Starter turning after shut down!!

[Red Rocket GS1100]

I can't win for losing. On my 82 GS1100E today I started the bike as usual to head for work. On the trip there I couldn't help but notice a kind of grinding noise coming from the bottom front of the motor. Not the sprocket area but just in front of it. It resonated clear to the clutch side.
I had been hearing this noise mostly when cold so I just made a mental note and cruised into work. (10 minutes away).
When I got there I hit the kill switch and the starter clearly was trying to start the bike. I tried turning the key to off and same thing. I turned on the kill switch and it roared to life. I rode it home and took the negative lead off of the solenoid and it still kept trying to start (kill switch off) I turned the kill switch back on and it started. I left it running while I sought to disconnect the battery. I was just about to remove the air box to disconnect the battery and it shut down the motor on it's own. Sound familiar to anyone? Lately I have been doing nothing but throwing new parts at this bike. Frustrating to say the least.

[Busafied]

( Sticky Starter Relay/Solenoid )
Is what you experienced-

Do you have a DVM or Anolog MultiMeter?

Check for Continuity through the Starter Solenoid/
I believe you will find it is continuity through it, if it does, lightly tap the side of it and then check again.

Replace it, is my suggestion.

I hope the starter isn't damaged now, or the ring gear (possible but not likely).

GL, & get back to us-

Ron

-edit-

Negative lead off of solenoid?
You mean the Ignition switch lead?

The body of the Solenoid/relay grounds to the chassis through the mounting bolts ;-)

[SqDancerLynn1]

the starter stuck on my 850 one time, the starter tore itself apart & was junk

[Red Rocket GS1100]

Yeah, Im thinkin that the starter is junk

Im thinking that the starter has gotten stuck prior to this time. It just never stayed stuck like it did today. My guess is that a new starter is in order too. That grinding noise cant be a good sign. I will take off the cover this weekend and have a peek see. Fortunately the parts guy I deal with is quick as hell getting parts. Probably wont be cheap tho.

[jimcor]

www.stockers.com Fast, cheap (well, relatively, ya know? cheaper than most anyway) knowledgeable and friendly. New, rebuilt and parts. Rebuilt starter for your bike will be about $145. You'll need to know whether it's a 2 brush or 4 brush. Just give 'em a call they're good folks.

[argonsagas]

Starters are pretty durable and can usually be repaired.

You can buy a brush set from Stockers, pre-mounted on a plate for quicker installation. I believe yours is a 4-brush, but take it apart to be sure.

Before disassembling the starter look for the alignment marks on the body so you know which way it should go together. It does matter.

My first guess for the cause would be a faulty/sticky starter button or crossed wires linking to the button and the ignition switch. It sounds like the wire running to the solenoid may be energized all the time, instead of just momentarily, when the start button is pressed..

Second would be a shorted relay/solenoid. As noted, it does not have a ground wire, it is grounded through the frame.

It has one wire and two cables. The one wire is smaller than the others and that is the actuating wire, running there from the starter button. One of the red cables leads to the battery positive terminal and the other runs directly to the starter, with no other connection.

Checking the solenoid is easy. You need a screwdriver or a six inch piece of wire, and a voltmeter.


Disconnect the cable that runs from the solenoid to the starter.
Disconnect the small wire that connects to the solenoid.



Do NOT turn on the ignition.

Connect the voltmeter lead to the terminal on the solenoid that was connected to the cable running to the starter and the other lead to the frame.

There should be no voltage showing. If there is then the solenoid is faulty.

If no voltage shows, continue:

Place the screwdriver blade or the wire ends between the small wire terminal and the large terminal that is still connected to the battery. Listen for a click.

While maintaining the contact check the volmeter and you should see it jump to 12 volts. Remove the screwdriver/wire and the voltage should instantly stop.

All OK? The solenoid seems to be OK.

Try the same again, using the starter button only. You should get nothing at all.

NOW turn on the ignition, and continue checking.

BTW
Replacing the solenoid is easy and cheap. It does not have to be a Suzuki part, and should cost not more than $10. to replace.



Either way it is an electrical problem, and will not cost a lot to repair.

[argonsagas]

Starters are pretty durable and can usually be repaired.

You can buy a brush set from Stockers, pre-mounted on a plate for quicker installation. I believe yours is a 4-brush, but take it apart to be sure.

Before disassembling the starter look for the alignment marks on the body so you know which way it should go together. It does matter.

My first guess for the cause would be a faulty/sticky starter button or crossed wires linking to the button and the ignition switch. It sounds like the wire running to the solenoid may be energized all the time, instead of just momentarily, when the start button is pressed..

Second would be a shorted relay/solenoid. As noted, it does not have a ground wire, it is grounded through the frame.

It has one wire and two cables. The one wire is smaller than the others and that is the actuating wire, running there from the starter button. One of the red cables leads to the battery positive terminal and the other runs directly to the starter, with no other connection.

Checking the solenoid is easy. You need a screwdriver or a six inch piece of wire, and a voltmeter.


Disconnect the cable that runs from the solenoid to the starter.
Disconnect the small wire that connects to the solenoid.



Do NOT turn on the ignition.

Connect the voltmeter lead to the terminal on the solenoid that was connected to the cable running to the starter and the other lead to the frame.

There should be no voltage showing. If there is then the solenoid is faulty.

If no voltage shows, continue:

Place the screwdriver blade or the wire ends between the small wire terminal and the large terminal that is still connected to the battery. Listen for a click.

While maintaining the contact check the volmeter and you should see it jump to 12 volts. Remove the screwdriver/wire and the voltage should instantly stop.

All OK? The solenoid seems to be OK.

Reconnect the small wire to its terminal on the solenoid, then try the same again, using the starter button. Leave the wire leading to the starter disconnected.

BTW
Replacing the solenoid is easy and cheap. It does not have to be a Suzuki part, and should cost not more than $10. to replace.



Either way it is an electrical problem, and will not cost a lot to repair.

[earlfor]

The starter cannot keep running if the electricity is shut off to it. Therefor, either the starter button is sticking or the solenoid is sticking. You can unplug the output wire of the two wires that come from the starter button. Hook a multimeter inline or a continuity tester inline, and press the button, if the meter shows voltage and then no voltage when you release the starter button, or the continuity light goes out when you release the button, the problem is not the starter button. At that point, I would just go ahead a replace the starter solenoid without any further checking. You can get a new solenoid at Lowes (made for a garden tractor) for about $8. It will be a bolt in/fit just like the stock one.

E.

[rphillips]

I'd guess solenoid, if it were the starter button, when you turned the ign. off, there would be no current to the starter button.

[Red Rocket GS1100]

Thanks for the info

Im going to check it out this weekend with the info provided. Thanks for your help.
Hope it's just the solenoid but I really doubt it. I don't think its the switch either but I will be checking it.

[ThreeTimer]

Hey Red - any update? I had the same damn thing happen to me (83 GS1100ES) - started bike, engine seemed noisier, rode short distance, shut down and starter kept running! Scared the crap out of me. Shut off ignition, still kept running. Finally "convinced" it to stop by putting it in gear and letting out the clutch with the brake on. Not graceful but I was a bit panicked.

I was convinced that something was ruined. I pulled all the fuses so it wouldn't do anything else, and walked away. Few hours later, I put them back in, cautiously turned thing back on, and the bike fired right up like nothing ever happened.

[Red Rocket GS1100]

Not Really

Problem went away just like yours did. My mech told me that it wouldn't be the solenoid and that the solenoid was a 40 dollar part. He said something about the starter return gear (doubt it) or a possible short in the switch (more likely). Freaky...so consequently I have done nothing. The starter seems to have lived thru it. I rode it to work today and it rides like nothing happened.
Now I am nervous about taking it anywhere of any real distance. What bothers me most is that pulling the fuse may be the only alternative. Kill switch, ignition, nothing stopped it from turning over.
Your clutch drop may not do the trick next time. It didnt work for me.
It just kind of died on it's own while I was digging for the battery, (I forgot that I could just pull the fuse).
So sorry but I have done nothing. But she seems fine now. :shock:

[Busafied]

Starter Relay that simple.

Like I said, I bet it was sticking, they do it.
The power goes through them to the starter.
The relay is engaged using your push button, on your right handle switch assembly.


There are only 2 possibilities here:

Either the relay is sticking, or your push button is sticking.

That simple, nothing else would make it continue to start- NOTHING.
(except a piece of wire or metal laying across the starter terminals)


Sometimes they free themselves and start functioning again properly as your did, sometimes they do not.
I would replace the relay, clean my pushbutton, and be done with it.
After all that is cheaper then buying a starter....

IMHO

Ron

[rphillips]

Starter button gets current from ign switch, even if the starter button stuck connected, when the ign key is turned off, there would be no current to the stuck starter button, so no current to solenoid, so no current to starter. Like he said, solenoid, (alias, relay).

[Killer2600]

Starter button gets current from ign switch, even if the starter button stuck connected, when the ign key is turned off, there would be no current to the stuck starter button, so no current to solenoid, so no current to starter. Like he said, solenoid, (alias, relay).

Like he said sticking starter relay, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Replace it ASAP cuse it's either gonna get stuck again (maybe for good or a longer time) or it'll stop working and you won't be able to electric start your bike.

The reason why it's the starter relay and nothing else is because the only thing electrically that is between the battery positive terminal and the starters positive terminal is the starter relay and some connecting wire so if it sticks and keeps the connection the starter will run regardless of whether the key is on or off. As far as the start button goes it doesn't get power unless the key is on so if it sticks it can only activate the start when you turn the power on but you have the problem even when the bike is turned off.