Picked up another Warrior this weekend- a 99 in decent shape. They told me it had a bad battery and it would bump start or start off a bit of a trickle charge. When I got there, they had it on a trickle charge and it was cold. When trying to start it, the solenoid would click and then the starter would sporadically turn once, then click.... turn once or twice and then click. After doing this a few times, he tapped the starter and it acted the same way but, ended up starting 30 seconds later. He said he never had to tap the starter before and actually said he just replaced the starter 2 years ago.

Once it started and ran perfect. I got it home put the trickle charger on it but, the charger never dropped below 2.5amps. Next, I pulled the battery from my brother's street bike and tried starting it with that, acted the same way. Then, hooked jumper cables to the wife's Armada (without the truck running) and tried starting the Warrior... same thing. Solenoid clicks and sporadic turns of the motor but, never starts. If I hold the starter button in after the solenoid click and tap the starter, it turns over once or twice.

A few other observations:
1) as soon as I turn on the Run switch with the key on (and before hitting the Start button), I hear a slight click in the solenoid... never noticed that on my other Warrior so I don't know if that's normal.

2) It's more difficult to push in Neutral than my 02 Warrior... could there be a timing or valve adjustment problem causing this that could also contribute to starting problem?

3) I pulled the connections at the starter, both terminals on the solenoid and both terminals on the battery and cleaned them up really good. Also made sure the battery cables weren't shorting out on the frame under the seat (learned that one on my other Warrior).

Any ideas on what else this could be as it doesn't sound like a battery issue?

Thanks in advance,
Chris

 

Update- just tried jumping the the 2 solenoid posts with a chunk of house electric wire (it's all I had handy for a jumper and it was stiff and easy to press against terminals) and it didn't do anything. Then I screwed one end of the wire to the + side of battery and touched the other side to the post on the starter... neither one did anything. I touched the wire to the starter housing and got a spark so I know I have juice running through the wire....

Any ideas?

 

I would put an curcuit light tester[ the one that looks like an pick with an wire] to an ground and probe the starter wire than push starter button if it lites up then you have all the volts you need to enage starter so starter would be the issue BUT if you don,t have an lite then problem before there... Like engine and frame ground or solenold... if not lite try an temperory ground like one side of an jumper cable put one end black to engine and the other black end to frame and see... if not work than... test solenold... remove solenold and test. in reverse order use meter with buzz box put leads on big post and put paper clip or gator clips on the small leads then add an batt to the clips if sloenold clicks an makes buzz then solenold is good... if solenold clicks an don,t have buzz then solenold bad..... Hope this helps...

 

It really sounds like a starter to me, especially with tapping on it helping somewhat. Do a volt check at the terminal on the starter as previously mentioned and if you have 12-13v then you need a new starter.

 

I got the double whammy on this one.... Both the starter AND battery are bad.

Found a guy parting out a Warrior and got the starter for $15. Put it on today and it turns right over every time when connected to my truck battery or my brother's street bike battery.

Unfortunately, I can't get the Warrior battery to hold a charge so I need to replace the battery too. Good news is, I should be riding next weekend with no problems!!

Thanks again for the help.

Chris

 

I was thinking the same thing, just do a volt check and that will tell you right away. Good luck.