Starter issues

[jthree]

I'm having a problem that has gone from once in a blue moon to almost constant. The problem is that my starter does not engage. I hear the solenoid "click" (a fairly solid clunk) but the starter does not turn. At first I thought it was lose wiring but I've eliminated that as a problem. When it happens now, I put it in gear and rock it back a forth a couple of times and eventually the starter will kick in and away we go.
Am I looking at a whole new starter or is there something I can do to fix this?

Cheers

Jthree

 

[Ugarte]

First clean and grease all your easily accessible connection, including the main fuse. Also check the main fuse to see if it has melted, some captains have reported that. If that does not do it, replace the starter relay, if that does not do it clean the connections at the starter. Many of us have had this problem and some have pulled and checked their starters but as far as I know nobody has had to replace the starter, it was always something else. So I doubt if it is the starter.

Even with all the cleaning and greasing I have done, I still get the click on occassion, but I have not gone in and cleaned the starter connections yet because I have to pull the catbox to get to it and that requires hard work lying on the ground cursing.

 

[honker]

I have recently fixed this long running problem. The starter is very close to the cat box and it has a tendency to over heat the starter. Wrap the starter in header wrap and see if it doesn't help.

 

[jthree]

Thanks guys. I don't have stock pipes and, as such, I'm not sure if I have a cat box. I will double check all my connections. You mention a starter relay, I assume this is over and above the solenoid. Where is it located?

If I have a loose connection and/or the starter relay is bad, does it make sense that it sounds like the solenoid is kicking in?

Cheers

Jthree

 

[Ugarte]

Thanks guys. I don't have stock pipes and, as such, I'm not sure if I have a cat box. I will double check all my connections. You mention a starter relay, I assume this is over and above the solenoid. Where is it located?

If I have a loose connection and/or the starter relay is bad, does it make sense that it sounds like the solenoid is kicking in?

Cheers

Jthree

You probably don't have a catbox. Just look under the bike to check, it is very obvious. The catbox also radiates a lot of heat. It could be loose connections or cruddy connections at the battery, main fuse, relay?, or at the starter. My connections were cruddy especially the battery terminals, so I cleaned them and filed them down, the main fuse was cruddy too as were many of the other fuses. The starter relay is inside the right side cover, there are two there, the turn signal flasher and the starter relay, the starter relay is toward the rear, at least on my bike.

The solenoid is probably just not getting enough power because of either a bad relay, or too much resistance in the system or both. I know when I have had a near dead bettery the solenoid would kick in but not engage the starter.

Look for the easy fix first.

 

[honker]

You are correct if the starter is clicking the relay is working. The relay is located under the right hand sidecover just below the seat. Its a little box about 1" square.You will feel it click when you push the starter button.

 

[atomsplitter]

Thanks guys. I don't have stock pipes and, as such, I'm not sure if I have a cat box. I will double check all my connections. You mention a starter relay, I assume this is over and above the solenoid. Where is it located?

If I have a loose connection and/or the starter relay is bad, does it make sense that it sounds like the solenoid is kicking in?

Cheers

Jthree

There are two relays to the starter. The cross-over relay that turns your lights off and the starter relay that picks up your solenoid on the starter and powers the starter. So that 'clunk' you're hearing is likely the relay powering the solenoid and the solenoid engaging (probably). On top of the starter is a wire clip and a heavy cable. The heavy cable is the power that runs the starter. If you want to check the starter motor use a jumper directly from the battery positive to starter terminal. You can do this with the ignition off and the bike in neutral and the starter will spin (you're bypassing everything in the starting circuit). If it doesn't spin up then the starter itself is your problem. If it spins up then the relay (or connections) is the problem. I'd recommend you test the starter motor first and see what happens.

 

[jthree]

Excellent thanks.

I sure hope it turns out to be a simple fix, I don't relish shelling out 700 bones for a new starter.

Cheers

Jthree

 

[atomsplitter]

Excellent thanks.

I sure hope it turns out to be a simple fix, I don't relish shelling out 700 bones for a new starter.

Cheers

Jthree

You can rebuild the starter for less than $700.00. It's only an armature and stator.

 

[jthree]

Well I replaced the starter relay and haven't had a problem since. Let's hope it's solved.

Thanks for the help guys

Jthree