79 gs850, cannot get solenoid to work.

[syren]

Starter button doesn't seem to be engaging the solenoids I have installed. When it first didn't work, I went out to Autozone and purchased a generic solenoid (pos,neg,12v connections). I push the starter button, nothing, no noise no crank no click. If I use a screw driver and connect the ends (pos,neg) the bike will turn right over. Spoke with a friend, he thought it was a bad solenoid. Returned it, got a new one, same issue. At this point I checked all the connections with a test light, 12v is good, posi, neg all good, getting light. When I connect light to the area where the 12v line is going in, i push the button, it lights up, I let it go, light turns off. Replaced fuses. Clutch kill switch is working (shorted wires together to rule it out), engine is in RUN position.

So at this point I was thinking OK, maybe it has to be a suzuki solenoid. I go online order a solenoid from a 79 gs850, they happen to send me two. I put one in, same issue, but the other in, same issue. I tried switching the posi/neg connections just for the heck of it and no deal.

At this point I'm not sure what else to try because it seems like all connections going TO solenoid are OK. If I make the connection myself with a screw driver to the pos and neg connections on the solenoid, the bike starts right up.

[rustybronco]

run a ground wire from the solenoid mounting bolt, to the negative post of the battery.

[argonsagas]

run a ground wire from the solenoid mounting bolt, to the negative post of the battery.

This is a good idea and may be the easiest fix.



Look also for voltage loss in the circuits, as the bike may have loose or dirty contact areas that limit voltage through the circuit, leaving insufficient power to trigger the solenoid.

Check the voltage at the battery, then going into the starter switch, then the voltage coming out of the switch and reaching the solenoid. This is best done with a digital meter.

[tlepac]

I ran a ground wire from the starter relay to the engine ground and it fixed my bike. One way to know this is the problem is to check for voltage at the yellow green wire at the connector just before the starter relay ---make sure the voltage tester has a good ground and make sure that you have the clutch lever in and the starter button pushed---with your third and fourth hand! If you get no voltage then you need to trace the circuit back doing the smae test. In my bike the next checkable point was in the head light and this checks the continuity of the disconnect switch controlled by the clutch lever--I found that to be bad and merely bypassed it.

Hope this helps

Terry

WBL, MN

[Steve]

Silly question, but I have to ask ...

did you try pulling the clutch lever, too?

There is a 'safety' feature that requires you to pull the clutch lever to activate the starter (unless that has already been disabled). Check the signal wire at the solenoid with a test light to see if you are even getting power to the solenoid before you condemn the solenoid. When you verify that you have power, also verify that you have a proper ground for the solenoid case. After that, there is no excuse for it to not work.

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