'86 Voyager will not start

[bamboozer]

Hi, I've left my Voyager sit for a year while I played with my other toys, despite fully charged new battery I'm getting nothing. Symptoms are odd, when I turn the ignition to On the turn signals work as does the horn but headlight does not come on. When first switched on I get rapid clicks from the right side of the engine that decrease to slow and then stop. Does not sound like a solenoid. Any ideas? I'd hate to have to part this old horse out as it has lots of life left in it at 47K.

[triton28]

headlight doesn't illuminate until the starter button has been used.
That clicking sound you hear is the fuel pump getting up to 2-3 lbs. pressure and then stopping, so hopefully the float needles aren't stuck shut and the fuel is in fact getting into the float bowls.
"Nothing" is not a very defining word, so does the motor spin but not start; OR do you mean that the motor doesn't even spin?
If the motor spins but doesn't start then possibly you have a fuel or an ignition issue. Generally it is fuel as there is a residue left behind when fuel evaporates and this can plug the jets and/or the fuel passages.
If the motor doesn't even spin when in Neutral, with the kill switch set at RUN, perhaps the starter solenoid has dirty contacts or is bad, OR the kill switch is bad, OR the clutch lever switch is not functioning as intended, OR the side stand switch could also be malfunctioning.
The 2 large terminals on the starter solenoid can be jumped across;
the kill switch can be bypassed, check schematic for colour of the wires;
pull in clutch lever when trying to start or bypass the clutch lever switch by connecting the 2 plastic covered brass terminals from the harness;
as for the clutch lever switch, the side stand switch can be bypassed in the same way by joining the 2 terminals which connect onto the switch blade contacts.
There are probably a lot more reasons I have not touched on, but these may be of some help.
Dave
EDIT: I just remembered that on the 1986 and 1987s the fuel pump won't work if the kill switch is set to off, so I don't think the kill switch would be a part of the non rotating motor problem because you are hearing the pump run.

[doug of so fla]

First thing to do is a "LOAD TEST" on the battery 12v means nothing.. when a draw goes to the battery and it goes to low voltage, battery is done!!

Auto parts stores will check the battery for free.

if it checks out good then start on other checks.. Make sure battery and other major connections are clean & shiny, sitting for a year could create a good amt of corrosion which you can not see.

[cranky]

... put your meter on the BATTERY CABLE CONNECTORS to measure the
voltage when Ya hit start!!!!! That way, if you have a bad battery/cable
connection, you will see it!!! If Ya hit start and the V drops, its
connection or battery.... best to Ya!!!!!

[Tonyvdb]

Im not convinced that "clicking sound is the pump. It sounds more like the battery does not have enough juice to turn the starter. The sound may be the starter solenoid clicking.
I agree a battery that has just sat with a charger on it may have been over charged and run dry. Check the battery connections as well.

[Mr Jensee]

He said he had a new battery so I think we can rule out low voltage. Go over your wiring and make sure you haven't got any loose connections. Have you been inside the left faring? If you did is there any chance you might have unplugged the power wire to the solenoid? It is very easy to unplug the solenoid if you are messing around under the fake tank cover. If so it will give you the symptoms you mentioned.

[triton28]

Just as a point of history, the 1986, 1987, and perhaps some other early model years as well, had the circuitry to operate the fuel pump, with the Ignition switch set to ON, and the kill switch at the RUN position, before attempting to start the engine by using the start button.
After that the fuel pump circuitry was changed and one had to jury rig the wiring to accomplish prestart fuel pumping.
The fuel pump is indeed audible, albeit a soft clicking, when it is getting up to pressure and the sound of that is on the RH side.
It is similar though in rhythm to the low battery sharp clicking noises a solenoid makes .
Dave

[On-rock1]

I heard of a bike that the battery was hooked up wrong the and after changing cables around it still woud not start just cranked over. Never did hear if he got it running but he is wanting to sell it. What would be wrong with it?

[triton28]

If it cranks over and does not start after having sat for so long I would say there is a lack of fuel in the cylinders to ignite.
That could be numerous items to check, but a quick way to tell is remove #s 1 and 4 plugs and insert 1/8 ounce of gas into each cylinder, then replace the plugs and see if it coughs and sputters on those 2 cylinders. If so then there is no gas getting into cylinders. If no reaction then possible disconnect somewhere in the ignition circuitry.
Just a couple of guesses but may help to diagnose the problem.