starter sticks on when I attach my battery

Like the listing says when I attach my battery there are a few sparks at the terminal, and then the starter immediately starts turning over regardless of the ignition key position. I will try to attach pix and give a history.
Starter button poped out at the end of the season and the previos owner had striped the throtle assy.screws badly so for my las5 few rides I would turn it all on and poke a key in the button hole essentially just to spark it on. Solenoid went soon after replaced it , rolling smooth then one night the temp droped to like20 and when I went out in the morning the starter stuck until I pulled the batt.
Now I pull it out of the shed 6 months later and dont now where to begin. Would like to rig a new mom. On/off button switch but I cant get the switch apart and there are 4 wires going up to the run/off switch/ starter buton. Srry for the crazy long post ps bike is an 82 xj 550 maxx. Thanx for the help

 

Your starter solenoid has met the ghost. It is no longer with us. It is deciesed. It is an ex-solenoid.

The realy contacts have fused themselves together, so whenever power is applied to the bike the starter will spin. The only remedy is to replace it.

You will aslo want to fix or replace your starter button. The stripped screw holes can be fixed by filling them with epoxy, and running a well-oiled screw into the hole. Once the epoxy has set the screw can be backed out and any excess epoxy trimmed off

 

I will get another one. That one only had like 4 rides on it.any idea why they are poping? Thanx again!

 

New solenoid?? hold on . . .

You may still have a dodgey start button,

Look thru this thread . . .

start circuit diagnostic

 

Start button maybe kaput, shorting straight down to ground, poking around in there with a key could be the culprit

 

I have a service manual somwer, theres 4 wires going to the off/run andstarter button switch. 2redwhites 1bluewhite and1black. I heve a 2 term momentery onoff button switch. Any idea whitch of the wires go to the button. Id like to just splice it in then I can avoid takin throttle apart.

 

Had this exact problem on this exact bike. Unfortunately i couldnt nail down the source, because eventually it started working again. Ill pass along the advice that was given to me and try to find you a link to the thread specifically, but this is what i did.

First, charge your battery. If its "flat", it will have enough juice to turn over but not enough to fire up. Second, blast your start button housing with brakekleen, or another electronics cleaner to try and clean up those contacts. Replace the solenoid. If youre feeling ballsy, i tore apart the starter and cleaned all the contacts, because there was some mention of them being fused after extended operation. I might be forgetting something so ill try to find my old thread, but im definitely monitoring this one because id like to be able to trust my bike again.

 

Seriously? It's two screws and you have to pay attention.

This is a 30+ year old motorcycle. There will be all sorts of stuff you won't be able to avoid taking apart, might as well start here.

 

I am totally aware of how many screws there are, unfortunately as I mentioned 2 lines up the one of the screws is mangled badly. It wouldnt be that hard to get out, but to call the last owner ahack would b a compliment. Mangled bolts and screws all over and i would like to get major probs out of the way and deal witht he bs after.. solenoid is on order and im gunna try to wire in a new starter button. If that does not work, I will move on to the starter as advised. Again thanx for the help guys

 

fg, don't get frustrated you've got this. Chasing electrical gremlins is a biotch. It is a must that both control switches function properly. I had a similar problem. When I opened the right control switch there was only one single strand of wire connected to the contact plate for the starter button. I clipped and stripped the main wire and re-soldered the strands to the contact plate. I also replaced the broken button. Hope this helps. Roc

 

Thanx roc, every bit helps. Just waiting on parts now thinking about geting a whole nother switch assy and driling the old one out and just doing it right. While u wer in there on yours did younnotice what wires go to the button itself. Hot and ground?

 

One side of the start button is labeled "L/W" and it triggers the starter solenoid. Then drops to ground.

It is fed by the "starter circuit cut-off relay"

Did you click this ??
http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... art=0.html
Link

 

Ok after reviewing the diagram I think what im going to do while waiting for the new solenoid is cut the blue wire and splice it onto 1 terminal of the new momentery onoff button, then just run a new wire to the frame and connect that wire to the other terminal for a ground. Its a big tubular jabsco water proof button switch.

 

New update, Got the starter to stop tripping. Turns out it was the most simpilest of all things. The socket that the starter button sat in was corroded to some extent and was literely auto starting. I decided while waiting for a new solenoid I would check all the wireing starting at starter and ending up at the button. I did wrap up an exposed part on the batt cable around where the solenoid sits, but other then that I am 100% sure it was that switch. Thanx for the help everyone!!!! Very good advice, especially considering I did not post any pics. I have many other things I will be needing advice on so please feel free to post, help is always apreciated!!!!!

 

The switch assy was still in stock at all yamaha warehouses so I ordered a replacment.!!! cheap to!