checked fuse 8 looks fine, has continuity.

The rear side of fuse socket 8 has continuity with pin 30 of the starter relay socket, which agrees with the wiring diagram.

Stepping back a bit. Turn the power on, and no voltage to fuse 8. So either problem between battery and ignition (via fuse 2), or problem between ignition and fuse 8. Feel like we're getting closer at any rate...

 

I think it's the ignition switch....

When the ignition is set to parking lights, the circuit is:

battery, brown wire, fuse 2, white blue wire, ignition pin 2, ignition pin 3, yellow wire, lights, black wire, ground. This powers the tail light, parking lights, and number plate light.

Working as intended.

When the ignition is set to run, pin 3 is still powered, but it is not powered by pin 1 directly. This time it goes

Battery, brown wire, fuse 2, pin 1, as before

But then instead of connecting pin 1 to pin 3 in the ignition, pin 1 connects to pin 4, blue yellow wire, pin 2, THEN pin 3, yellow wire, lights, ground.

No power to parking lights, tail light or number plate light in this configuration. Also no power to fuse 8. The blue yellow wire connects to fuse 8 in addition to bridging pins 4 & 2.

What have we learned from this? Well, ignition pins 1 and 3 work. But no connection between pin 4 and pin 2 via blue yellow wire. And no connection between pin 4 and fuse 8 via blue yellow wire. What's fuse 8? Starter relay and headlight relay fuse. In conclusion, most likely either the ignition switch or the blue yellow wire

This is certainly a lengthy learning process. Anyone know how to bypass an ignition switch on a 1050 triple? I promise not to use this knowledge to steal bikes....!

Edit just realised maybe I can test this by putting a 20A fuse on a length of wire and sticking the wire into the fuse 8 socket. Hit the other end with 12v and see if the lights come on.