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GL1800 Starter / Starter relay

13392 Views 9 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  Bigdaddykronk, 
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Istarted my 2002 Goldwing today and it sounded like the starter continued to engage. I was close to home so I returned to my garage. I turned the key off but themotor continued to run. I disconnected the positive cable on my battery but still it continued to run. When I disconnected the negative cable also the motor stopped.

If I leave the key in the off position and connect the positive cable to the battery and touch the negative cable to the negative battery terminal the starterengages. If I turn the key on with the positive cable connected and touch the negative cable to the negative battery terminalthe motor will start without even touching the start button. Again the only way it will stop is if I disconnect the negative cable.

This happened a couple of months ago. I tested the starter, it seemed to be okay. I tested thestarter relays andfound one was badso Ireplaced it. I guess I should now test the other relay and possibly replace it. Can you tell me what caused this? Are the relays all of a sudden going bad. Is there something else causing them to go bad. How can the starter engage even with the key turned off? Am I looking in the wrong area for this problem? Has any one else had a problem like this?

I would certainly appreciate some info. My Goldwing has 61000 miles on it

Thank You
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Rodney, Relays have contact points inside them, if the contact points are stuck in the closed position, then power is applied to the starter when you connect the battery cables (regardless of weather your ignition switch is on or off). Normally, when you turn the ignition switch on, push the starter switch, power is applied to the relays and that closes the contacts inside the relays. But if the contacts are stuck closed, as in your case, it makes no difference about the ignition or starter switch.

The next time this happens, bang on the relays, it might break the contact points loose and the starter will quite running. Then you know which one was stuck.

The problem is not your starter....it's the relays.......!!
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FitzAl
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I've read of this happening before, it will either be the starter solenoid or the relay, my bet is the solenoid.
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East_Winger
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This happened to my 1500 before, the problem was the starter relay A. When starter relay A engaged, it will supply power directly from battery to starter, no fuse or other isolation devices in between. Therefore, if the contact of the relay stuck, the starter will continue to engage regardless of the ignition switch is on or off. Bang on the relay will release the contact but the problem will occur again. Best is to replace the relay.
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East_Winger wrote:
This happened to my 1500 before, the problem was the starter relay A. When starter relay A engaged, it will supply power directly from battery to starter, no fuse or other isolation devices in between. Therefore, if the contact of the relay stuck, the starter will continue to engage regardless of the ignition switch is on or off. Bang on the relay will release the contact but the problem will occur again. Best is to replace the relay.
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East Winger,
Did you happen to notice he has a GL1800? However, I agree, it is a stuck relay.

Also on your GL1500, there is a starter relay switch B (between the relay A and the starter). Look at your Honda service manual page 18-3, you will see both relays.
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East_Winger wrote:

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mbmyer
Just had this happen today my own self on my '03 1800. Definitely the "starter relay," which is big enough and designed such to be called a solenoid. It would take a minor miracle to be able to give the thing a whack to unstick it; AND, there are two of them. They are to the right of the battery behind the saddlebag, which I had to pull to gain access. If you know where they are, you might be able to use a 1/4" drive extension and a hammer/rock to give the A relay a good tap, but mine was the B relay.

Cf. Fred Harmon's pix here: http://www.pbase.com/fredharmon/starterrelays

Pax et bonum,
Michael
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DaveO430
Relay B cannot cause the starter to stay on, it is in series with A and is energized by A except in reverse so unless A also sticks B will not cause that.
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AZgl1800
mbmyer,

I don't think he is looking for help anymore, this is a thread from 2009

oops!

but thank you for how you fixed yours.
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Bigdaddykronk
He might not need the help anymore but im hoping this is also my problem. I have all the same symtoms on my 2002. the only other thing i notice is that my reverse light blinks off and on. going to try and get at the relays now.

any other thought or suggestions are appreciated.

Got the relay unstuck seems to be the A relay. Bike starts now only when the starter button is push. The reverse light is flashing regardless if the reverse switch is pushed in or not. The switch is very sticky dont know if that is causing the problem or not. kind of hesitant to take it apart and clean because of the springs ect inside the switch housing. Hate to loose something and have to drive 40 miles to the nearest honda shop.
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