Starter motor, Solenoid problems

[TheSilencer]

I checked all the contact points between the battery and the Solenoid 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!)! Both the terminals on the Solenoid are live all the time - even when the ignition is off.

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!

[Agemax]

could be the solenoid jammed shut, pull the small wire from the solenoid which activates it and see if there is power on both terminals then. if not then you have a fault in the wiring somewhere which is supplying a constant 12v to the solenoid

[TheSilencer]

Thanks - Ill give it a try!

[lucabond]

1 side of the solenoid should be ground the other side should be + 12 when the key is turned on. You say you have a test light not a meter ? In that case connect test light to + side of battery pull both small wires from solenoid probe both wires with light 1 should make it light thats your ground. Now connect light to - side of battery probe both wires with key off it should not light, turn key on probe wires only 1 should should make it light that will be your + 12 and it should not be the wire that showed ground, if both wires make it light you have a wiring problem or if either wire made it light with the key off you have a wiring problem you should look for a wiring diagram from BassCliffs small web site, use it like a road map and follow the wiring to see whats wrong. Good luck.

[rphillips]

I think lucabond meant one should be +12 when ignition is on, (clutch pulled in if applicable) & starter button pushed in. Just turning the key on shouldn't make it hot, in my opinion.

[lucabond]

I think lucabond meant one should be +12 when ignition is on, (clutch pulled in if applicable) & starter button pushed in. Just turning the key on shouldn't make it hot, in my opinion.

Thanks for the correction my clutch lever is bypassed so I forgot about that. And yes you have to push the start button, which is just a copper button that contacts a printed circut board a little steel wool will shine up both the button and board. In my case the spring the button sits on was just a clump of rust and I found a spring from a ball point pen cut to size made a purfect replacement. Sorry for the omission.

[Steve]

Another item that needs clarification is this:

1 side of the solenoid should be ground the other side should be + 12 when the key is turned on.

If you are referring to the two large terminals on the solenoid, yes, one of them is +12 volts, but should have that at all times, even with the key in your pocket. The other terminal is NOT a ground terminal, it goes to the starter. If you use a meter or a test light to check it, yes, it will show continuity to ground and light the test light, but it's grounding through the starter. The test light merely does not pass enough current to turn the starter motor.

There is also a smaller wire (maybe 16 gauge) that is usually soldered to the top of the solenoid. That is the one that will be energized when the starter button is pushed. The solenoid is usually grounded through its case, so make sure that the mounting point is, in turn, also grounded well.

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[chuckycheese]

I've had my share of problems with these starter systems and I've learned a few things along the way. Both of the posts on the solenoid are positive terminals (and the solenoid is probably just fine)...other wise, when you cross them, they wouldn't turn the starter over, they would blow a fuse.

The little wire that Steve alluded to is the ground wire that completes the ground and makes the starter turn over....and it comes from the starter button. Check the wires from connection to connection and you'll figure out your problem in Olympic time. I discussed this issue, exactly, with someone about 2 weeks ago and if you do a search, you'll find it quickly. The problem is probably the starter....but, no matter what, you can find it and fix it easily.

[lucabond]

Another item that needs clarification is this:

If you are referring to the two large terminals on the solenoid, yes, one of them is +12 volts, but should have that at all times, even with the key in your pocket. The other terminal is NOT a ground terminal, it goes to the starter. If you use a meter or a test light to check it, yes, it will show continuity to ground and light the test light, but it's grounding through the starter. The test light merely does not pass enough current to turn the starter motor.

There is also a smaller wire (maybe 16 gauge) that is usually soldered to the top of the solenoid. That is the one that will be energized when the starter button is pushed. The solenoid is usually grounded through its case, so make sure that the mounting point is, in turn, also grounded well.

My solenoid has 4 wires going to it. 2 to activate the solenoid via the start button and clutch and ground which are 16 gage and 2 much larger ones to turn the starter. In my post it was the smaller of the 2 wires that I talked about testing as I understood his question. It seems from Steve's post there are more than 1 type of solenoid used on these bikes. From TheSliencer's post his key could very well have been in his pocket as he said even with the key out he was getting +12 on on both terminals, unless the key is on and the clutch lever pulled in and the start button pressed there should only be +12 on 1 terminal no mater which style of solenoid he has as its the +12 volts being switched not ground. The test light will not light on the starter side of the solenoid unless the solenoid has been activated or is in fact shorted in which case if the starter is good it will be turning unless it to is shorted which will cause the battery to go flat in no time as the battery itself would be shorted to ground.

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