So your ECU appears to operate normally... and after the ignition is turned on, you can hear the fuel pump pressurize and the relays click, etc. However, the starter does nothing. Although relays are frequently suspect, they are not always the culprit. The starter relay cannot engage if the clutch switch is inoperative or the the connections to it are corroded.
These connectors are in bullet connectors, not Amp Superseals like most of the connectors on the V11 Sport (this is the same as cruddy). To clean the connectors, or check out the clutch switch itself, you need to remove the gas tank. Then you can address the connectors directly. They are under the gas tank, snuggled down behind the left handlebar connector and stuff on the left side of the spine. There are two itty bitty wires. One grey, the other black, these go to the clutch switch. The grey and black wires go into a pair of bullet connectors, both of which are white/black, one is fed by the "Start" switch when that is pressed, and the other side feeds the coil to the starter relay switch. Pull the connectors apart and re-insert them a couple of times to wipe the contact surfaces clean. This is the point where you adjust the clutch switch or test it while you have the leads available.
WARNING! If you want to test the starter at this point, you must disconnect the fuel pump, otherwise, you get gas all over the place. Remove one of the fuel pump leads with an 8mm wrench and make sure the lead isn't touching anything. Test the starter and if it works, put everything back together. Don't forget the fuel pump lead.
Carl Allison
Modesto, California
97 MG Sport 1100i "Bright Red Italian Bugswatter"
97 MG California 1100i
http://home.pacbell.net/guzzi007/sportissimo.html
-NEW-
V11S starting issue sorted... I finally got time to have a look and luckily it was very simple. When I got the bike I replaced all the relays with the Bosch ones. When I did so I noticed that the second relay from the back has a sleeved wire with an inline fuse and that the spade terminal on it was loose in the terminal block the relay plugs into. I have always tried to make certain that this connector was snug if I was ever working in that area.
Yesterday morning I'd pushed all the fuses and relays into their seats to make sure they were seated properly and it fired for a bit, stalled and wouldn't restart. This led me to think that the problem lay in this area. Last night I checked all the connectors and sure enough the old problem with the loose terminal had happened again. I replaced it, and cable tied the wire to the terminal block to try to provide extra support. When I get the chance I think I'll secure it with some silicone.
Ian Ellison
Ian.Ellison@directmarketing.co.uk
