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Still no start

  • Thread starter Thread starter whenpigsfly514
  • Start date Start date
W

whenpigsfly514

Guest
So I got a wire diagram off of here, followed the wires and all. I have good connections and I made a single post common ground on the cross mount just below the tank. My lights work and I can switch from high to low beam. Horn works too.

Now when I turn the key on, hold the clutch in and press the start button I don't get anything. No noise, no crank, nothing. I had the bike hooked up to a battery tender when I tried to start it too and still got nothing.

I am lost as where to start looking now.

It died on me while riding so I am lost, and don't know where to start..
 
When the key is on stuff works, that's good
Make sure the kill switch is on run
Still nothing? Jump the solenoid with a screwdriver. Motor cranks=bad solenoid or bad start button.
Check the connections from the start button.

Think about the path of current starting at the battery, and test each segment one at a time.
 
cableguy said:
When the key is on stuff works, that's good
Make sure the kill switch is on run
Still nothing? Jump the solenoid with a screwdriver. Motor cranks=bad solenoid or bad start button.
Check the connections from the start button.

Think about the path of current starting at the battery, and test each segment one at a time.
Click to expand...

Oh and I forgot to add, when I bought the bike it came with a few boxes of crap. There was a new solenoid in there, so I did put that on yesterday.

Yes the kill switch was on the run position, I have taken it apart and inspected the connections and seemed to be ok, but still could be screwy.. possibly
 
If you don't have a voltmeter to help with diagnosis, please, at least get a test light.

Electrons are very tiny and hard to see, you need the help of a meter or a light to see if they are there.

.
 
Steve said:
If you don't have a voltmeter to help with diagnosis, please, at least get a test light.

Electrons are very tiny and hard to see, you need the help of a meter or a light to see if they are there.

.
Click to expand...

I have a test light.
 
whenpigsfly514 said:
I have a test light.
Click to expand...
So do you show power (light on) at one big terminal on solenoid? Have you tried jumping (connecting them together briefly) the two large terminals on solenoid- please make sure bike is on centerstand and in neutral!
 
If the solenoid is new and its wired correctly, it should click when you hit the start button. Since you say its new we all have to ASSUME that its "known to be good"
So your problem has to be before the solenoid, right? Thee only thing before the solenoid is the battery, but also the connection to the start button, and then there is the ground. Is that ground wire part of that ground point you made? If you dont know how good your battery is, use a car battery (don't leave the car running!!!). You need to establish some "known to be good" elements and give some details about both the condition of things, and which steps you take so people don't have to guess. If you have a wiring diagram, follow it, clean every connection along the way, and then report back about what you did, and how well it runs now.
 
tom203 said:
So do you show power (light on) at one big terminal on solenoid? Have you tried jumping (connecting them together briefly) the two large terminals on solenoid- please make sure bike is on centerstand and in neutral!
Click to expand...

Light comes on at the red terminal. Starter spins and attempts to start bike when solenoid is jumped.
 
cableguy said:
If the solenoid is new and its wired correctly, it should click when you hit the start button. Since you say its new we all have to ASSUME that its "known to be good"
So your problem has to be before the solenoid, right? Thee only thing before the solenoid is the battery, but also the connection to the start button, and then there is the ground. Is that ground wire part of that ground point you made? If you dont know how good your battery is, use a car battery (don't leave the car running!!!). You need to establish some "known to be good" elements and give some details about both the condition of things, and which steps you take so people don't have to guess. If you have a wiring diagram, follow it, clean every connection along the way, and then report back about what you did, and how well it runs now.
Click to expand...

New battery. Checked start switch with test light. Its getting power, and when the bike is switched to run the start switch then has power.
 
You can see this wire got very hot for some reason.. Its probably too small of a wire. I have bigger stuff that I am going to swap it with.
 
Sojumping the contacts on the solenoid now shows me what? Where do I go from here?
 
whenpigsfly514 said:
Sojumping the contacts on the solenoid now shows me what? Where do I go from here?
Click to expand...

Jumping the contacts shows that solenoid is connected to starter motor and battery AND is passing juice thru. Now you have to detrmine why the trigger wire (green/yellow from starter button) is not activating solenoid. Put your test light probe on trigger wire connection - should light up when you press button (and ignition, kill switch and clutch safety switches are on). Make sure the solenoid frame has a good ground to frame.
 
whenpigsfly514 said:
Sojumping the contacts on the solenoid now shows me what? Where do I go from here?
Click to expand...
If you jumped it across the solenoid termenals and the engine cranked over that means the solenoid and starter motor are working. Start at the battery, to ingnition switch. Switch to start button. Start button to solenoid. It sounds like solenoid is not getting power.
 
tom203 said:
Jumping the contacts shows that solenoid is connected to starter motor and battery AND is passing juice thru. Now you have to detrmine why the trigger wire (green/yellow from starter button) is not activating solenoid. Put your test light probe on trigger wire connection - should light up when you press button (and ignition, kill switch and clutch safety switches are on). Make sure the solenoid frame has a good ground to frame.
Click to expand...
I had a small wire that got really hot and actually melted the jacket so I need to up the gauge of the wire.

mike10 said:
If you jumped it across the solenoid termenals and the engine cranked over that means the solenoid and starter motor are working. Start at the battery, to ingnition switch. Switch to start button. Start button to solenoid. It sounds like solenoid is not getting power.
Click to expand...

I am getting power to the solenoid, confirmed via test light.
 
mike10 said:
If you jumped it across the solenoid termenals and the engine cranked over that means the solenoid and starter motor are working..
Click to expand...
Actually that is incorrect. This test shows that the battery is connected to the battery side of the solenoid and that the starter is working. It is not a test of the solenoid itself.
 
koolaid_kid said:
Actually that is incorrect. This test shows that the battery is connected to the battery side of the solenoid and that the starter is working. It is not a test of the solenoid itself.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

If you need a meter, head to Harbor Freight and get one for $3. They also have coupons for free meters in the moto-mags sometimes (I have a stack of these free meters I issue to meterless riders when neccessary).

Some test leads would also be very helpful for testing the solenoid.


This is just a WAG, but does the metal plate where the solenoid mounts have a good ground? It's rubber-mounted and must have a ground wire.

If it does not, the solenoid will not work or will be intermittent. I've seen this more than once.
 
So the solenoid is Bad? If there is power on the battery side and power on the starter side, from the starter button. But no spin from the starter when the button is pushed.... But the starter spins if you jump across the terminals. Does your bike fire up and run when you jump it across the solenoid terminals?
 
To test the solenoid you need to pull the small wire that connects to the starter button and put a voltmeter on it. Press the starter button. If you get 12V then the solenoid is bad. (this is what tom203 stated earlier.) If you do not get 12V, you need to trace back to the starter button. Could be the kill switch, the starter button itself, or the wiring in the harness.
Hope for 12V appearing; the other stuff is a lot more time and work.
And as bwringer and tom203 stated, you need to make sure the solenoid is grounded by a ground wire.
 
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