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Diagnosing start button issues

  • Thread starter Thread starter cldowers
  • Start date Start date
C

cldowers

Guest
Long time GS owner, but first time posting. I currently own a 1983 GS1100, and now a 1986 GS450. The 450 was not running when I bought it. I managed to get it running, but I have to track down the reason the start button doesn't work.

When I first got it, I would push the button and the relay would click. I eventually figured out that the starter was bad. After replacing the starter, nothing happens when I press the button. It will start when I apply power directly to the starter

Is there a way for me to trigger the starter relay at the relay, or another way to test the relay? I was given an extra relay with the bike, and both give me the same result.

How would I test the start button? I took it apart and cleaned some "fuzz" that was inside of it.
 
(FYI, I am not familiar with the '86 450.)

Do you have a repair manual for it? If so, you'll want to reference the wiring diagram. It will show all of the components, connectors, and wires involved in the starter circuit. Start by cleaning the connectors, then by verifying the components one at a time.

The relay has a small wire going into it... to test the relay, just take a piece of scrap wire and bridge the small wire to the positive terminal of the battery. If it clicks and the starter turns, then you have a good relay.

Other than that, you'll have to start tracing wires... on my bike, the starter circuit goes through the engine cut-off switch, the start button, and the clutch switch. These can be tested one at a time with a multimeter and some alligator clips.
 
disconnect the small (yellow/green) wire to the solenoid. with ignition on, connect a voltmeter or a 12v test lamp to the wire that connects to that wire. then push the button. if you get 12v or close to 12v, or the test lamp illuminates then the button is ok.
if not, go back to the button and see if you have 12v going to it. if not then you have to trace back the wires to find out where you are losing the voltage or why you are not getting it at all.
check the clutch switch, the kill switch, fuses etc until you can trace the fault
 
Also, make sure the relay itself is grounded. I had something like this happen when I re-built my wire harness. I managed to omit one of the ground wires from the harness, and it was the small ground for the solenoid/relay.

HTH
 
you need a digital voltmeter to diagnose this easily and correctly. a cheep one can be had at hf harbor freight..

other than that we are guessing.
I would't advise a test light either because it only indicates if you have voltage.. and it might be 5 to 7 volts instead of 12.. you see?
but somehow you need to check for voltage on the small wire that goes to the solenoid while pressing the starter button!!
I'd do that first...
 
barnbiketom said:
you need a digital voltmeter to diagnose this easily and correctly. a cheep one can be had at hf harbor freight..

other than that we are guessing.
I would't advise a test light either because it only indicates if you have voltage.. and it might be 5 to 7 volts instead of 12.. you see?
but somehow you need to check for voltage on the small wire that goes to the solenoid while pressing the starter button!!
I'd do that first...
Click to expand...

but if he does not have a voltmeter, at least it will prove if the switch is working or not, that was my point.
 
Agemax said:
but if he does not have a voltmeter, at least it will prove if the switch is working or not, that was my point.
Click to expand...

We should have a contest, "How to diagnose a start button with only a popsicle stick and chewing gum" :rolleyes:
 
posplayr said:
We should have a contest, "How to diagnose a start button with only a popsicle stick and chewing gum" :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

well you could use the chewing gum to keep the button pressed in and the popsicle stick to chew on while you decide what to do next without a voltmeter or a test lamp :D
 
I'm assuming we have checked the Fuses? :confused: Just a thought..check the obvious first...
 
Agemax said:
well you could use the chewing gum to keep the button pressed in and the popsicle stick to chew on while you decide what to do next without a voltmeter or a test lamp :D
Click to expand...
this is true, but I've seen some that would light a test light but not pull in the relay.. just thinking...

You could also run 12V to the small wire on the relay to see if it pulls in the relay ( and cranks)..

if it does then the trouble is ..ummm.. somewhere in the start button feed...switch itself, or the return to the solenoid
 
barnbiketom said:
this is true, but I've seen some that would light a test light but not pull in the relay.. just thinking...

You could also run 12V to the small wire on the relay to see if it pulls in the relay ( and cranks)..

if it does then the trouble is ..ummm.. somewhere in the start button feed...switch itself, or the return to the solenoid
Click to expand...

yeah, all i was trying to say was if you didn't have a voltmeter, a test lamp would at least tell you if the switch was working or not. it may not show whether you are getting full voltage at the solenoid but the actual switch operation itself.

saying that, if you put the test light directly onto the battery and noted how bright the bulb lights up, when using it to test the switch if it is much dimmer then you can tell the switch works but you are losing voltage through the circuit somewhere.

it sure helps better than pure guesswork but of course, you can not accurately test without a voltmeter
 
After following all of your advice and finding no issues I decided that I would try another relay. It fixed the problem. All of that extra work just because I couldn't believe I had 2 bad relays that both looked brand new.
 
cldowers said:
After following all of your advice and finding no issues I decided that I would try another relay. It fixed the problem. All of that extra work just because I couldn't believe I had 2 bad relays that both looked brand new.
Click to expand...
can you confirm the relays are bad by testing independent of the bike? ? It seems odd.

You can buzz (check ohms) of the coil.
 
posplayr said:
can you confirm the relays are bad by testing independent of the bike? ? It seems odd.

You can buzz (check ohms) of the coil.
Click to expand...

dose know what it should read?

also is there a way to bypass the start button to confirm that it is the problem?
 
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