82 650 Suddenly not starting?

[zkid09]

Having an issue with a 82 gs650 that i picked up and searching for help.
I picked it up for $100, missing the tank, battery and carbs. The guy i got it from said it ran great, but needed carbs rebuilt so he took them off and sent them with one of his buddies. His friend moved away and now cannot reach him so he was going to scrap the bike. I offered whatever scrap would be so i got it cheap.

So, i started tinkering, hooked a battery up, and got power, but it wouldnt turn over. My first thought was the clutch switch so i bypassed that by wiring together, but nothing.. After doing some looking, i found the yellow/green wire from the selenoid unplugged. I plugged it up and got power.
I found a set of carbs on ebay for cheap so i got those, rebuilt them, got it on the bike and she fired right up. It had a small leak on the #2 carb so i pulled them off to go back through them. Got them fixed and was done for the night.
Last night, i went to the garage, put the carbs on the bike, hit the start button, nothing.

I checked the yellow/green wire and it is plugged up. All of the glass fuses test good, I tested the power to the start button and it is working, Im hot on the selenoid positive, but when i press the button it is not hot on the other side, nor the starter.
I found a cheap universal selenoid at the parts store and tried that, same issue. Also tried hooking a jump box to my battery in case it wasnt getting enough power, and still the same thing.

I am a little lost on where to go from here.
I got a volt meter to see check the selenoid tonight, but other than that, im lost.
I have raced motocross for years and have done all of my own mechanic work, but have not ran into an issue like this

 

[mvalenti]

try jumping straight to the starter.
if I recall correctly... battery, thru fuse tho key, back thru fuses to kill/start to starter solenoid to starter....

 

[tom203]

The solenoid frame needs to be grounded to get it to work- if no click suspect this first.

 

[Steve]

The solenoid frame needs to be grounded to get it to work- if no click suspect this first.

Of course, that will only work if you are getting power to the yellow/green wire that triggers the solenoid. :-k

Quick test of the starter itself is to bridge the two large terminals of the solenoid. CAUTION: If the bike is in gear, it WILL move. The key does not need to be on for this test, it merely sends power directly to the starter.

.

 

[zkid09]

Jumping the selenoid, the bike DOES start. Every time.
And as a matter of a fact, the selenoid frame is not bolted to the frame at the moment. Ill bolt it up and see if it changes and go from there.

When the start button is pressed, how many volts should the other side of the selenoid be reading?

 

[Steve]

Depends on what you are calling "the other side". :-k

One large wire is connected directly to the battery, it will see battery voltage.

The other large wire is connected to the starter, it will see nothing until the solenoid is activated by the yellow/green wire, then it will see battery voltage, minus the load of the starter.

The yellow/green wire will see approximately battery voltage (might be about a volt less) when the starter button is pressed.

If the solenoid is not grounded, you will also see the same (almost) battery voltage when the starter button is pressed. Connect a jumper wire to a ground, it will see ZERO volts and the solenoid should click when the starter button is pressed.

.

 

[zkid09]

the "other" side being the side connected to the starter. Sorry.
And okay thanks a lot.

Ill see what i can decipher as soon as i get off work and let you guys know

 

[zkid09]

Got it going. I was not aware the solenoid bracket had to be grounded to the frame. Got it going and rode it down the road for the first time. Thanks guys!

 

[tom203]

Got it going. I was not aware the solenoid bracket had to be grounded to the frame. Got it going and rode it down the road for the first time. Thanks guys!

If you want to keep it going down the road , do some reading

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/GSR_Greeting.html