Starter solenoid

Does anyone have a source for a GOOD solenoid? All of the aftermarket are trash, they're half the size and they're burning up.

I'm considering just using an old school Ford solenoid.

 

Bought mine from H&H Bros on eBay and that was over 13,000 miles ago in early 2024. Don't know if I got lucky with this one, perhaps there's an issue with your starter that's dragging or it's pulling more current but mine starts every time without a problem. Don't know what to tell ya man.

 

Refurb'd your starter motor?
It may be the cause.

 

Has @chacal upset you or are you hell bent on keeping the balance of trade with China in their favour?
If I was stateside he would be my no1 place for spares.

 

Even the cheap lawn mower solenoids last longer than that.
There's something wrong with the starter, drawing excess current.
Probably full of muck and carbon dust to start with, then there's the possibility of a partial short in it.

 

Starter was rebuilt 2 weeks ago, and works perfectly.

It's the shitty aftermarket solenoids. They're half the size of the OEM, and they're burning up.

 

What I can tell you is the one I bought off the 'bay was the same size as the original and it's never given me one problem. I don't like the aftermarket of today anymore than most here but I can't offer an explanation as to why you're having the problems either. The one I bought was specifically listed for Yamaha products and is still being sold on a bulk listing (item 154984349705) for $18.89 by H&H Bros. If you go with the Ford solenoid remember one has the coil tied to the battery positive terminal and closes when the terminal is grounded, the only problem I see with the Ford solenoid is the coil current itself is much higher than what the OE push button switch can handle and it's not going to last long.

 

Have you gone through and cleaned all the wire contact points? Ground, starter Hot wire and connector wires. Not to sure how long you are holding down the starter button when trying to start as well? Let the starter have a chance to cool a bit if the bike is not starting right up. I am guessing you knew this but just a reminder.

 

Of the eight solenoids that's I've burned up in less than two years, 5 were made in China, 2 in Mexico, 1 in Taiwan.

 

Both of mine look like the one on the right.

 

HCP449 OEM starter Relay - SOLENOID
@Zoot_Suit , Len at XJ4EVER.com has both OEM and Aftermarket solenoids listed. Not cheap but available. That logo in the upper right corner of every page here? That is the easy way to find almost any XJ part and the info that will help you with almost any XJ problem. Len has forgotten more about these bikes than any of us mere mortals will ever know.

 

The description sounds EXACTLY like the aftermarket trash I've been buying. It might help if there were photos.

If I get a chance this week I'll stop by the parts store and grab an old school Ford solenoid and give it a try.

 

Both the OEM and the aftermarket relay that we offer are basically identical in size/shape, and are the "smaller" versions. We've sold lots of both and never heard reports if early failure.

Going thru 8 solenoids in 2 years (even if made in China) leads me to think there is some other issue at play. Starter solenoids are pretty durable little beasts.

 

When one thinks about it, a starter solenoid is just an electromagnet. If it's not large enough and/or made of higher grade materials, the contacts with burn through. Which is why I'm going to try the larger automotive solenoid.

It's something I've experienced with machinery at work. AC Contactors (basically a solenoid) will die, and the replacement will be smaller and it'll burn out quickly. But if I put a larger one in, it doesn't burn out again.

 

I'm with Len on this one. After two years and over 12,000 miles mine has yet to give me any trouble on my 750 SECA and I ride everywhere. Short trips, long ones you name it and never once had a problem with my Chinese made replacement. There has to be some other problem we're not seeing, maybe the start switch is intermittent and pulsing the solenoid while you're riding? The starter clutch would never engage at engine speed so you'd never really know the motor was running. Possible excess current? Many factors here that I'm not sure a Ford solenoid is going to fix necessarily and with the higher coil current demands of this it might burn the contacts of the thumb switch.