starting issues HELP! this is my only ride!

82 xj Bobber. Having trouble starting bike when its cold. Had to hit the starter switch like 50times this morning. When the bike is warm and iI hit the switch it turns over and starts no pproblem. When its cold or the longer it sits not running the harder to start. Hit the swith in the morning and I get nothing, no turn over, no clicking, nothing. I know its not the switch. If I keep hitting The switch eventually it will start but it gets worse every morning. I have court on Fri!

 

Assuming the battery is good (as it starts eventually) the first thing I'd check is the starter relay (solenoid).

Next time its not cranking, pop the side cover off & disconnect the small wire to the solenoid (what engine is it, if you add bike details to your signature it's easier for peolple to help will look at diagram for wire colours if you need)

Take a multimeter or test lamp & put it between the 2 wires then press the button. If there's 12v when the button's pressed I'd suspect the solenoid, starter brushes/commutator or wiring.

If theres nothing at the small wires when you press the button I'd be looking at the safety circuits (neutral light on? sidestand switch working?) and their relays, the wiring or the button...

 

Are you sure it's not the switch?
Do you use the choke?
What condition is the battery in?
Has it got an airbox or pod filters?
Just firing a few questions to get a bit more info.
No clicking at the solenoid could be a bad connection or totally shagged battery.

 

Solenoid or starter itself based on the "thermal" nature of the issue.

 

Tnx guys solenoid sounds like a good starting point. My bike has been chopped up so diagrams aren't much help but it is a 82 650 maxim. Ill check solenoid and let u know how it goes

 

Cold start thick oil....starts when warm...Your battery has had it.

 

Adrian, it's not even cranking when cold mate, until the button's been pressed x number of times (possibly "working loose" a stuck solenoid)

Solenoids small wires should be blue/white and red/white by the way. the red/white should be live all the time the ignition is on assuming the safety circuit is not activated or is removed, and the blue/white ground is switched by the button.

May be worth making sure the button has a good ground as well, diagram says it's grounded direct to the bar?

 

The OP said its harder to start when cold. Ergo chemical reaction in battery is compromised. Smells like a marginal battery to me...

 

naw he wouldnt be able to keep smashing the button to get it going. My vote is for the starter solonoid like said above.

OP, next time it does it, locate the starter solonoid, hold the starter button in and give the solonoid some taps with a stick or something (I have a wooden hammer handle that I would use for this) and see if it clicks and cranks over. you could also use a big screwdriver or something metal and bridge the contacts on the solonoid but you have to BE ABSOLUTELY SURE that the bike is in neutral.

 

Hydrometer the battery only sure way to tell its health. Stater button works by grounding through the push button to the bars so any of the frame grounds can mess that up if jumping the solenoid fixes your problem then clean all the grounds and or run a wire from the stater button to the solenoid this will of course bypass all the safety circuits as in it will turn over in gear and drive away without you. BEWARE

 

It was starter solenoid. Nice easy fix. Thx for ur help!