Oil Light goes on when hold down startbutton! HELP!!!!!!!!!!

Hello there,

I searched, but couldn't find any information on this issue, so here we go...

I have oil in the bike, just did a fresh oil change. Just got a fresh battery charged it for 5 hours. The horn works... So I know the battery should be fine. So now I'm at this point, where when I hold down the starter button, the damn oil light goes on and nothing, nothing happens. I have no idea what is going on here. Anyone have some suggestions? I checked the wiring for the start button, and everything is solid.

Thanks!

 

forgot to mention it's a 1982 xj650 maxim...

 

Check fuses; I've seen something similar happen with a short on my bike.

 

The main fuse is new... Is there somewhere else I should be checking?

 

The Oil Light is SUPPOSED to go ON!
That lets you know the Bulb is OK.

You have to troubleshoot the Starting Circuit.
Turn Ign ON
Neutral
Stick a Screwdriver across the two BIG Terminals on the Solenoid.

See if she runs?

 

Re: Oil Light goes on when hold down startbutton! HELP!!!!!!

On an 82 650 Maxim there is only one switch in the horn button.

Since the oil light comes on the switch is good. Your problem is likely at the starter relay or with the safety circuits.

 

awesome, thanks!!! I'm gonna try the starter relay, I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Clicking should be coming from your solenoid and the starter safety interlock relay. Try jumping the solenoid and see if the starter turns (Rick directed this a few steps ago). If so, good bet your solenoid is dying.

 

I've got the clicking noise, so I'm definitely getting closer. Thanks all!

 

Yea, it just clicks, and nothing. Does anyone know where to buy a new one and around how much? Cheers!

 

If you jump the starter solenoid and nothing happens, you most likely have a starter problem, did you verify that 12V are present at the battery side of the solenoid. If it is there, you need to look at the starter. Pull it apart and clean it up.

 

Ahh, the 12v are present, thanks!! I'm gonna try cleaning up the starter. pretty much the one thing I overlooked when I cleaned the bike. Thanks!

 

How about the side stand guys?

If the side stand switch is awry it will do this.

Can you start in neutral?

Maybe even neutral sensor?

 

if the solenoid is clicking, it's a bad solenoid more than likely. jump the 2 posts on it and see if it starts.
pm chacal and he will set you up.

 

When you hold the engine start button, it should constantly make a clicking noise correct? Or is it just one click per press of the button? Right now it only makes one click each time I press the button and sometimes, doesn't make a clicking noise. Is this a bad solenoid?

 

This is what my bike is doing currently.. Coincidence?? But I was riding when she died on me, and now when I hit my start button I get one click and then nothing.
When I first got the bike i couldnt get her to start with the button so I always jumped the solenoid. Worked like a charm. You should try it too. Listen to these guys, they have experiance.
I got my start button to work by squirting some cleaner into the button. Starts up great now.. well.. did... Give that a try too!
Hopefully we figure out your problem! Be sure to post the solution when you find it! I wanna know whats wrong with my baby too
-Chris

 

it should click once for each press of the start button.
if it does it sometimes, but not always, it might be a sticking safety relay.
is the bike in neutral when you try it as well?
also, get close to the solenoid to make sure it is clicking all the time and not some of the time. some of clicks might be faint especially if the solenoid is bad.
also, slide the boots off the solenoid and jump it with a screwdriver. if it turns over, you have a bad solenoid.

 

Awesome, this site never seems to fail. I'll let you know how the jump goes...

 

Re: Oil Light goes on when hold down startbutton! HELP!!!!!!

Get a small spanner or something and tap the solenoid body a couple of times. That sometimes gets the solenoid free...

 

I'ma try tapping it.. I dont think its your solenoid though. I'ma take out my headlight bucket today and test those wires and then check all the connections on my fuses.. Its gotta be something. I've also been told it could be my alternator not generating any more power cause of dead brushes
-Chris

 

Re: Oil Light goes on when hold down startbutton! HELP!!!!!!

I have the same problem, I just bridged the solenoid and the engine started, looks like I have a bad solenoid, off to Chacal I go :lol:

 

Nope. All my connections are fine! I did pull my starter, and one of the magnetic plates was sticking to the rotor cause it broke in half. I'm going to see if I can epoxy it back in place, and see if that works. Hopefully I didnt kill my Solenoid when it broke.. Maybe thats why my bike died on me while I was riding.... I hope thats all it is.
-Chris

 

got the same problem, starts when I jump it so mine has crapped out too

 

Re: Oil Light goes on when hold down startbutton! HELP!!!!!!

Sorry, I'm still kind of noob. What do you mean by bridging the solenoid?

 

Taking wire or a screwdriver and pressing it to the + on the Battery to the little round thingy with two wire connected to it. Press it to the one that has the wire running to the starter itself. Usually the black one

 

Re: Oil Light goes on when hold down startbutton! HELP!!!!!!

Bridging the solenoid= taking a screw driver and using it to connect the two contact points.
BTW does anyone know if you can use break cleaner to clean out starter switches and starters and what not or is it just for non electrical parts?

 

Ahh... So if bridging doesn't work, but I still get the clicking noise, that means my starter probably isn't turning over, most likely it is stuck...? I am going to take it apart this afternoon, I'll update this thread in a little bit.

 

Hey! Cleaning up my starter worked wonderfully!! Got all the gunk out of there and glued that plate back in place and she runs great now

 

Oh man, I need to get off work now so I can try and clean that bitch. Day is gonna drag now! I just wanna work on my bike.

 

I know the feeling...

 

NO, one click with a corresponding click as the coil de-energizes when you let off the starter switch.

Yes.

Not if you are reading 12V at the output of the solenoid when you cycle it. Have you tested the starter yet? I am to understand that you bridged the solenoid already with no success which would indicate a bum starter.
Get that thing out and clean it (check the brushes while you are at it, I had mine bite me in the butt).

 

Re: Oil Light goes on when hold down startbutton! HELP!!!!!!

I took my starter off and got it all clean, now when I go to start the bike, the starter dosent even activate, and the solenoid rapidly clicks. I go to use the screw driver on the solenoid and just get a bunch of sparks, earlier in the day the bike started up when I bridged the solenoid, Wonder if I jacked my starter motor up.... where the line from the solenoid meets the starter I broke that plastic piece when I tightened the nut, would that have any effect on the starter motor activating? Geeze everytime I touch this thing I break somthing.... :? :evil:

 

Did you install the starter back correctly?? You could have flipped the center piece around and reversed the polarity, causing it to spin back words... Hmmm. Doube check that?

 

Ya it only fits in one way any other position and the positive terminal wont reach the hole to the outside of the starter...., and it dosent even spin at all.... I tightened the nut down to tight and the 30 year old plastic pice on the outside of the starter snapped and the magnet looking pice that holds the terminal tight chipped onone corner. So there is nothing holding the terminal tight, I think it might be grounding itself. I also tried with my jumper cables to start the starter and all it did was spark. :?

 

My magnet broke and was clinging to my rotor amature peice thing when she broke down, and so I quick steeled her back in. But because the magnet was no longer attached to the wall and was holding onto the armature, binding it, it prevented the rotor inside from spinning I guess.. She wouldnt even turn over or spin at all till I quicked that magnet in and cleaned that crap out of the casing! Now she starts up better than ever.
Loose connection maybe? Check contacts?? I'm be-fuddled currently, but I'm trying to put plausible ideas out there so maybe the solution will just come to you... Have patience! And use that brain of yours!
-Christoph

 

Re: Oil Light goes on when hold down startbutton! HELP!!!!!!

I came to the conclusion that it is the positive brush stud bushings that I broke causing the problem. It's a 9 dollar part from Chacal, but instead Im just gonna buy the whole new brush set with plate and the bushing come with it, for 44 bucks, and will get a solenoid also since that is trashed.

 

Re: Oil Light goes on when hold down startbutton! HELP!!!!!!

Ok, so yes I am definitely noob... When you guys talk about "Jumping" the starter, where are you hooking up the jumper cables? Also... Can I use a car/truck to jump my motorcycle? haha, I know all you Wizard's are laughing at me right now.

 

Also... My Starter solenoid goes from clicking everytime click the button... To softly making a clicking noise, or no clicking noise at all...

 

Re: Oil Light goes on when hold down startbutton! HELP!!!!!!

Ya I used regular car and truck type jumper cables, you want to find the stud on the outside of the starter where the cable is coming from, slide the boot down and stick the positive cable to it to see if it starts it.
Make sure to stick the ground cable on a metal part of your bike like the engine or somthing.

 

Sounds just like mine, I lay bet your solenoid is bad.

 

Were you able to get your bike started by bypassing the solenoid and jumping the starter? I'm gonna try it today when I get home from work...

 

After putting my srter back together after I cleaned it, I broke the positive stud bushings when I tightened down the nut.
No starting for me fro a while.... :?

 

Ahh... Hopefully I won't have the same issue. I'll update the thread with my findings...

 

Ya be careful, those plastic parts are brittle I bearly tweaked the ratchet and it snapped the inside and outside like a twig! 8O Good luck