Starter solenoid testing

[Guest]

I just picked up a 1982 GS650GL and the wiring is a nightmare. There are like 10 home wire wire nuts just in the headlight shell.

There was a small rocker switch wired in near the battery from the green/yellow wire that would be from the start button. I diked all of that out and now have the y/g wire solid all the way from the handlebar switch to the starter relay (solenoid).

Still not even a click from the starter sol.

I removed the solenoid and touched the wire from it to pos battery and ground to the sol lug. Nothing. Is this the correct way to test these? The wiring throughout the bike is such a mess, I thought I would just test the sol by itself and avoid any wiring pitfalls.

[Redman]

In your discussion, you made no mention of the clutch switch. You said 'wiring from starter button to solenoid'. In the stock wiring there is a switch on the clutch between the starter button and the solenoid. But that is often removed/bypassed from the circuit if it caused someone a problem or they just didnt like it beause it then takes two hands to start the bike.

. . . . .

I removed the solenoid and touched the wire from it to pos battery and ground to the sol lug. Nothing. Is this the correct way to test these? . . . . . . .

I assume by "wire from it" that you mean the grn/yel wire.

Define "Lug".
If you mean one of the treaded studs that had a thick red wire: NO, that not a good test at all.
If you meant one of the mounting feet (the case of the solenoid) that was bolted down: Yes, that would be a proper test.

[Steve]

First, make sure the rear wheel is off the ground or the transmission is in Neutral.

With the starter solenoid mounted in its proper place, use a jumper wire to connect the solder pad with the yellow/green wire and the battery + terminal. The solenoid should CLICK and the starter should run.

If you get no CLICK from the solenoid, verify that you have a good ground. The solenoid mounts to the side of the battery box, which is rubber-isolated, requiring a separate ground wire. If you don't see a black/white wire under one of the solenoid mounting bolts, put one there and test the yellow/green wire again.

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[clegg]

So to test if the solenoid clicks off of the bike ( it is removed from the battery case), the y/g wire to pos and ground to the case of the solenoid?

[Redman]

so to test if the solenoid clicks off of the bike ( it is removed from the battery case), the y/g wire to pos and ground to the case of the solenoid?

y e s . .

. .

[chuck hahn]

yes.........................

[clegg]

Awesome, thanks!

[chuck hahn]

IF it clicks add a ground wire from one of the mounting bolts direct to the battery negative. If it clicks then its problem solved...if not the problem is upstream of the selinoid in the wiring or the button. To see if you get a signal when pushig the button set meter to DC VOLTS. put the red lead into the plug on the wire harness and black lead on battery ground. When button is pushed you should see voltage at the plug...if not the next thing upstream is the switch (button).

[Steve]

You SHOULD have a meter, but a test like that is a bit easier with a test light (which you should have, too).

If you find that you do have a bad solenoid, go to Lowe's, Home Depot or similar store to the lawn mower section and get a solenoid there. Same size and rating, about $11.

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[clegg]

I have a Fluke DMM and both continuity and 12v test lights.

So I held the body of the solenoid to batt - and the g/y wire to batt +. No click. I will head to Lowes for the tractor sol.

I've also added a ground wire from the handlebar switch as the bars are black, a lot of people have electrical problems when they change to painted bars. They don't realize that the bars ground the switchgear.

[Gorminrider]

I've also added a ground wire from the handlebar switch as the bars are black, a lot of people have electrical problems when they change to painted bars. They don't realize that the bars ground the switchgear.

No they don't.

Not on any bike I have, anyways. Grounding through the headstocks greasy ball bearings (the eventual path of "handlebar grounding) is a bad idea. On old suzukis, LOOK for a Black/white stripe ground wire from the front part of the harness serving the headlight, gauge lights etc. that is attached to the main frame

[clegg]

I have a 1981 Yamaha XS400 that did in fact need a ground wire added because of the black bars. If you look on most bikes the switchgear has a contact that engages with the bars. So, yeah they do.

[Steve]

The only circuit that <might> ground through the handlebars is the horn.

Everything else is only moving the hot-side wire around, if it <does> need a ground, it's wired with its own ground wire.

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[rphillips]

I don't have an "81" XS400, but none of my bikes have a ground to the handlebar & I really don't remember seeing one that did. If you're seeing a little nub on the switchgear, that goes in a hole in the OEM handlebar to keep the switchgear from rotating.

[clegg]

I don't have an "81" XS400, but none of my bikes have a ground to the handlebar & I really don't remember seeing one that did. If you're seeing a little nub on the switchgear, that goes in a hole in the OEM handlebar to keep the switchgear from rotating.

I have had Hondas and Yamahas that had the contact from the switch to the handlebar. It's not a locator because the oem bars do not have a hole. I just know that the solenoid would not function on the xs400 when the black bars went on. I added the wire to ground and surprise.....the starter then worked with the switch.

For the all knowing go to the XS400 forum and search Starter stopped working.

You will learn something.

My friend added painted low bars to his bike and could not figure out why the bike would not start. Added a grd wire and voila

Getting back to the original issue unless this need disputed also.
I ended up finding an $8.00 solenoid Maxpower 334019
for the GS and now have a functioning starter.