Starter motor spins, but engine wont turn over

[AnInnocentBystander]

I have an 82 GS850L that is having some trouble starting. The starter motor is spinning but the engine wont turn over. Battery is charged. Tried jumping the solenoid but the same thing happens, starter motor just spins and doesnt turn the engine over. If I hook the bike up to a car battery it will fire up and ride perfectly. Bad grounds perhaps? I dont really know much about electrical issues. Thank you

[tom203]

I have an 82 GS850L that is having some trouble starting. The starter motor is spinning but the engine wont turn over. Battery is charged. Tried jumping the solenoid but the same thing happens, starter motor just spins and doesnt turn the engine over. If I hook the bike up to a car battery it will fire up and ride perfectly. Bad grounds perhaps? I dont really know much about electrical issues. Thank you

Are you hooking up the non-running car battery to the bike's battery, or are you bypassing the solenoid? If motor is spinning, it's drawing current. Make sure the solenoid is controlling the positive battery feed ( the wire that goes under starter motor cover).

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. AnInnocentBystander,

The battery is charged, but is the battery good? I can only speculate that with the extra juice from the jump, the starter has enough spin to engage the starter clutch. What is the voltage at the battery when you press the starter button? (As was mentioned earlier, don't jump your motorcycle from a car that is running.)

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[posplayr]

read about starter clutch slip

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showpost.php?p=1385739&postcount=14

[JEEPRUSTY]

It only spins if you don't hook up an extrernal battery?
It starts every time if you do?

[chuck hahn]

It may be spinning..but is it spinning fast enough to throw the starter clutches into the crank and engage the engine?? Then you say a car battery..with way more cranking amps..starts it right up.. Well with more cranking amps..thus more spin speed it starts..thats pointing me to the battery being too weak or of the wrong specifications to actuall crank fast enough..Get the proper cranking amp battery and i would 95 % bet the problem is solved. The only thing you have been changing is the power of the battery..see what i am thinking here?? weak bike battery= nothing..strong car battery= it starts fine...

[posplayr]

I have an 82 GS850L that is having some trouble starting. The starter motor is spinning but the engine wont turn over. Battery is charged. Tried jumping the solenoid but the same thing happens, starter motor just spins and doesnt turn the engine over. If I hook the bike up to a car battery it will fire up and ride perfectly. Bad grounds perhaps? I dont really know much about electrical issues. Thank you

Not enough information, too many possibilities requires guessing at infinitum.

Can you do a video with engine cranking:

a.) from the battery measuring voltage at the battery and at the coils

b.) and then do the same using the car battery.

This might provide a clue as to what is happening

[cowboyup3371]

Are all of your fuses in working condition?