Wiring Master Needed!!!

[Darci]

Darci, as steve said the solenoid is a big switch just like a light switch in your house, inside of it are two contacts (the large bolts you see sticking out) a coil winding that is operated by the small wire (the white with a green tracer) and grounded by where it the solenoid bolts to the frame. on the end of the "pull down" coil is a round copper disk the "connects" the two large bolts together when you push the starter button. if you jump the two large terminals on the starter solenoid with a screw driver (just like the round disk does) and the starter doesn't turn (and all the other connections, wires going to the starter are in good condition) take the cover off of the starter and tap the starter with a small hammer a few and see if it will spin then, if it still doesn't spin see txironhead's comments or you could try fixing the starter yourself !

and I agree, junk the solenoid...

Glad to see someone else with a 78 cb750f.

Hi Guys, thanks so much for the help. I'll try all of that tomorrow am as I have to work tonight. Out of curiosity, the yellow/green wire seems to be soldered to the relay...is this how it is supposed to be??

[txironhead]

From the factory, yes, it's soldered on there. If you end up with an aftermarket solenoid (lawn tractor, etc.) you will probably end up with two large terminals (battery + and starter +) and one or two small terminals. Just connect an eyelet style connector to the yellow/green wire and hook it up to either of the small terminals, I believe they will both activate the relay. Read any instructions that come with the relay just to be sure. You can even make an "adapter wire" that has a bullet connector on one end and the eyelet connector on the other in case you ever want to put a factory solenoid back on.

[Bikeman982]

I have simialr problem - no horn noise

My bike is a 1983 Suzuki GS750 and the horn does not make a noise. I don't have a O/G wire going to it, so that must have been rewired at one time. I have yet to trace it down. I suggest you also concentrate on your ignition switch - I would not want my bike started without a key - not good for anyone but thieves.

[Bikeman982]

How did you get the horn working?

My horn does not work - what did you do to fix yours?
As far as starting problems - I re-wired a 1978 Honda CX500 due to PO doing a serious meltdown on the wiring. Lots of wires were melted and the fuses were cut out. I started to replace bad wires and got so deep that I realized another main electrical harness was required. I got one from e-Bay and put it in but several connectors were different (donor harness was from another year). I ended up splicing in the connectors from the old harness and figuring out the wiring as I went. The bike did not start after everything was re-wired.
I took out the starter, but left the wires connected. Since the bike battery was dead, I connected a car battery to the bike and used it to check the starter. Nothing happened until I touched the starter to ground (the bike frame) and then it spun like crazy. I put the starter back in and the bike started up! I think the starter must have had a stuck solenoid or a bad ground or whatever, but now it works.
Might be like your bike, maybe different - worth a try.

[Darci]

My horn does not work - what did you do to fix yours?
As far as starting problems - I re-wired a 1978 Honda CX500 due to PO doing a serious meltdown on the wiring. Lots of wires were melted and the fuses were cut out. I started to replace bad wires and got so deep that I realized another main electrical harness was required. I got one from e-Bay and put it in but several connectors were different (donor harness was from another year). I ended up splicing in the connectors from the old harness and figuring out the wiring as I went. The bike did not start after everything was re-wired.
I took out the starter, but left the wires connected. Since the bike battery was dead, I connected a car battery to the bike and used it to check the starter. Nothing happened until I touched the starter to ground (the bike frame) and then it spun like crazy. I put the starter back in and the bike started up! I think the starter must have had a stuck solenoid or a bad ground or whatever, but now it works.
Might be like your bike, maybe different - worth a try.

Well in order to fix my horn, I had to fix all the other wiring problems starting with the two main "hot" wires that were melted together in the headlight bucket and work my way back from there. Thanks to the PO, who knows how long that had been that way. It was so bad that I had constant current going through the bike at all times!!!! Also, I had to get a new horn!!!

As for getting it started, I dragged the jumper cables from my car this morning and hooked up the battery to the starter and got nothing. Also, I was able to test my relay and that was bad to. I got a good relay from Lowes (a lawn tractor relay) and hooked it up...pressed the button, nothing...jumped the relay...nothing...Soooooooo now, I get to pull out the starter and rebuild it!!! Wooo hooo!!!

"Like sands through the hourglass, these are the day's of my life!!!!"\\/

[txironhead]

www.stockers.com

They have rebuilt starters and rebuild kits cheap. I've used them before and they're extremely helpful and high quality. Make sure that your armature is salvageable before ordering a kit. If the area the brushes contact is too worn down, you're going to need a new armature or starter. Clean everything with electrical parts cleaner and air pressure. Go ahead and replace the starter o-ring while you're at it. If you call the number on the Stocker's website, you'll probably get Stocker himself, and he's a great help with any questions you might have.

[rustybronco]

As for getting it started, I dragged the jumper cables from my car this morning and hooked up the battery to the starter and got nothing. Also, I was able to test my relay and that was bad to. I got a good relay from Lowes (a lawn tractor relay) and hooked it up...pressed the button, nothing...jumped the relay...nothing...Soooooooo now, I get to pull out the starter and rebuild it!!! Wooo hooo!!!

"Like sands through the hourglass, these are the day's of my life!!!!"\\/

on the relay you bought are their two large terminals and two smaller terminals, the two smaller terminals one should be +12v to actuate and one for ground,
on the three terminal style, two large terminals and one small +12v to actuate grounded through the housing where it bolts on.
don't forget to hook 12v up to the starter directly to test it when it's removed from the bike, just to be double sure before you rip into it

[rustybronco]

If the area the brushes contact is too worn down, you're going to need a new armature or starter.

One more thing don't forget to undercut the mica "insulator" between the copper contacts on the armature if needed, for that you can use a hacksaw blade with the sides of the teeth ground off to fit between the contacts or if you're very very careful, a dremmel.

[Jagir]

thanks all for the excellent sequence of this thread. It's already helped me quite a bit as I just found this:
at the end of a wire with lots of melted sections and bare wire exposed. :shock:

It's been a long summer with the bike mostly sitting (but getting shinier). Like Darci, wiring scares me silly.
I will be taking lots of breaks, "reading the wiring diagrams at my leisure" and will probably start a new post if I run into problems.

thanks again,
j

[rustybronco]

thanks all for the excellent sequence of this thread. It's already helped me quite a bit as I just found this:
[ATTACH]2438[/ATTACH] at the end of a wire with lots of melted sections and bare wire exposed. :shock:

That there is a fine example of one of them there home made wiring re-pares...

[mf70]

Gee, that looks EXACTLY like a spot in my wiring harness! Perhaps operated on by the same expert...

[Darci]

thanks all for the excellent sequence of this thread. It's already helped me quite a bit as I just found this:
[ATTACH]2438[/ATTACH] at the end of a wire with lots of melted sections and bare wire exposed. :shock:

It's been a long summer with the bike mostly sitting (but getting shinier). Like Darci, wiring scares me silly.
I will be taking lots of breaks, "reading the wiring diagrams at my leisure" and will probably start a new post if I run into problems.

thanks again,
j

Welcome to my world!!! \\/ Hey, but you're already half way there!!! Good Luck!!!

[Darci]

ok guys... new battery, new starter, push button ok, wires look good...STILL NOTHING!!! No, the kill switch is not on, UGH!!! cry: I give up!!!

anyone want to buy a bike?? $500 and it's yours!!! Just come get it!!!!

[rustybronco]

Clutch switch?
GOT vom, dvom? if not beg borrow or buy. (I'd send you one but all I have left is one) you can fix it.... it ain't rocket science.
If it was closer i would stop by.

Remember... battery> ignition switch> kill switch> button> clutch switch> solenoid + battery> solenoid> starter + all grounds
can you connect the two large posts together (screwdriver) on the solenoid and get it to crank?

don't give up or I'll come down and kick you.
****edit****
Take A (one) jumper cable and hook it from the negative post on the battery and hook the other end to the engine case.
then jump the solenoid.

[Darci]

Clutch switch?
GOT vom, dvom? if not beg borrow or buy. (I'd send you one but all I have left is one) you can fix it.... it ain't rocket science.
If it was closer i would stop by.

Remember... battery> ignition switch> kill switch> button> clutch switch> solenoid + battery> solenoid> starter + all grounds
can you connect the two large posts together (screwdriver) on the solenoid and get it to crank?

don't give up or I'll come down and kick you.
****edit****
Take A (one) jumper cable and hook it from the negative post on the battery and hook the other end to the engine case.
then jump the solenoid.

when I touch the posts of the solenoid, I get nothing...not even a small zap...Could It be that I just got a bad solenoid????? [-o<

It just started to rain (YEAH!!!) so I will try the battery cables again tomorrow am.

Maybe if you come down and kick me, the bike would work!! At this point, I think I may call an exorcist!!!!:?