My starter... stopped

[Roostabunny]

Quite suddenly, it seems to me.

No signs of trouble, started this morning, started when I left work, then after fueling up on the way home, thumb the button and... nothing.

I had charged the battery this weekend, and when I got home and took my helmet off I could hear a click near the battery when I pushed the starter button. I assume that click was a relay.

Anyone had this experience or have any tips where to start troubleshooting?

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

The starter relay (solenoid) is under the left side cover. Here on my bike it's the silver thing above the white fuse box.

Make sure the connections are clean and solid. Then you can short the posts on top with a screwdriver to bypass the start button. If you still get a "click" then I'd suspect the solenoid is toast. You can get a cheap replacement at the hardware store. Look for a similar part used on lawn tractors/riding lawn mowers.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[Roostabunny]

OK, Cliff - shorted across the poles and she started right up.

Still getting a click when I push the start button - and the click seems to be coming from inside the solenoid.

Now, I'm a little puzzled, because it seems to me that clicky/no-starty from the solenoid, combined with starting when the solenoid is bypassed would indicate a bad solenoid, but I'm not sure that's what you're saying. Do I need to look at something else?

 

[Roostabunny]

Oh, and is this the type of part I'd look for?

http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Solenoid-Starter-Replaces-1753539/dp/B001VMF970

I don't see a spot for the control wire (the thin yellow one I see on the bike?) - is it one of those big threaded posts?


Edit - actually, this one seems a better match. Do I need the chassis ground? I would think so, given the lone control wire.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...fe8ccd0&itemid=150453252980&ff4=263602_263622

 

[Big T]

Yes, it needs to be grounded

You can take the solenoid off your bike, take the top off (carefully, there's a spring in there) shoot it with electrical contact cleaner and clean any corrosion/burns and it should work fine

Why order one off Ebay when you can get one closer in shape locally?

 

[bluewool]

Yes. The metal bracket has to be grounded to the chassis.

 

[Roostabunny]

Yes, it needs to be grounded

You can take the solenoid off your bike, take the top off (carefully, there's a spring in there) shoot it with electrical contact cleaner and clean any corrosion/burns and it should work fine

Why order one off Ebay when you can get one closer in shape locally?

Oh, this thing's too cheap to buy online - just an easy source of pics and specs.

But I've got contact cleaner, and if I can fix it myself, all the better. I'll give it a shot, and thanks!

Does that control wire plug into a connector or will I need to solder it to reconnect?

Edit - I should have said - it's soldered to the solenoid, but is there a connector somewhere toward the switch?

 

[Big T]

Yes, the connector is about 6" up the wire- just follow it up

And remember - when you get the top loose, things will fly apart - I recommend holding the top on with a clamp, removing the screws and Caaarefuly allow the top to come up until there's no more spring tensions

You'll be surprised at how much crap builds up in there

 

[Roostabunny]

Yupper - found the connector, thanks! Now if I can just get the second screw loosened, I'll take that solenoid out!

Anyway, don't have my PB blaster handy, so I sprayed it with some WD40 and I'll try again with a bigger phillips bit tomorrow.

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

My personal preference would be to replace it. It could quit again or it could stick ON and ruin the starter.. $15 at Home Depot ?

 

[DanTheMan]

When my solenoid did the "clicky-clicky" 4 years ago, I bypassed it (pole to pole on the solenoid) and put a momentary switch on that I could operate to start the bike. THEN, I discovered it was a poor ground that caused the problem, ran a ground wire from the solenoid mounting screw to the battery negative post and haven't had a problem since (in that area at least).

 

[850 Combat]

When my solenoid did the "clicky-clicky" 4 years ago, I bypassed it (pole to pole on the solenoid) and put a momentary switch on that I could operate to start the bike. THEN, I discovered it was a poor ground that caused the problem, ran a ground wire from the solenoid mounting screw to the battery negative post and haven't had a problem since (in that area at least).

Same situation on my brother's 1100G. Intermittent stsrter problems fixed with an additional ground between the solenoid mounting bolt to the battery, something that everyone should add to their GS for general principals.

 

[chuckycheese]

Clickety Click

Clickety Click

I think the last 2 responses are 'spot on'. If you replace the solenoid, be sure to save the old one.

When you perform the 'screwdriver trick', you're giving the starter a very direct, hard 'jolt' (which it needs). You don't necessarily get that when it goes through the starter button, wiring and connections. The problem is quite islolated so it should be easy to figure out. Let us know what you find out!

 

[Roostabunny]

Brilliant!

Brilliant!

OK chalk up another win for The GS Resources. And, of course, for my new $4.99 Harbor Freight impact driver to replace the one I misplaced in the move.

Took the solenoid apart after getting it off the bike using the above-mentioned impact driver. I was paranoid about spring tension turning the thing into a parts grenade, but actually it was very manageable. The lead from the coil to the control wire was stuck to its contact, and I was bit nervous when it gave way and I finally saw what was inside. (sorry, by the way, I'm remiss in not taking pictures)

After some inspection, I decided optimistically that it was not humanly possible to have soldered that connection, and resolved to clean it up and carefully realign that bit of wire with the hole it came out of when I put the pieces back together. A little DeoxIT D5 (contact cleaner) and things started to look a little shinier.

While I was in there, I undid the lower nuts on the posts, which allowed me to remove and clean the copper high voltage contacts for the posts and on the sliding rod.

Putting it back together was a little nerve racking, as I didn't want to bend (and potentially break off) the tiny tip of the coil lead, but after a tweak or two the wire found its home and the solenoid went together with no resistance. Reinstalled, shot some contact cleaner into the control wire's connector, plugged it back in, and gave it a shot. She started right up, just like before.

As a bonus, I now know how a solenoid works.

Thanks again!

 

[Big T]

Great,

Did you find a lot of gunk and burned contacts in there?

 

[Steve]

As a bonus, I now know how a solenoid works.

Something else for your trivia bank: you now know how a relay works, too.

For some reason, a very heavy-duty relay is called a "solenoid".

If you reduce them both to their basic simplicity, all they are is "remote-controlled switches". :-\\\

.

 

[Roostabunny]

Big T: I was surprised at how little gunk there was. Slight burnage on the contacts, which is what I cleaned. Main impression - not bad after almost 30 years!

@Steve: Yeah, after I was done I went to the Wikipedia page for "solenoid" and though "Ah, that's why people seem to use the term 'relay' half the time". They're the same thing!
This was a nice easy start - I'm working for a telecom equipment manufacturer now, surrounded by EE's - no better time to finally start to learn how electricity works and apply it on my GS.