it wont start ahhhhhh!

[Anonymous]

After spending months and several thousand dollars rebuilding a 1982 GS 650 GL...my wait was over...I got an answer to my question about the carbs on gsresources and hooked everything up. Then..a horrible thing happened.....whatyou ask? nothing. the headlights turn on but i cant get power to the starter. I pulled the starter and hooked it up to my battery charger and it spins great. All wiring looks to be connected properly. Are there any relays that can go bad that would make this happen? Any ideas would be appreciated!!!!
thanks guys
-camaroman

 

[Anonymous]

My Bike has a very temperamental start button. Try checking that.

 

[Anonymous]

Assuming your bike is like mine (79 GS750L), there is a starter solenoid under the left frame side cover. It should have a couple of heavy lugs on the top. The battery is connected to one, and the starter is connected to the other.

Listen to the solenoid when you press the starter button. If it clicks, but the starter doesn't go, your battery is probably at fault.

If it doesn't click, you may have a bad ground or dirty connection somewhere. Check all connectors and fuses again, just to be sure. Don't neglect the clutch saftey switch and the neutral safety switch. These disable the starter if it isn't in neutral or if the clutch isn't pulled in, and a dirty or faulty switch would prevent you from starting the bike.

Assuming that checks out, try to get the starter to spin by shorting across the two terminals of the solenoid with a screwdriver. If it starts, then the solenoid is faulty. Even if the safety switches are faulty, you should still be able to start the bike this way.

My '79 still has a kick starter, which comes in handy for just such an emergency.

 

[Anonymous]

just a stupid idea

is you button on "RUN" or on "ON" ?

 

[Anonymous]

CHECK THE RED KILL SWITCH.


CHECK THE RED KILL SWITCH.

CHECK THE RED KILL SWITCH.

 

[daveo]

Or the always popular clutch lever switch

 

[Anonymous]

ok.. ive tried replacing the silinoid relay for the starter. $60 later...same thing...ive checked the start button..its fine...what can I double check for the red kill switch? how can I bypass the clutch switch to be sure thats not the problem? behind the battery, there is a thin, black box with 2 different wiring harnesses going in. One harness has 2 wires..the other has about 5 or 6. I used a circuit tester and couldnt find any "hot" wires on it...could this be the problem? Anyone else have a sugguestion? besides beating it with a bat...kidding
thanks
-camaroman

 

[Dave_A]

Don't know if this would work (or if it's applicable), but...

In my recent adventures with my (now running and reassembled) 82 GS450, I ended up causing and fixing some starter related electrical trouble...

On my bike, the starter relay is under the left plastic sidecover. It's got 4 connections: positive in from the battery, positive out to the starter, positive 'trigger' from the button, and ground.

Therefore, if one wanted to test the starter (And bypass all the controls), one should be able to get the motor to turn by connecting the positive 'trigger' (light-guage (yellow on my bike) wire) to the (+) battery terminal (thus closing the relay and delivering power to the starter motor), after disconnecting the original yellow wire (to avoid goofing up the controls).

If the motor doesn't go, bad relay or motor hookup. Else, it's in the controls/control wiring.

Just a guess, and I'm new to bikes, but... I've heard of similar procedures being used to test car starters...

 

[Jay B]

Its easy to check the clutch switch. Take the 2 screws out, drop the switch down slighty and then turn the switch over, over an open bowl or container. (This way you can catch the little spring and plastic piece that will fall out) Then use a jumper or screw driver accross the 2 contacts and see if your bike will start. If it does the swith is dirty or bad. I just spliced the 2 wires together after I discovered mine was bad.

 

[Anonymous]

it is very easy to test the starter relay (on my 750)

remove the leftside cover under the seat

it is protected by a rubber head (I hear somebody laughing)

you have 2 big connections (1 come from the battery)

make a bridge between the 2 big connection (with a screewdriver or a common tool)

BE CAREFULLL TO USE PROTECTION TO AVOID BODY DAMAGE !!!

if you hear "rooorooorooo" and nothing else you battery is very poor

if you start thezre is a problem a the start button or everywhere else

if you hear nothing : listen carefully ))

hth

V++
Rackham

 

[Anonymous]

Here is my two cents. I had the same problem with my bike a few weeks ago. I took apart the starter and kill switch housing. Put a jumper wire, with aligator clips on the end, on the solder contacts on the start button. This conects the ignition and the wire running to the clutch switch ( at least on my bike it does, it shouldn't be any different on yours). Then use a long jumper wire or put a couple together and run it to the small wire that is soldered to the solenoid. This bypasses the start switch and clutch switch. If it starts one of these is at fault if not it is the kill switch. To test to see if the Clutch switch is at fault, make sure it is in neutral, then push the clutch in, this should start the bike( make sure to let go of the clutch when it starts). You only need the jumper on the start switch for this test.

If it doesn't start after this it is a conector or wire somewhere.

Hope this helps.

moonshine550t