pushed starting button and Nothin!

[skip]

I am helping my Friend Dana try to get his gs 850g running after it was sitting for five years or so. when we tried to start it pushing the starter button did nothing. There was no sound of the solenoid engaging or clicking and no starter noise at all.The headlights worked and we ran some jumper cables to another battery to make sure there was enough juice to turn it over.
when nothing happened the next step was to jump the poles on the solenoid. when we did that the starter engaged and the engine turned over but did not fire up. If we jump the solenoid and the starter works does tat mean the trouble is just in the starter push button itself? Could the solenoid still be the trouble and if so how do I prove it.

[chiphead]

Find the leads in the headlight that come from the start button. Disconnect them and put an ohm meter across them. The meter should zero out when the button is pushed. It's a place to start.

[onchiman]

Don't forget, there's also the engine kill switch involved as well as the clutch switch plus a fuse. You can't assume a bad starter switch just yet.

[skip]

Don't forget, there's also the engine kill switch involved as well as the clutch switch plus a fuse. You can't assume a bad starter switch just yet.

can I can bypass the clutch switch to elimainate this as the problem?

[earlfor]

I think the first thing to do Skip is to determine whether the problem is the solenoid or the switches and lockouts. On the top of the solenoid there is one small wire (usually soldered onto the top of the solenoid). It plugs into the wiring harness with a connector. That is the signal wire that activates the solenoid when the starter button is pushed. We already know the solenoid works if you jump the main terminals, so we need to know if it works when the signal wire is active. Unplug the wire and connect it momentarily with a jumper to the battery positive terminal. If everything is as it should be, the starter should engage when you connect the jumper. If that is fine, next, I would check the two wires coming from the clutch lockout switch. They plug into connectors in the headlight shell. With the ignition on, one of the wires will be powered. That will be the input wire through the clutch switch. The other wire on the clutch switch will be power out. It should be hot when the clutch lever is pulled in. The same proceedure applies to the kickstand lockout switch if there is one. The kill switch is the same also. Just check for power in and power out.

E.

[koolaid_kid]

If it is the switch itself (not saying it is) you can disassemble it (be careful of the tiny spring) and sand the tip of the button end. I had to do this on my KZ; 25+ years had oxidized it to the point where it no longer passed any current/voltage.

[onchiman]

First thing I would do (and the easiest) is check the fuses. Get a test light or voltmeter and be sure you have current across them with the key on. Just because they look fine doesn't mean they are. Sometimes vibration and time will cause the filament inside the fuse to separate from one end. If all fuses are good and you are getting current across them then move to the clutch lockout switch. If you trace the wires down the handlebar you'll see it enters the headlight shell. When you get in there, you'll see the bullet connectors for the clutch switch (I think green and yellow). Since one wire connector is male and the other is female it's simple to jump out the switch by unpluging the switch wires and plugging the OTHER two wires together. This takes the clutch switch out of the circuit. If you hit the start button and it works, you've found the problem is the clutch switch. If it doesn't, then move to the kill switch and do the same process. If still no start, then move to the start button itself. You'll track it down eventually. I'll bet it's a fuse though because you said it didn't even fire when you jumped the solenoid. Seems like no juice at all is getting to the ignition system.

[skip]

thanks guys, I relayed this info to my friend Dana in case he wants to to do some trouble shooting before I get there. If not ill give it a try tomorrow and let you know what I found out.

[customGS550L]

please let us know what happens

i have the exact same problem on my 1982 GS550L so i am really intersted in seeing the out come so please le me know thank you

[chef1366]

I had the same problem once and after I bypassed the clutch switch and the problem persisted I cleaned the starter button and kill switch. It turned out to be a dirty kill switch.

[gsgeezer]

I have had problems with dirty switches being the cause of non-starting, but I felt dumb one time, about three years ago, I went to start up my 1000 and nothing happened. I had cleaned all switches already, so I checked the fuses, no problem. Well it turned out that one fuse didn't look blown, in fact it looked perfect, but when I checked it it was bad. I had never had that before, but I guess it must be more common than I thought.

[jimcor]

I have had problems with dirty switches being the cause of non-starting, but I felt dumb one time, about three years ago, I went to start up my 1000 and nothing happened. I had cleaned all switches already, so I checked the fuses, no problem. Well it turned out that one fuse didn't look blown, in fact it looked perfect, but when I checked it it was bad. I had never had that before, but I guess it must be more common than I thought.

Happens all the time, the solder in the end cap gets hot and runs off, leaving a broken or intermittent connection. The heat is the result of dirty (high resistance) connections between fuse and spring clip connections.

[koolaid_kid]

Although bypassing the clutch safety switch seems to be common, it reminds me of the safety on my mower. If I let go of the handle, the engine stops. The safety switch was put there for a reason, not just for fun. Just don't let Jon park your bike, he leaves it in gear, so when you start it and then let out the clutch it tries to take off...:shock:
Apparently after that occurs, profanity ensues.

[Clone]

Earl is the man. He always gives the best advice, I can't add to it except to say that DON'T bypass the clutch switch on a bike that is for a learner or not your own. Some people persist in telling new riders to bypass their clutch switch even though IT IS A SAFETY FEATURE. Just like a helmet, just like seatbelts, and the step on the brake to move from park in you new car. IF YOU WANT TO DO IT ON YOUR BIKE FINE, just don't recommend it to others.

[Clone]

Sorry for the rant.