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B 11 ground bolt a time bomb

Nordicnorm

Nordicnorm

Cruisin' Guzzisti
GT Famiglia
Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
399
Location
Vancouver Island BC
After several no start situations this year (none last year after purchasing my '07 B), I decided to dig a little.
The main grounding bolt for your battery and wiring harness sits just above the starter motor. It is a short 6mm stud attached to a sleeve nut with a 13 mm head. With two ground terminals attached, this stud reaches only 7 mm (9/32") into an aluminum case. A great invitation to strip the threads. Put that 13 mm wrench on it and tighten it down real good!
Bin there!
The bore in the case is 18 mm deep. I ran a 6 mm x 1.0 tap to the bottom of the hole to clean the threads. Then I cut the head off a 30 mm long stainless bolt to make a stud and drove it all the way in with Locktite red stud and bearing mount. Now you have a good anchor.
Next I ran a 13/64" drill down the threaded hole in the sleeve nut (it clears the internal threads), till the bottom came out, dropping the short stud off the end. Now you need to run a 6 mm tap through it, and you now have an open ended sleeve nut.
The difference is that you now have 18 mm of secure anchoring, compared to 7 mm before.
You can now tighten the 13 mm nut down real good, and still mount your starter motor cover as before.

When I took it apart to investigate, the outer threads came out with the bolt. Hard to make a good ground connection that way, and it looks like the only one in the system, so it better be good.
 
Norm, did something similar way back when I started having starting problems - I had to use an EzyOut to remove the broken thread. I turned up some 12mm brass hex bar into a new stud and made it go all the way in. Still i am careful not to put too much effort into tightening it these days. I might do what you have done. much easier.
 
Better still. Drill out the eyelet on the earth lead to 8mm, and mount it to one of the crankcase/gearbox studs.
I had continual multiple fault codes each listing "a bad earth", until I did the above.
 
Thank you for feedback. I don't think that fancy fastener was meant to hold 2 ground terminals (cutting it's reach almost in 1/2), till after the wiring dept. got involved. A crankcase stud sure would make more sense. I may re-visit it and put in a Heli- coil insert, as I actually have a set in that size.
My troubleshooting involved buying a new battery too.....so the old Jackal gets an upgrade. All good in the end.
 
Here we are in May 2015, and I had another "Non start" event. 13 mm spanner from the tool kit moved the offending nut slightly, and a good start. I have now grounded the battery ground cable to the gearbox to crankcase bolt above and in from the starter motor (thnx Ghezzi), an 8 mm bolt that I could put some good torque on. The nut near the starter motor cover now grounds only the wiring harness, and I have given it "heaps" as well.
Fumbling towards ecstasy.....
 
There is more....."Sigh"
One more "event". Off to the local auto parts store. Permatex "Battery Protector". A red grease in a squeeze bag, like shampoo in your hotel room. It prevents corrosion, and enhances conductivity.
I cleaned battery terminals and ground connectors, and applied this stuff. Just back from a 1200 mile trip. No issues.
Are we there yet??
The devil is surely in the details.......
 
Check the positive feed to the starter solenoid. Mine was loose and flopped around. I had 12 months flawless starting after I replaced this.
 
Thank you Mackers. Every detail seems to be important. I'll take a look at that.
In spite of the little problems, I am not loosing faith. It is a great bike.
 
Put some effort into "Black Betty" today and carried out the Ghezzi (thanks Wayne) mod of the main earth to the crankcase/gearbox bolt/stud. No difference noted but I am happier with the solution. I guess time will tell.
 
UPDATE - today instead of 12.1 Volts on the dash, I see 12.6 - good earthing makes the ride more pleasurable. Some time back I snapped off the original main earth stud - a right royal bitch to get the broken bit out too. Since then I have not been game to overtighten this stud (made a new one from brass hex with longer thread). I guess this has still been a problem.

Getting to the gearbox mount bolt/stud up from the original main earth point is a bugger to get to, especially with my old fat fingers with little dexterity left. But patience won out (one for the books I might add) and it is all golden.

Thanks again Wayne.

Everyone else should probably do the same...
 
I removed the airbox to do mine. Unfortunately I have gotten real good at that with the different problems I have encountered with F/I, stepper motor, oil sending unit etc. That made it easy....
 
Another update:
On my way home in a heatwave yesterday, No Start at a gas station. Eventually back on the road. When I came home, the Mike Haven wiring harness for the start relay was in the mailbox. I ordered it "just in case". Timely, and it should put an end to this nonsense.
 
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