why atgatt is not always useful
Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 12:01 am
List.
ATGATT was the costume for today, including MX boots and earplugs.
Pick the blue bike, most trail worthy and geared to pull stumps at 14/46 sprockets. She has been overlooked for a few days and she needs the exercise.
Mount the pig, thumb the starter and it cranks a little slow. sigh.
Stop. Add choke, repeat. Slow crank and it hits. She dies. sigh.
Adjust choke, thumb starter, cranks slower, so I deceide, the punt...release the starter button.
Does it stop the sequence?
oh, no.
It keeps on cranking, and cranking, and in the background I hear the EverReady bunny beating the drum.
Remember the ATGATT. yeah its REAL handy with a stuck starter.
Key off. HA! keeps cranking, slowly.
Kill Switch--OFF. keeps cranking, more slowly.
Sun glasses on, maybe I can get the bigh #3 Phillips on the batt. ground bolt off. Ah, no. (I ride with the side panels off.)
crap.
keeps cranking, more, more, slo-w-w-ly.
back to the tool box and get the gear wrench.
no longer cranking.
wrong wrench
back to the tool box,
right wrench, ATGATT and I can't see because of the sun glasses.
Find the right glasses,
I pause to think, 'Is there a fire yet?'
no
Remove the batt. ground terminal and scratch my head.
From previous post read right here on DSN, I knew that I would need to remove the ground cable or 'cut' it. I wasn't wanting to cut it and scurried around (ATGATT) and got it disconnected--hoping I had not fragged the starter or burnt up other components or wiring.
Of course, I have an appointment/deadline with the US Post Office, and now I am late. sigh. At least later than I intended.
No problem.
Park the blue pig, take the son's green pig (= my first KLR as well.)
The beauty of a multiple KLR family!
I make it to the Post Office before the closing bell--
Life is good. 12 more miles then it will be two hours of gravel.
Yes, 138 miles later, counted after the blue-pig whines (that would be starter whine) later; life is very, very good.
Maybe only one very good.
I left at 4pm/78F on the second leg of the journey with the summer weight coat and after 1 hour, the temp had dipped below 55F and I was a long way to a warm spot. I was riding a bike with heated grips (since 2004) and that helped a lot.
Backk to the blue-pig.
As soon as I got home, I pulled the battery, checked at 11.8v residual volts. sigh.
4 cells at the min-fluid line, but none showing any excess dryness or abuse. I serviced the battery with distilled water to 'max-fill' line and put it on the battery tender.
Two months ago, I acquired an extra starter relay; just in case.
I spoke to Jeff Saline, and he suggested I install the just-in-case relay, becuase NOW was that just in case time!
I did take a v-meter and meter out the relay while still on the bike, the installed 'problem' relay bench tested 'good'--but at the recc of Jeff I located the spare--12K mile relay--and installed it. Jeff suggested the previous relay kept cranking due to low volts (increasing amps) and had temp-welded/porbalbly damaged the relay and for certain, kept the starter cranking.
When that happens, the only cure for a runaway starater is to remove the ground strap from the battery or cut the cable.
For now, the offending relay is resting on the bench, probably the first time it has been disconnected since 1998 and 49000 miles.
Maybe it just needed a rest?
Maybe it objects to being called a 'blue-pig?' shurg.
I do know this, it may be a 'blue-pig' but it is the prettest KLR ever made;
and the first chance I get, I am going to tell her, just that.
Probably should go tell her that right now--as she saw me ride off on my old girl friend (the green pig) earlier today--and get dirty.
As you well know, never wrestle with a pig;
the pig likes it and you get dirty.
What more could a KLR rider ask for?
revmaaatin.