Norton Classic starting problem

[Hugh]

My Classic has had starting problems for months. It often fails to hold enough charge to turn over the starter motor and fire up. Some months ago I fitted a sealed for life battery but this didn't help much.Then over Christmas I didn't use ther bike for a fortnight. Now the snow's gone, I've recharged the battery, the starter motor turns briskly and the engine fires perfectly - until I let go of the starter button, which causes the ignition instantly to die.David reckons a member has had the same problem with a Classic or Interpol 2 within the last few years, but he can't remember what the problem or the solution were. Any ideas please?

[Richard Negus]

See PMR.

[Dell Boy]

Sounds like the ballast resistor, if fitted to Classics as they are to IP2`s, has failed. A Ford transit one does the job. It`s a common fault in my experience. You can bypass it or rejoin the broken resistor wire as a repair.Derek.

[Hugh]

Thanks Richard and Derek, both of you seem to be correct.The ballast resistor looked like it had been getting damp and its contacts were corroded. I cleaned the contacts but that didn't cure it. I've now taken the resistor indoors and perched it on top of my boiler flue to dry out. If that doesn't cure it I'll buy a new one when the shops re-open, which I imagine will be 2nd January.

[Hugh]

Correction: 4th January! I 'phoned every auto parts shop I could think of in Oxford, but ballast resistors are so last century that none of them holds them in stock any more. However, a small shop in Kidlington managed to order one and get it delivered by teatime the same day. It's 1.6 Ohms rather than 1.0 and bigger than the Norton original. However, it seems to work alright and it just fits in the space behind the battery. The £12.99 price didn't hurt, either.Apparently it's the same item as fitted not only on old Transits but also Ford Cortinas. I'm now off to race Tom Robinson from the traffic lights: "Grey Cortina, outa sight..."

[Hugh]

The ballast resistor is doing its job but now something else has failed. The Classic is refusing to start on the button again. It bump-starts easily and runs well. Ideas please?

[Dell Boy]

Does the engine fire with the starter button pressed & the starter engaged but stops when you release the button?Derek.

[Richard Negus]

Its either the starter button, the solenoid, or the motor.When you press the starter button, can you hear the solenoid click ?If you take off the rubber boots from the main terminals (big red wires) and carefully short them together with a long screwdriver, does the motor work.If yes to both, then replace the solenoid. Available from ANIL at a very good price at the moment.If yes and no, , replace the starter motor. Easy if you say it quickly.If no and yes, suspect the handlebar switch.R.

[Hugh]

Does the engine fire with the starter button pressed & the starter engaged but stops when you release the button?Derek.

No.

[Hugh]

"When you press the starter button, can you hear the solenoid click?"- No."If you take off the rubber boots from the main terminals (big red wires) and carefully short them together with a long screwdriver, does the motor work?"- If you mean the terminals at either end of the ballast resistor, no.I stripped the handlebar starter button anyway, found the terminals were quite dirty, cleaned them with Emery paper, and it made no difference.

[johnbirchjar]

Hi Hugh, are you getting power too & from the starter button?J.B.

[Richard Negus]

"When you press the starter button, can you hear the solenoid click?"- No."If you take off the rubber boots from the main terminals (big red wires) and carefully short them together with a long screwdriver, does the motor work?"- If you mean the terminals at either end of the ballast resistor, no.When I'm talking about the starter solenoid, why should you think of the ballast resistor ? Under the battery tray, black rubber boots covering threaded terminals with heavy-duty red cables !Take the covers off the terminals and carefully touch a screwdriver across the two terminals to connect them together. Ignition OFF, by the way.I stripped the handlebar starter button anyway, found the terminals were quite dirty, cleaned them with Emery paper, and it made no difference.

[Hugh]

Hi Hugh, are you getting power too & from the starter button?J.B.

Yes.

[Hugh]

The man who never made a mistake never made much. Yes it's the starter solenoid. Shorting across its two terminals gets the starter motor turning and the bike runs fine.The Norton Motors online shop lists Commando starter solenoids for £32.90. I didn't find any mention of solenoids for Wankels on the website. Are they the same item?My Classic's starter solenoid is a Lucas item. Are the replacement solenoids Lucas, or something better?

[Richard Negus]

Hugh,The part number for the starter solenoid is 55-0470. Andover have genuine Lucas ones in stock at retail £10.13 + VAT. Absolute bargain, so I bought two ; couldn't find one anywhere near that price on eBay.R.