starter relay, click.

Hey all,
I was able to find out why my clutch lever was arcing at the hi-lo, turn signal array. It was a bad wiring harness ground at the coils. One of the vendors recommended that I replace all the kill switches because I have them all by-passed. Wonder why he would recommend that!?
So now, developed a starter issue. When I press starter button I just get a click. One solid click. Definitely relay, but how to double check before I order new one.
:?:
'82 Maxim, 650

 

Simply jump across the two big terminals on the solenoid (shower of sparks alert.) If the starter then spins, you know it's the solenoid (relay.)

 

It is possible to dismantle the solenoid to clean the contacts, and the trick is to file just enough to remove the pimples. Do not try to file the contacts back until there is smooth metal all over, this is impossible to do by hand and you will end up with contacts that don't meet properly. Use a very fine file, of course. Polish the contacts, then clean them to remove any polish residue.

there are fine wires inside the solenoid, try not to damage them when you dismantle it.

What happens is that the pimples stop the two contacts from touching over a great enough surface area. It arcs and sparks and more pimples are created. These new pimples make the problem worse, and all of a sudden all your solenoid does is go 'click'.

I repaired my own solenoid in this fashion, and it's been fine for ages. I learned this trick while working on large 415 volt 3-phase contactors.

 

They appear to be - umm -

Nine Dollars !!

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_ ... 1404908644

and- starter diagnose thread here

 

You underestimate the thriftiness of the common Englishman.

 

Yes, $9.75
Sounds like a magical place, Glendale, California.
Anyway that's where the part is coming from. Let's see, next problem, Oh, New bar end LED lights just stay on. Flasher unit? Sounds like a part of the police force that upholds public decency. 'The Flasher Unit'
I'll try taking the Relay apart in the meantime. See if I can do that filing thing. Also, what if the starter doesn't spin when the poles are jumped? The body of the starter is grounded on the engine/trans block right? maybe bad ground, because everything was painted. hmmmm!

 

It could indeed be your ground if the cases were painted with the starter off. Pull the starter and clean any paint off of the mating surfaces. The other reason would be if the brushes have been worn beyond their service limit, or some other internal issue. If having a good ground wont let the starter turn then you'll want to order a rebuild kit and go through the starter. You can bench test the starter with a good set of jumper cables and a fully charged battery.

 

If the engine was out of the frame for painting, did the engine-to-frame ground straps get reconnected upon reassembly?

LED signals don't draw enough current to make the stock flasher relay work. If you replace the stock flasher unit you'll lose the self cancelling feature unless you do some electrical re-engineering.

 

Who, me?

Urm, well, Yes... I'm an Englishman and I'm common all right!

I had a quick look on the web and I couldn't see any solenoids for sale here as cheap as nine dollars (=£5.26) About £12-16 seems more typical.

 

Think....lawn tractor , see how that goes.

 

I have a '80 Vespa that I run for blocks with the left signal on, so, the folks around here are use to seeing me with non self cancellng signals.
I did hook up both grounds, from battery to block and block to frame. So. . . Maybe I'll double check the ground connections.

Thanks

'Good enough for that asshole'