[tallnwise]

Hi,

I was attempting to start my bike after many months. I connected my battery (I disconnect it when I do not use the bike for a while), turned on the ignition, lights came on, hit the starter button while switch was off, starter cranked.

I then pulled the choke, turned on the starter knob, and hit the button. The starter cranked but the bike did not start. Understandably, has been sitting for many months. I kept cranking in short bursts until the battery was finally dying but did not start.

So smart (dumb?) me, connected a battery tender, and continued to crank for couple of minutes, but it did not start. The black wire connected to the battery's left (negative) terminal was getting extremely hot. So I turned off the bike for a few minutes, disconnected some accessaories like running lights. And connected only the black wire from the starter to the negative and the red wire from the relay to the positive and tried once more (with the battery tender connected). Then nothing - no more cranks from the starter and a very soft click from the relay. Lights still worked.

So I then took the battery out, fully charged it, and put it back on. Cleaned my plugs, they were a little wet all seem equally dirty. Tried again. Lights works, headlight dims when I press the starter button. I get a loud click from the relay / solenoid, but no cranks from the starter.

Need some help, thanks in advance.

Regards,
Dan

 

[Ansimp]

Hi Dan, It sounds like you may of worn your starter motor out ( black wire became really hot). Starter motors are a high torque electric motor that are designed for short/ intermittent use. I know we all over do it at times ( cranking) but they are not designed for continuous operation. Most instructions advise 3-5 minute rest after 20 seconds of continuos cranking.

 

[tallnwise]

If the starter motor is worn out, do i then need a new starter? Thx. Yah, the black wire was actually smoking some :-(

 

[DaveO430]

Hi,





And connected only the black wire from the starter to the negative and the red wire from the relay to the positive and tried once more (with the battery tender connected).





Regards,
Dan

The black wire from the starter does not go to the neg. , it goes to the starter relay. You need to put the wiring back where it was, charge the battery, clean the connections including the one where the neg. cable connects to the triangle shaped engine mount.

 

[tallnwise]

Dave, my bad in the description, the black wire I indicated is not "directly" connected to the starter, it is the connected just as you described.

 

[DaveO430]

OK, the black - cable may have bit the dust and not be making good enough connection to operate the starter. If you have jumper cables connect the black lead to the battery - terminal and the other black end to the engine case for a ground bypass and try it.

 

[Ken Bergen]

If the negative wire is getting hot but not the positive you have a bad connection.
That bad connection could be at the ends or it could be internal in the wire.

 

[ekvh]

My money's on the ground behind the triangular motor mount. Classic dis-similar metals corrosion spot.

 

[Ansimp]

If you have a set of jumper cables and a decent battery. Hook the positive to the starter motor cable side of the solenoid and the positive of the battery. Hook the negative to the battery and hold the other end on a good eart of the frame or the body of the starter. This will arc if the starter motor brushes and the earth are good. You need to not be scared of the sparks and force a good connection so that you have effectively eliminated the solenoid and now know if it s a faulty starter. Make sure that you don't have anything flammable around when you try this as the sparks could ignite anything flammable.

 

[newday777]

Pull the starter and clean it. There is a post on cleaning the starter but I can't do the search with my phone.

 

[tttimmer]

Hi,

Please check out this one about cleaning your starter:

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/starterrefresh.htm

Good luck... It helped me out with same kind of problems.

 

[tallnwise]

Got a chance this morning to trouble-shoot.

1. I first tried once more as-is -- lights came on, but when I pressed the starter, only got a loud clicks from the solenoid.

2. I then connected jumper cable, black end to battery negative and the other end to engine frame. I tried with key once more -- lignts came on, but when I pressed the starter, only got a loud clicks from the solenoid.

3. With cable still connected to the negative and frame, turned off the ignition key and removed it:
a. I connected the red end of cable to starter, and touched the other end to the battery positive -- got some arcing and the starter cranked.
b. I connected the red end of cable to the end of the starter cable where it connects to solenoid, and touched the other end to the battery positive -- got some arcing and the starter cranked.
c. I connected the red end of cable to starter, and touched the other end to the end of the starter cable where it connects to solenoid (with and without ignition on) -- got nothing.

4. And then with the black ends of the cable un-connected to anything, and ignition off:
a. I connected the red end of cable to starter, and touched the other end to the battery positive -- got some arcing and the starter cranked.
b. I connected the red end of cable to the end of the starter cable where it connects to solenoid, and touched the other end to the battery positive -- got some arcing and the starter cranked.
c. I connected the red end of cable to starter, and touched the other end to the end of the starter cable where it connects to solenoid (with and without ignition on) -- got nothing.

So does that mean the solenoid may have gone bad?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[bobalou]

if you jump the contacts on the solinoid and it cranks, but will not crank and the solinoid clicks. Take the solinoid apart and clean it. I just did it on mine and it works like a champ.

 

[DaveO430]

So does that mean the solenoid may have gone bad?

Thanks,
Dan

Yes.

 

[chilidawg]

Get yourself one of these Fella, it'll either answer your questions, or spark up a whole new conversation.

Hey it fixed mine, it was clicking real fast and no response from the starter, and it was intermittant too.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Starter-Sol...ies&hash=item416443c65b&vxp=mtr#ht_950wt_1170

 

[tallnwise]

Thx "chilidawg". Ordered one from Amazon last evening -- coincidentally
same seller and price as your ebay link *_*.

 

[tallnwise]

further issues :-(

So this morning;
1. Fully charged my battery
2. Replaced the ground cable with one form auto-zone a 4 guage cable
3. Installed new solenoid
4. Started cranking, and all seemed good
5. Cranked multiple times, however, the bike still refused to fire.

AND THEN --

The negative stump of the battery started melting off. OK, so I disconnected the terminals and tried re-wiring the battery.

Now, with no key in ignition, I also removed the main fuse, the moment I touch the positive cable to the battery to connect it (ground / negative is already re-connected), the battery starts arcing / sparking.

I am so electically challenged - please help.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[trashtruck]

when starting, you're only supposed to hit the starter button for 5-6 seconds, then let it rest for 30-45 seconds between tries. this keeps things from getting too warm. you need to connect the pos (red) side of the battery first, then the neg (blk). sounds like it's time for a new battery.

 

[tallnwise]

hi -- i tried both ways -- red first then ground, ground first then red -- arcs either way -- is the battery dead?

 

[trashtruck]

just to see, remove battery from bike. connect jumper cables red to red, blk to blk on the bike, not the battery. connect other end of jumper cables to NON RUNNING car battery and see what happens. remember to reinstall main fuse.