No start no click.

Hi everyone! I have a sudden no start issue.

Bike: 1983 XJ550 Maxim (stock to my knowledge except as indicated below).

PO removed all the guts from the original start/kill assembly and installed a cheap on/off switch for the kill and a momentary switch directly into the solenoid.

That worked fine until about three days ago. It was starting strong and every single time in any weather. Then one day I tried to start it and didn’t receive so much as a click from the start button. However, about ten minutes later it started right up. The next day, the same happened except it was cold so starting was difficult. It tried to crank but then the switch stopped working entirely.

I replaced the momentary switch with no change in the no click/no start. I then replaced the starter solenoid relay today but still have not so much as a click. My battery is charged, I changed the fuse just in case and still no luck. All other lights (blinkers, neutral lamp, rear/brake lamp) are functioning fine, and horn is still strong (even when I hold it several seconds it doesn’t fluctuate).

I’ve included an image of the mess left by the PO where the harness used to be. The kill switch is wired into the red and black wires you see there. I am not adept at these things and do not want to screw something up if it is a simple fix.

I’m also curious if there’s wiring I can use in the remnants he left that I can use for the momentary switch instead of right into the solenoid relay? I have a new replacement OEM style kill switch/start button assembly on order but obviously I’ll have to do some wiring since he cut off and discarded the connector harness.

 

Really can't tell much form that picture zoomed in so you can't see the ends of the wires and where they go

Normally, the kill switch is a R/W and R/W wire so the red and white wire you are referring to doesn't look right. If the kill switch is not wired correctly you won't get any starter or ignition

Is that cut harness in view what should be going to the right control assembly?

 

Thanks for the input. Yes the picture is (what’s left of) the top of the harness that used to go into the control assembly. The assembly shell is still there, but PO gutted it. He has the red wire from the cheap on/off switch wired into B/W, and the black wired into the R/W. I’ve had fire and perfect starts until the current dilemma. It was perfect for weeks, then intermittent, for a day or so, now nothing.

The relay for the kickstand, and the one under the tank both “click” when I turn bike to “on” but even with new solenoid I get not so much as a click now. I checked with multi meter and have about 12v at the solenoid, and that zeros out when I press the start button that he wired directly into the solenoid posts.

 

Maybe I am missing something, but the only B/W (black/white) wire that I can find on the wiring diagram is the B/W wire that is used by the side stand relay to disable the ignition. That cut harness should of had two R/W wires that the kill switch shorts out for the bike to run

One side is 12 V (R/W) supplied by safety circuit starter cutoff relay, the other side (L/W) should be pulled to ground when the start switch is depressed. If you are on the low side (L/W) and it is being pulled form 12V to ground then the starter solenoid should click / clunk and engage the starter. At that point you should have 12V on both large terminals and the starter should be spinning. Perhaps the solenoid is engaging and the starter in not energizing, which can be caused by poor contact between the brushes and commutator. Sometime rapping on the starter with a hard plastic mallet will get it going. The oil light should also illuminate when the starter button is depressed, which on the 550's is an indication of not only the starter switch working, but also that the 12 V ignition is present



You can also check the starter by using an old screwdriver and shorting across the two large terminals on the solenoid and the starter should spin - make sure bike is in neutral first, or better on center stand in neutral. If the ignition switch is set to on when doing this the bike should start, if off the starter will still spin but no ignition so no start

 

It’s been busy at work so sorry for the delay. Thank you for the feedback!

I’ll get back into what’s left of the harness later this week and verify what colors he spliced into for the on/off switch he installed. And respond with the outcome.

No luck with the mallet rapping. Also no oil light when I press the start button (if that’s still applicable since it’s wired directly into the solenoid/relay). Also nothing at all when connecting the two posts with the tips of an insulated crescent wrench. I’ll continue to trouble shoot, and I’m changing some wires and harness pins that are questionable as well.

Thanks again. Weather has been nice too so this sucks eggs!

 

There is a troubleshooting guide here on the site somewhere, If you shorted the big starter solenoid posts, it Sounds like you are going to have to pull the starter.
That being said, when I had issues with my starter and I changed the solenoid, I also cleaned up the contacts of the metal plate that goes from the 12V battery terminal to the starter solenoid.
If you shorted the starter solenoid and that did not start it, then I'd suspect the starter solenoid is still good.
If you put 12V across the 2pin connector, you should hear a click. If not, you may have 2 things wrong.
Keep in mine that one end of the starter goes to the insulated bolt on the starter, the other end, the ground goes from the engine to the ground connection.
you can still have a ground problem.

Check 12V from battery + to the Battery -. Look at that voltage (say its 12.7V)
If you go from 12V from battery to the Starter case, is it still 12.7V?

 

I haven’t taken the time to look again at the wiring on PO’s start kill contraption since I’ve got an OEM replacement en route.

The mallet trick actually did get me a start. I’ve also got a starter rebuild kit on the way. AND I’m now in possession of a Clymer.

 

The saga continues…. Well upon inspection, it is apparent the PO did not use the original harness to connect his flimsy kill switch. I’m not even sure it did not come from a boat instead of a motorcycle. Okay so here’s the results of unwrapping the mess:

These three wires were just stuffed into the sleeve, connected to nothing - just fell out when I was inspecting what’s there:



This is what he had the kill switch wired into. He had positive to the B/W and negative to the B. The Y/R was capped off with a twist on wire cap, and the B/R was just exposed and unconnected:


I have the replacement right switch installed but as yet not connected. This is what’s on the end of the replacement Start/Kill switch I purchased. It is wired properly inside the housing. I need to either figure out what goes where with the Frankenstein harness, or find an original harness:

 

Here’s the used run/start/kill switch I bought. I had to add a different throttle cable because the old switch housing skeleton on the bike had a threaded end on it.


Thankfully the bottom section of the old harness was still there, spliced into the Frankenstein wiring. I added connectors to mate it up. I’m not sure if there’s a difference which R/W wire goes where.


I connected everything up but no spark/fire and no red light when I press start button. However (even though I’ve not rebuilt the starter yet it’s still intermittent) when I try at the starter solenoid, it will send fire to the starter and try.

Continuity tests with multimeter are good on the replacement switch both before and after splicing into the original harness connector. Perhaps it’s something between the connector harness female end on the bike and the starter preventing the signal from going.

I discovered that the PO cut off the sensor wires that come out of the clutch handle. Maybe that’s the reason? But I wouldn’t think so, since it is in neutral.


I’m hoping to sort this and avoid using a switch wired into the solenoid like that setup the PO rigged. It is probably something simple for which my ignorance just can’t compensate.

 

That looks nice, and all you need on that low side is for the switch to ground the L/W wire, which will engage the starter solenoid if the starter cutoff relay is closed.

The starter cutoff relay routes 12V to one side of the starter solenoid (R/W wire), and for it to close you need either the bike in neutral OR the if in gear the clutch pulled in AND the side stand up - of course this is assuming those components are present and working, and you already mentioned he chopped out the clutch switch.

So, it's an easy check if you power the bike up with your new setup you should check for 12V at the R/W wire on the starter solenoid. If you don't have it then time to figure out why it is missing . If you have 12V there at the R/W wire then you will have 12V at the L/W wire until the starter switch is depressed pulling that low, which engages the starter solenoid

 

Thanks for all the input. I connected everything and ran the check again where you indicated. Still nothing.

I decided to check the simplest possible problem first and go from there. The 15a fuse to the R/W was blown. I swapped it out and got the expected response from the switch, the start button (including the red oil lamp illuminating), as well as a spirited attempt by the struggling starter to do its job. It may have started but for it being so cold here in Idaho.

It started snowing heavily before I could get the throttle cable changed out. That looks like it’s going to be fun. The old one is threaded on both connector ends, but this one is threaded on neither.‍

 

Might check that fuse size, you should have a 20 amp main and three 10 amp - Ignition, Head, and Signal

 

Thanks! He has a 20 main and three 15s for the others. I’ll change them ASAP.