Starting problems - where is starter

[TheSilencer]

Hi all!
I own a GS450E 1981. Just bought a new battery thinking that this was the problem - put it in and still not working! HELP!

When I press the button it simply clicks without turning the engine at all. I end up having to push start the old girl every time Id like to ride.

I've read some of the other postings and I see that it could be the starter, poor connectivity to the Solenoid or poor earthing.
Ill have a look at the earth connections but I havn't a clue on where to find the starter or Solenoids on this bike? Anyone know?

If it could be anything else please chip in as well!

Thanks alot!

[Steve]

It has been a while since I have looked at a 450, so I am going off memory.

The solenoid is under the left side cover. It will be round, about 1 1/2 in diameter and a couple of inches tall. There will be two large wires attached to one end. One wire comes straight from the battery, the other goes straight to the starter. A third, smaller wire, comes down from the starter switch on the right hand grip. Yours will look a little different, but you can see the solenoid in the upper left of this picture. This is my wife's 850L before I attacked the wiring to do some mods and clean it up in general;


The starter lives under the domed cover that is on top of the engine block, right behind cylinder #1 (the left side). Two small bolts hold on the cover. There might be a gasket under the cover, but the area is dry (or at least should be), there is not problem removing the cover for inspection.

You have clicking? That's good. That tells you the starter switch is working. Use a test light or a meter, check for power at the large terminals on the solenoid. One terminal should be live all the time, the other one should be live when you press the start button. If you have power on the second terminal, remove the starter cover, verify power at the starter end of the wire. While you are there, verify that the two starter mounting bolts are reasonably tight. They hold the starter in place, but they also ensure electrical connection from the starter to the engine block (ground). Also verify the ground wire connection from the engine block to the chassis and/or battery.

If none of this helps, you have problems with the starter. It can be removed, openend up and cleaned.

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[TheSilencer]

Thank you so much! If I can sort this out it'll be such a pleasure to press a button instead of pushing and jumping on!

Ill post the results of my attempt!

Thanks again!
Cheers

[TheSilencer]

Im back!
I checked all the points you mentioned with a test light.

It seems that the starter terminal is getting power - but its getting power when the bike is off (Not even a key in the ignition!)!

Is that meant to be the case?

Is this a sign of a faulty Solenoid? Anyway to fix it or must it just be replaced?

Thanks again to everyone for your amazing advice!

[Steve]

One of the terminals goes straight to the battery. No fuse in there or anything else, so yes, it will have power ALL the time. The other terminal should have power when the key is ON, the clutch is pulled (unless that switch has been bypassed) and the starter button pushed. That is also when you should be hearing the 'click' that you talked about in your first post.

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[TheSilencer]

Thats what Im asking you!

BOTH terminals have power ALL the time. Is this a problem?

Could this have 'burnt out' the starter? Is the Solenoid 'stuck'?