Starting Problemos -- PLEASE HELP

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone,

I've been working very hard for the last two weeks on my 450. I split the case, replaced seals, replaced all gaskets, new clutch springs, new clutch pushrod, cleaned the b'geebers out of the engine and frame. Installed a newly cleaned and rejetted set of carbs, new pod filters, new 2-1 exhaust, handle bars, seat, turn signals.... OK you get the picture I am redoing my entire bike and cosmetically it looks great.

Now the problem. I FINALLY got her all buttoned up today and looking really good, ready to start her for the first time after the rebuild. I'm in nuetral, clutch pulled in (redundant, yes I know), fresh gas, then I push the start button and NOTHING, NADA, ZIP, ZILCH, ZERO!

I shorted the starter relay and it does turn over, but that's it. It has gas in the carbs, and all the other electronics work except the starter button.

I'm pretty bummed and need to take the night off from working on her, but tomorrow I am going to check for spark, try to pop start it, and play with my continuity tester on the starter circuits. I hope I can get this running or all my hard work and money will have been for nothing.

I wanted to share this with all of you incase there is something obvious I am missing or did not check. After all this is my first rebuild of this magnitude and I still consider myself a newbie to motorcycles.

Thanks in advance!

Take care,

[gspaul]

If what your saying is when you short out the relay the starter motor turns ,but not when you press the starter button, then it wont be to hard.
When you had the bike apart you may have disturbed some cable connections, trace the wireing from the starter switch and kill switch, I bet you will find something.

[duaneage]

There sia green and yellow wire on the starter solenoid. Connect a short wire lead from the positive battery terminal to this wire and see if the starter turns. If does, look at the conections to the starter switch on the handlebars

you need a voltmeter so buy a meter at radio shack if you don't have one.

Check taht you have voltage on each fuse adn that they are all OK. Look for the main ppower switch connection in the headlight bucket that goes to the ignition switch. You should have power on the red and orange when the key is on. The brown is for the parking light. The starter button gets power from here.

Find the wires that go to the start button and kill switch, make sure that

they are plugged in and that the kill switch is not "killing" the engine all the time.

If you get this far and everything looks ok make sure the clutch switch is ok and plugged in.

I live down the road in wilmington delaware. Let me know where you are in a PM and maybe I can help you if your not too far in the sticks.

[jimcor]

...and charge your battery.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone,

I stopped by a local bike shop today and they told me that the problem is most likely in the starter button. I'll also check all the wiring as you all said.

Thanks again!!!

[snark]

Don't forget the silanoid (or however its spelled). My friend's GS had the same problem you are describing and it turned out that that was the problem.

[Anonymous]

HA HA HA

You'll never guess what fixed this one... So I went down to the barn to work on my bike after getting back from the local bike shop and checking the forum. I pressed the starter button and vroom vrooom she started!!! All that panicing for nothing. It seems to run well, but now I am having serious clutch issues (atleast I think so) 8O

We'll see what pans out out of this one. Thanks for all the help. I need to fix my starter button you have to push down and in for it to work.

I guess sometimes all these old bikes need is to sit overnight and they work some of their own gremlins out... Who knew?