How do I tell what is broke, starter or seloniod?

My bike will not start. It came on slowly but now not at all. I think it is the starter but could it be the selonoid?

How do I tell the difference?

I cleaned the starter inside,everything looks good. I can get it to turn over on rare occasion,but not for a while now. I can push her to start, just takes about 3 feet, but I need to get this fixed.

Thanks

 

1/make sure all the cable ends are clean & making a good connection.
2/cross the 2 nuts on the solonoid with a screwdriver, if that turns the starter, it's the solonoid.

 

Howdy to a fellow Okie! It seems like there's maybe a dozen XJ's in the whole state! :?

XJ's love a fresh, strong battery.... Is yours in decent shape?

 

my solenoid been getting weak, a few rocks on the run switch and bumping the starter usually works.

 

Might be time to touch up the solenoid contacts. Open that sucker up and clean off the contacts with a small jewelers file. A solder sucker is a manditory tool for this evolution, be sure to have one handy.

 

Allright, I have cleaned everything and nothing, just a little click when I hit the starter button.

I have touched the screwdriver to the contacts and got a large spark. Freaked me out a second and I stopped holding the screwdriver to the contacts. The engine did turn over but now nothing. I do not get anyother thing but the click. Nothing now when I cross the contacts either.

Bike runs great with a push.

Thanks for the ideas.

D

 

If your Starter is all Original ... I'd suspect the Starter over the Solenoid. Carbon Dust gets pretty thick inside the Electric end making for a coated Commutator that really needs to be clean in order to react to the Current when the contacts of the Solenoid are closed.

Pull the Starter.
Simple to do.
Your are just three fasteners from having the Starter on the Bench after disconnecting the Battery.
You can hit the Starter with a Battery Charger and see how it responds to having Current applied directly to its Power Post and Case.

Black Lead to the Case.
Red Lead to the Power Post and the Starter should spin.
If there is a delay... the Commutator or the Brushes need to be serviced.

It's tricky soldering-in new Brushes to the Starter Motor's Brush Holder and Power Post.
There isn't much Slack in the pigtail of the new Brushes.

But, if you have the Starter in hand and the New Brushes you need; an Auto Electric Firm or an Electric Motor Servicing place can replace the Brushes for you ... for a half-hour to an hours Labor.
That might be the way to go if you've never had a Starter Motor apart.

 

Thanks Rick,


I have had it apart and cleaned very well. That worked for about 6 weeks then it started to faid. I cleaned it again and nothing improved. The brushes are at their end of adjustment.

 

You are going to replace the Brushes, right?

 

well...... I don't know. I mean they are soldered in place and have read the advice about replaceing them. Just did not know if that is worth it or just buy a new " used " one. I know I can have problems with that also but just trying to weigh options. I will try today to look again at the brushes and figure out where to get new ones.... Any Ideas??

 

You could buy a "Used" one and be worse-off than you are, tight now.
Starter Brushes are a "Consumable"
That means ... they wear-out and get replaced.

It's highly likely your Starter will function like Brand New after you find a set of Brushes and get them installed in there.

We have our "On-Site" Parts supplier. Chacal.
Partsnmore
Oldbikebarn
eBay

I have bought a few sets off eBay and they were good Brushes -- Made in Japan.

It takes some patience and dexterity to remove the old Brushes and solder in the New ones.
There isn't a lot of slack on the Brush pigtail that gets its Power from the External Power Post.

To keep the pigtail from getting wrapped-up in the rotation of the Commutator; you only get enough lead to make the swap.
You have to be good with the Soldering Iron and make a nice connection.

 

i think that i also need to get new brushes. my starter died and i cleaned it and it ran for a while but now its dying again. so i was thinking of getting brushes. but rick i have a question. last time i cleaned my starter the brushes (little blocks of metal) wernt attached by soldering at all. you could just pull them out. is this normal.

 

The Original Brushes are connected right to the Power Inlet Post and the Brush Holder Frame right at the Factory.

I don't think they are Soldered on during the Build. I think the whole Piece coming from the Power Post is molded with the Brushes pigtail attached.

To replace the Brushes; there needs to be a New Brush added to the Pigtail coming in from the Power Post that will replace the old Brush and fit into the Brush Holder.

You have to SPLICE the New Brush on to that Power Lead.
The Power Lead gets removed from the Case Cover.
Plastic and Rubber parts keep the Power Post insulated from contact to the Case.

The replacement process involves separating the Power Post from its insulated housing ... removing the old Brush ... attaching the new one ... and returning the Power Post to its housing ... WHILE making sure that the Power Post IS still insulated and the new Pigtail ... long enough to allow the Brush to fit the Holder and short enough not to get fouled or shorted-out when the Case is repositioned on to the body of the Starter Motor.

I have tried using Heat Shrink ... it wasn't a good choice.

Now, I use Liquid Electrical Tape.