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Starter relay keeps dying

  • Thread starter Thread starter last337
  • Start date Start date
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last337

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For some reason I cannot find the actual OEM part number for the starter relay on my 1983 GS1100ES

The one that I initially had go out when I purchased it was 31800-33400 but I am not 100% sure it was the correct one since it did fail and 2 replacements from DB Electrical have failed as well.

Can someone tell me where I can get the OEM part number?

Is it possible that a short is causing this to fail? It only seems to fail if I leave the bike sitting for a few months without starting it. In this case, I pulled the carbs in the spring and am just getting around to putting it back together and it no longer works. If I jump across the poles the starter motor turns just fine.
 
I would think your switch is bad or you lose the solenoid ground. The yellow green wire provides 12v and the current returns through the mounting bracket to a b/w ring harness ground ring lug. If you did a side plate SPG this would have been taken care of.
 
A cheaper replacement that works just as well can be found in the lawn tractor department at your favorite auto parts store. Uses the same bolt pattern and is usually less than $15.
 
Thanks for the info!

What do you mean by "side plate SPG"? I see the b/w and y wires going from poles back into harness. Are you saying I should ground to frame in place of the b/w pole into harness?
 
last337 said:
Thanks for the info!

What do you mean by "side plate SPG"? I see the b/w and y wires going from poles back into harness. Are you saying I should ground to frame in place of the b/w pole into harness?
Click to expand...

Use an ohm meter and make sure that the case of the Solenoid is tied to battery (-).

The path from the factory is somewhat circuitous using the B/W harness wire to go to the harness comeback out of another ring lug that attaches to teh frame at the front of the battery box, go through the frame to the engine block and finally emerge from the started grounding strap to the battery(-).

The SPG (Single point ground) has been described at length (search my posts) would have eliminated much of that meandering ground path.

On an 1100ED/ESD the SPG is most convenient on the electronics side plate.

You should also have a seried R/R else you will burn up your stator (if it is not already gone).


http://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...-Charging-System-Health&p=1138531#post1138531

Bottom line is that the solenoids are pretty reliable, you likely have something else going on.
 
I follow you now. I replaced the stator and r/r according to the stator papers when I first got the bike and discovered the charging system was shot. I checked continuity to ground on the b/w wire and confirmed ground but I get what you mean by the long path to ground. I know the charging system works since I have recently checked while having this issue with the starter relays.

Id like to pull the ground from the relay to a better SPG as you state but I am not familiar with what you mean by 'electronics side plate'. Are you referring to the R/R? Why wouldnt I just want to bring a ground from the relay to the (-) on battery instead? It was a couple of years ago that I put in new stator and r/r so I dont recall exactly where I would have put all the grounds to but I think it was battery.

Thanks for assistance on this. I am not so good at troubleshooting electrical stuff and this kind of thing really helps me understand what is going on as I troubleshoot.
 
last337 said:
I follow you now. I replaced the stator and r/r according to the stator papers when I first got the bike and discovered the charging system was shot. I checked continuity to ground on the b/w wire and confirmed ground but I get what you mean by the long path to ground. I know the charging system works since I have recently checked while having this issue with the starter relays.

Id like to pull the ground from the relay to a better SPG as you state but I am not familiar with what you mean by 'electronics side plate'. Are you referring to the R/R? Why wouldnt I just want to bring a ground from the relay to the (-) on battery instead? It was a couple of years ago that I put in new stator and r/r so I dont recall exactly where I would have put all the grounds to but I think it was battery.

Thanks for assistance on this. I am not so good at troubleshooting electrical stuff and this kind of thing really helps me understand what is going on as I troubleshoot.
Click to expand...

If you have a ground and you have confirmed failures of multiple solenoid I would be worried. Have you done a Quick Test recently (all of these links are in my signature).

All the electrcial connectors are described in GS Charging health. You realize these bikes have chronic electrical charging problems that can be solved with a Series R/R? The bigger your engine the more likely to have problems (this is still an 1100 engine right?)

This is an 1983 1100ED side plate (left hand side). I think your bike is almost identical. I have the Compufire Series R/R mounted. You can also get the SH775 but mounting is more difficult(especially if you use the connector).


IMG_5073.jpg
 
Last edited:
I do have an SH775 Polaris R/R and I think an Electrolux stator. I will proceed with 'quick test' again (once it stops raining) and let you know. Would it work to go ahead and replace the relay and just replace the the b/w wire with a ground between the left small pole of relay to the SPG on the r/r?
 
Last edited:
last337 said:
I do have an SH775 Polaris R/R and I think an Electrolux stator. I will proceed with 'quick test' again (once it stops raining) and let you know. Would it work to go ahead and replace the relay and just replace the the b/w wire with a ground between the left small pole of relay to the SPG on the r/r?
Click to expand...

There solenoid is grounded internally to it's case. Only ground the case. The ground is not critical so a wire to teh battery would work as wel las a write to the frame or the SPG which is itself connected to the battery (-).

The question makes me wonder where your R/R(-) is connected? That is the most important thing.
 
Hah! Thanks for that!

So you are saying that the left post that would go to b/w wire does not need to be connected as long as ground on plate is correct? Once the rain stops I will pull it apart again and make sure the wiring is correct and let you know. Thanks for the help!
 
last337 said:
Hah! Thanks for that!

So you are saying that the left post that would go to b/w wire does not need to be connected as long as ground on plate is correct? Once the rain stops I will pull it apart again and make sure the wiring is correct and let you know. Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...

there is no post that goes to B/W. The B/W ring lug is grounded to teh solenoid frame. Look at the manual.
 
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