starter issues

How do I check to see if my starter needs to be rebuilt or if my starter solenoid is shot. I got on the bike this morning to go to work and it would not start. It did nothing when I pushed the button. The battery is 12 plus volts. I messed with it turning key on off and eventually got it to turn over very weakly. Can I test resistance on the solenoid or continuity across the starter?

 

On my 82 xj550 the solenoid went and it would just click when I hit the starter button. I just ordered the solenoid because it was 9 bucks. It fixed that situation, but I quickly found out the hard way that every single one of the connections between battery solenoid and starter were filthy. Between the solenoid and clean connects I have not had a prob sense. I now this is general info good luck!

 

When i had issues, i changed the brushes on the starter and it still wouldn't work. Then when attempting to troubleshoot the solenoid, i touched the two leads together by accident while unscrewing and it started the motor.

Can't comment whether or not it's safe, but you could try to connect the two leads on the solenoid with a screwdrive.

 

Weak starting usually points to weak battery. Get a multimeter and a definite answer.

If messing with the key got it to start, I'm guessing the ignition lock cylinder could be suspect. However...

Take a screwdriver and jump the terminals of the starter solenoid. If it spins, starter is fine. If not, starter is hooped. Oh yeah, this will produce sparks.

Still think your issue is elsewhere.

 

Hook it up to a car battery and report back please

 

That is not a good diagnostic procedure for this particular problem.

Follow PilotSmack's advice. If you listen carefully you will hear the safety circuit relay engage when you turn the ignition key to the ON position. If you aren't hearing that, and the battery has a resting voltage of 12.7 - 12.9 volts, then have a look at the igniton switch, and the safety relay. But don't go there before testing the battery and bridging the large terminals on the starter solenoid to see if the starter will turn.

 

what's wrong with that ?

 

Kind of a stupidly simple test......If the bike won't start, and then when you hook it up to a car battery it DOES start----that points really quickly to a bad bike battery.

My bet is going to be that the bike's battery is too weak. Put a volt meter on the battery, check the resting voltage, and then WATCH THE METER when you try and start the bike......tell us what it is at rest, and then what it drops to when you try to start it.

dave

 

Stupidly simple? What the? If anyone can tell me of a quicker more straightforward way of eliminating a dud battery without testing gear I'm all ears!

Forum 101, the posts are read by some new starters (not just the OP),unlike men with pointy hats and over 1500 posts who don't have testing equipment. The correct 'diagnostic' method is to start very simply ie battery, plugs and move onto greater complexity as required. Rant over!

 

1. Stupidly simple is a good thing.

2. OP appears to know the state of his battery.

 

"The battery is 12 plus volts"

Yeah but as we know, without being load tested that means nothing...hence the car battery!

 

It wouldn't be the first time a supposedly good battery fails the load test. I've heard that before!

 

EXACTLY.

SO.....keeping it SIMPLE, there is NO way to eliminate a dud battery without testing-----

Using a meter is testing, using a different battery is testing, etc......

Now, as I said before.......and this is so easy that a Newbie can follow this:

If your bike doesn't start, and you wonder if it might be the battery, SIMPLY hook jumper cables from your bike battery to your car battery. NOT everybody has a charger/booster to be able to hook up to. (OK, yeah.....I DO get that not everybody has a CAR to hook up to)

Now, before we go any farther, YES it is ok to have the car running. DON'T have someone stand on the gas for extra rpms, etc.... though. Just start the car and let it be at idle. Let the bike battery charge for a couple minutes, then try starting it. If the bike fires up, guess what......
without any testing equipment other than a stronger battery, you've successfully diagnosed a dud battery. SIMPLE.

Other SIMPLE options:

1. take your battery to NAPA and have it load-tested. SIMPLE
2. borrow someone else's battery (not as simple....gotta swap stuff
3. Call Ghostbusters.....simple, stupid, and won't help
4. Go buy yourself a load tester......then after you've drained your bank account, go home and study the directions til you still don't understand it. Call your buddy to come over, and not understand it with you. Then finally figure it out, hook it up and learn you have a weak battery. Too bad you can't buy a new one now.....you blew your wad on the load-tester.
Then you have a brilliant idea........why not hook the old battery up to the charger? Oh, wait......you don't have one. Another idea, how about jumping it from the car's battery? Vrroooom! Oh geez....why didn't I try that first?!?!? it was so SIMPLE, and I could have ridden to walmart, bought a new battery, put it in while in the parking lot, and ridden the rest of the day.

So.....

If you don't have a volt meter to tell us what the voltage is at rest AND THEN at starter button pressed------you can do something really simple.....try jumping-starting it from another battery. Duh.

Isn't that what just about anybody does with a car that dies in the parking lot at McDonald's? I have YET to hear someone come running in shouting," My car won't start! Does anyone have a whole bunch of testing equipment that we can use to find out if my battery is bad? I don't want to do something really stupidly simple that anybody would think of first, like, oh....I don't know......um.......maybe give me a jump" NAY......the first thing I hear (and have said) is, "Can somebody give me a jump? I think my battery is dead".

Geez..........it's simple. Trying jumping it. Wow, a stupidly long post to hopefully show that it IS about the simplest thing to try.

You know......start at the battery (AHEM), and then work your way back.

sheesh

dave

 

Oh dear....you forgot your medicine again didn't you

I'll keep it simple (without upper case) for you. Using a car battery which most people do have, will confirm whether your battery is or isn't the source of your problem. Ok? Then you move onto the next thing. There, that was easy wasn't it.

Oh OP. How's it going?

 

That's what hogfiddles is saying. 8O

 

Yup, that's what I said in my post on: Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:05 pm

Here it is again, for those that apparently missed it:

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Kind of a stupidly simple test......If the bike won't start, and then when you hook it up to a car battery it DOES start----that points really quickly to a bad bike battery.

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dave

 

Thanks for everyones advice. Sorry I haven't been back on for a while. I do hear a click at the starter solenoid when I turn the key. I will try to jump the terminals tonight to see what happens and I will also check the loaded voltage of the battery.