[Nyme]

Hi Folks,

I posted a while back as I had an intermittent problem. This has now become permament and have now tried most things I can think of and that were previously suggested so this is an update and looking for any additional suggestions.

Symptoms :
Depress starter and it makes no attempt to turn starter motor.
I do have all lights and panel lights.
I do have neutral light on and it goes out/back on if I set/return reverse lever
It does dim headlight when I depress starter
I can hear relays behind left rear panel click as I depress starter, BUT I dont hear anything at starter solenoids - no clicking.
If starter button was still at fault would I even get the headlight dim and relays (by the fuse block) firing ?

Previous thoughts were battery at fault but,
tested at auto electrician and pronounced good.
Does give correct rating across terminals and shows good on LED battery monitor (especially if I pull main headlight fuse)
All lights are on
I get same problem if I remove battery from circuit and jump from my running Valk battery.
So I am assuming battery probably ok and fault elsewhere. If I can get one to swap out with I will but I would think jumping from Valk with this battery out of circuit proves the point ?

I have :
Stripped starter switch, cleaned and extended springs as it was sticking in and intermittently not starting.
Checked all fuses, in fuse block and main ones by battery.
Swapped relays around (in block by fuses) so changed around the ignition relay just in case.
Changed starter solenoid A as I had a new spare to hand - -again just in case.

I would like to check the kill switch but cannot find any instruction anywhere - any one able to advise how to strip and check or point me to instructions ?
If it was kill switch, would depress starter still result in relays firing (in relay block by fuses, not starter solenoids) and headlight dim ?

How would I know if ECM faulty - would I get these symptoms ?

Any other thoughts very welcome as I am now at point of having to enlist help to track around wiring with a multimeter which is not exactly my speciality !

Thanks

 

[DaveO430]

If you are not familiar with how to use a meter or test light get some help. There is some testing you need to do that requires checking for both power and ground circuits.

 

[newday777]

This should be added on to your original thread rather than starting another thread. This causes confusion and duplicate questions asked over again. Please don't keep starting another thread, just reply to one thread so all info stays in one place. It will help you and will help others that are using the search tool looking for an answer to their problem later.

 

[Nyme]

Ok yes - good point

 

[ghostvet]

Not sure how others here would feel about this... but if it were a car, I would bypass everything and jump straight from the battery to the starter. If it kicks, the starter is good but if not that might be the problem. I did this on my '82 1100 that I am slowly rebuilding and found my starter locked up because one of the planetary gears had broken teeth and jammed it up.

I suggest this only as a method of ruling out the starter as being faulty. Then, work backwards from there.

Just a thought ..,

 

[ALEX BERECZKY]

...Changed starter solenoid A as I had a new spare to hand - -again just in case....

> Did you check Both starter solenoids?... There are two on the right side (A & B), that need to work in order to turn the starter.

...I would like to check the kill switch but cannot find any instruction anywhere - any one able to advise how to strip and check or point me to instructions ?...

> I don't think that's the problem, as the starter still turns regardless of the position of the kill switch.
> If you want to check it, simply open the switch housing on right handle bar, and verify continuity across the two terminals to the switch using a self-powered test light... flip the switch on/off and verify that a signal get's through when On.

 

[Bellboy40]

snip... > I don't think that's the problem, as the starter still turns regardless of the position of the kill switch.
> If you want to check it, simply open the switch housing on right handle bar, and verify continuity across the two terminals to the switch using a self-powered test light... flip the switch on/off and verify that a signal get's through when On.

Alex, although what you said is true for the earlier models, the 97 thru 2000 will not operate the starter with the kill switch turned off. His is a 98 model so it would not operate the starter with the switch off.

 

[byt]

easiest thing to test is out put side of both solenoids, test light or meter on to the lead that goes to the starter, push start and see if current is flowing or not. remember one is sending positive to the starter the other is sending negative. if there is power out of both solenoids then either the wire to the starter or the starter itself is dead

 

[Bellboy40]

Have you checked the "Inline Fuse B"? It is a 5 amp fuse and if it is blown then starter relay B cannot operate. This fuse is located behind the battery.

 

[Terryj630]

This is the operation of the starting system on a 98 GL1500 A/SE

[/IMG]

 

[Bellboy40]

The above is a good description of how the start circuit works. Now here is the simplified schematic of the circuit. If you print these pics out you can follow along with the description to see how it works.

 

[Nyme]

I did replace solenoid A as I had a new spare to hand. Didnt replace B, but would I not hear A click prior to B and If A is not clicking does this not mean problem probably befofe these solenoids ?
I probably need to get them tested with a multimeter to fust confirm condition.

 

[Nyme]

Thanks for your replies, some things for me to consider. Couple of questions on these.

Kill switch - if this model wont turn starter with kill switch set would you still expect to hear the starter relays click ?

And no I had not checked in line fuse behind battery - thanks i'll check that, but same query I guess, would you still expect to hear solenoid A click if B was not operating due to this fuse or failure ?

As BYT suggests I probably need to recheck output of the solenoids.

 

[DaveO430]

The relays you hear clicking in the fuse box are the lighting relays clicking off when you press the start button, nothing to do with the actual start circuit. And yes you should hear relay A click even if the 5 amp B fuse is blown. Can you check if the is power on the yellow/red wire on A when you press start?

 

[satan]

Thanks for your replies, some things for me to consider. Couple of questions on these.

Kill switch - if this model wont turn starter with kill switch set would you still expect to hear the starter relays click ?

And no I had not checked in line fuse behind battery - thanks i'll check that, but same query I guess, would you still expect to hear solenoid A click if B was not operating due to this fuse or failure ?

As BYT suggests I probably need to recheck output of the solenoids.

Often forgotten is that the Kill switch also cuts power to other bike systems -- Quick test for the Kill switch would be to punch-in your Cruise Control ON switch, you should get the "CRUISE ON" amber display with the key in run and the Kill switch on -- and that should go tou when the kill switch is no longer passing power (like in "Off" position) (also checks the IGN/Start/Cruise fuse as well as the BAS for ya...)

As for the 5A inline fuse (look to a little rubber sock to hold qty=2 5A fuses aft of the batter as described) - YES, the first solenoid would click even without this fuse working.


I'm not sure anyone addressed this, but there's very little relationship between cranking and the ignition system, so there's no cause to worry over the ECU at this point

 

[byt]

solenoids often go bad but still click, that's why you test the output. if there is no power out from them then you can start tracing back up the circuits to switches and fuses etc. but if the starter is fubar there is no point pulling kill switch and other such stuff to bits.

 

[SA Wingrider]

i am not really technical, but do the reverse work when the reverse lever is in reverse position ?

 

[John J]

I've been helping Nyme with this problem and we are pleased to say that, thanks to all the excellent advice from members, we found the problem and the bike is now running fine.
We did all the tests using a meter which showed no power to solenoid A from the starter button (thanks Dave0430). There were actually 2 faults which is probably why this took so much sorting. The first fault was on the kill switch. Well done Satan for the cruise light tip which proved the kill switch wasn't making a good contact. The cruise light only flickered once but mainly stayed off when I moved the kill switch on or off but after stripping and cleaning the kill switch it now works properly but the bike still would not turn over.
The second fault was the starter button itself which was not seating properly. I took the switch out, leaving only it's back plate and tested the bike by making a contact by holding a flat blade screwdriver across the contact points. The bike fired right up. So from there I rebuilt the switch properly and all is now fine.

Thanks to you all again and I hope some of the tips in this thread help other members

 

[Bellboy40]

Glad to hear you got it fixed. Thanks for the update on what the trouble was so perhaps it will help another with similiar problem.

 

[newday777]

:claps:

That reply will help someone later on that uses the search tool!
Glad you got it sorted out!