no start, oil light on. easy fix?

ok, my bike doesn't always start from the start button. when this happens the oil light comes on and it won't start. the oil level is ok and there is no specific instance i can think of that it does or doesn't start. The previous owner wired in a new start button just under the key on the plastic yamaha cover. this button always starts the bike. i never had a problem until now cuz i'm cleaning up and customizing a few things and that big round button by the key has to go. is it possible that a faulty oil level sensor could cause that? like i said sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't but with more doesn't. just curious if this was common or a quick fix until a get a few minutes to actually look at it. THanks

 

The oil light is supposed to come on when the starter button is pressed. It's a light test.

Normally the symptom you have would indicate a bad starter relay, but the big button you describe must use the relay.

The wire from the start button to the relay is blue with a white stripe. Look and see where the PO tied in the auxiliary button.

 

ok thanks, i think he tied it in up by the starter button but the new button will crank the bike rather the key and kill are on or off. so i thought it may be hard wired but it looks to be tied in. unless it's tied in after a bad wire

 

ok, i found the blue/white wire. it looks like it may be almost rusted off the solenoid. The "Big Button" is hard wired so if the solenoid was bad it would bypass it. the po took power from the Batt + post of the solenoid to the switch then from the switch back to the post with the starter wire. with those unhooked i'll try to re-solder the b/w and r/w wires on. if no good then i'm thinking solenoid. Just when i thought i was done on ebay for a few days. i just spent a whopping 15 bucks for a headlight trim ring, rectifier, pickup coils and something else i forget. nice and low budget, lol.

 

Doesn't the light come on if you try to start in gear? Doesn't sound like that's the issue here. Just sayin'..

 

the big button is hardwired so it will start in gear stand down no oil, whatever. i'm looking for a way to test the solenoid. The button basically bypasses the solenoid so it starts all the time. this is part of me trying to clean-up the bikes appearance more than anything. plus then i won't have to worry about anyone starting it in gear cuz the button pushes pretty easy, and beleive me she will launch when in gear. . . cold morning, no smokes running late. . . you get the idea. Anyhowi bet it's the solenoid once i saw it, it reminded me of a ford truck when you can take a screw driver across the terminals. That's basically what the big button does but at an end of wire.

don't suppose anyone has a starter solenoid (switch as it's called in the manual) or know where to find one cheap. the ones one ebay look just as bad as the one on the bike.

 

You can test yours by putting 12V on the connector (where you traced the blue/white wire to). Barring that you can disassemble and fix yours but it is a bit tricky. It is easy to break the fine wires inside.

I found a decent one on ebay that works great then I rebuilt my old one for a spare.

 

Had the same problem. Turns out my starter was worn out. VERY worn out.

 

i'll try that, if it doesn't turn out good then i'm in the same boat.

 

The blue/white grounds the relay. Putting + on it should do nothing.

 

just curious but is there a starter relay to look at or is the relay as you guys say the solenoid, which is by the battery.

 

When we say starter relay or starter solenoid we mean the same thing.

I researched the term awhile back. Both are coils of wire that move an actuator. When the actuator moves a mechanical linkage the term solenoid is usually used. Relay is the term used when the actuator is an electrical switch.

Back on some old cars (maybe some current ones) the actuator was connected to a linkage that engaged the starter gear to the flywheel as well as throwing the high current switch for the juice. I believe this is the device that set us onto the term solenoid when talking about the starter relay.

To answer a previous poster - The oil light will come on any time the start button is pressed. You tend to notice it more when one of the safety circuits is engaged because nothing happens except the light coming on.

 

ok, i was just curious because when we order parts at work if i say relay i get a relay and a visa versa. but ya they do pretty much the same thing.