spencer wrote:If you have a volt meter, you can do some checking. At the starter solenoid, There should be two smaller wires. One should be Yellow/Red, and the other should be Green/Red. Measure the voltage between them when the ignition is turned on and you are pressing the Start button. If you see about 12 volts, but the solenoid does not click, then your solenoid is probably toast.
Spencer, thanks for the detailed post.
I took all the connections apart in the headlamp as well as the switch and cleaned everything up and reconnected.
With my volt meter in the back of the coupler closest to the solenoid I now get 12v when I press the starter button but no cranking so it looks like my solenoid is shot.
My bike did the same - I had a 12V signal at the solinoid but not cranking the starter, so I replaced the solinoid . . . . . only
to find out it was the diode up in the headlite bucket !
Bob
Good parts aint cheap ~ and cheap parts aint good !
Well, I hope you have found the failing part. I usually hesitate to give troubleshooting advice, because I would feel bad if I steered you wrong and you replaced something that doesn't need replacing. Looks like Dave is sending you a solenoid and diode. I hope those two parts fix everything for you.
Yesterday morning the starter button would not work which marked the 6th day it had been AWOL. I jumped the solenoid and went for an hours ride. When I got home I pressed the starter just for fun and the darned thing worked! Waiting in my mail box was the loaner solenoid and diode from Dave. Go figure?
This morning the starter is again working fine. I have no ideal why it would suddenly work again. The only thing different yesterday was that it was 85F here and the engine got pretty hot; oil got up to 250F after a bit or spirited riding.
I did try Dave's Diode and that fixed the neutral light which was coming on when I pulled in the clutch. As for the solenoid I wish I knew. If it fails again I let you know.
Make sure you have proper ground connections. I had a problem with the starter on a different bike once and bought a new solenoid to fix it. When I took off the starter, I found that it was loose and did not make ground.
EMS wrote:Make sure you have proper ground connections. I had a problem with the starter on a different bike once and bought a new solenoid to fix it. When I took off the starter, I found that it was loose and did not make ground.
And for Dog's sake, don't reverse the starter wires. I, uh, heard about a guy that did that. Yeah. Don't do that.
I *think* it's your solenoid. I think it is possible for those to get intermittently flaky before they fail outright.
N.
Nils Menten
Tucson, Arizona, USA
'82 CBX, among others.
NilsMenten wrote:And for Dog's sake, don't reverse the starter wires. I, uh, heard about a guy that did that. Yeah. Don't do that.
So, Nils, what happens if you reverse the starter wires? Surely you are not saying that it turns the engine backwards. Just wondering what you were hinting at.
Well it seemed to be turning SOMETHING backwards. Another case where Dave was privately talking me down from the ledge. Given the design of the starter and its engagement I think I know that it might not engage in reverse, but spin it did...
N.
Nils Menten
Tucson, Arizona, USA
'82 CBX, among others.
Z Grand wrote:I'm wondering if it could possibly be the starter button itself? Corroded contacts, perhaps?
Absolutely it could, you're right. Mind had a ton of paint overspray in it and was AFU. I had to disassemble and clean it all off, and it was much improved.
This pic is of the horn side, you get the idea :
N.
Nils Menten
Tucson, Arizona, USA
'82 CBX, among others.
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