Electric start not working

81Special2

81Special2

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I’ve got an 81 and am having issues with the start, new wiring harness, starter solenoid, ignition switch, and coils. At this point I’m just making my way through the IS but that’s expensive. I can arc the starter solenoid off the main prongs and she turns over. Any ideas?
 
Okay, next test: disconnect the small red and blue wires from the solenoid. Run a jumper from battery pos. to the red, and another jumper from the battery neg. to the blue. If it turns over, your wiring or starter switch is messed up.
EDIT: or, what 5twins just said, the start button completes its circuit through the bars, if they are painted the circuit can't complete.
 
DogBunny said:
Okay, next test: disconnect the small red and blue wires from the solenoid. Run a jumper from battery pos. to the red, and another jumper from the battery neg. to the blue. If it turns over, your wiring or starter switch is messed up.
EDIT: or, what 5twins just said, the start button completes its circuit through the bars, if they are painted the circuit can't complete.
Click to expand...
So I need to pull the start switch and grind the paint off?
 
Ok so I pulled the start switch, it was already partially ground down but I finished it off, still the same issue, when I turn on the ignition I can here what sounds like my safety relay clicking, but nothing when I hit the button
 
there needs to be a connection between the handle bar and the frame ground on many years the connection is made in the LEFT hand control some later specials have a wire to the Right hand control. So look for the black wire and make sure it's connected to the BARE handle bar, usually through a metal tab at the inner end of the control. also check that black wire is connected to the other blacks inside the bucket. As a test run a ground lead from the bars to engine or frame check start button.
 
gggGary said:
there needs to be a connection between the handle bar and the frame ground on many years the connection is made in the LEFT hand control some later specials have a wire to the Right hand control. So look for the black wire and make sure it's connected to the BARE handle bar, usually through a metal tab at the inner end of the control. also check that black wire is connected to the other blacks inside the bucket. As a test run a ground lead from the bars to engine or frame check start button.
Click to expand...
The ground for the start switch is connect to the bars, I even tried hot wiring the start switch to see if that was the issue. Either I’m doing it wrong (which is possible, but I doubt) or I have an issue further along the line with an improper ground. I have an electrician coming Sunday to look at it. I’ll update the post as needed
 
The left switch provides the ground for the right switch through the handlebars. That means both switch housings must make contact with the bars. You need to clean the paint off the bars on both sides. Here's the metal ground clip we mentioned. It's in the lower half of each switch housing. It "bites" into the bar when you tighten the housing down to make a good ground contact. Clean a narrow strip of paint off the bars on each side where this strip in each housing makes contact .....

b7KE9dP.jpg
 
I maybe missing it if it was already mentioned but if the switch is getting a good ground to the bars are the bars getting a good ground to the frame at some point? Any break in the circuit from the relay up to the push button will cause a no start problem.
 
The other potential issue is the Starter Safety Relay (SSR) - a little relay under the RH sidecover which prevents the starter from engaging if the engine is running.

That little relay is easy to service - the metal cover is held on by two tiny little JIS screws (looks like Phillips - but is NOT Phillips). Just carefully remove the cover and clean out the stuff that has undoubtedly collected in there over the last 37 years. Often that will cure a no-start problem (assuming you have fixed the handlebar/paint issues that have been pointed out above).

If you search for SSR on this forum, I posted a little note on how to clean the relay.

Pete
 
Some late bikes also have a safety switch on the side-stand to prevent those embarrassing take-offs where you throw a big sweeping left-hander followed quickly by a very fast sharp right-hander and a slide down the pavement in front of all the ladies...

I suspect that if that switch malfunctioned, it would prevent the engine from cranking as well.
 
The sidestand switch doesn't prevent engine cranking, it just kills the spark so it won't start. The clutch switch, on the other hand, does stop engine cranking. It cuts the power flow on the R/W wire going from that safety relay to the starter relay. Both of these "safety" devices can be removed but the clutch relay requires a jumper wire connecting the two R/W wires together or the starter won't work. The sidestand switch and it's relay can simply be removed.
 
No, gauge lights are controlled by the headlight/starter safety relay and like the headlight, won't come on until the bike starts, or has been cranked and cranked and cranked with the electric starter. I don't care for that feature so much. I'd rather the lights stayed off until the bike was actually running, but it doesn't work that way. Just spinning the motor for a prolonged period with the electric starter is enough to get the alternator outputting some voltage and that trips the light relay, bike running or not.
 
5twins said:
No, gauge lights are controlled by the headlight/starter safety relay and like the headlight, won't come on until the bike starts, or has been cranked and cranked and cranked with the electric starter. I don't care for that feature so much. I'd rather the lights stayed off until the bike was actually running, but it doesn't work that way. Just spinning the motor for a prolonged period with the electric starter is enough to get the alternator outputting some voltage and that trips the light relay, bike running or not.
Click to expand...
Okay, I believe my current issue is the lead off the starter solenoid is not getting power, if I connect it to the constant the motor rolls with the handlebar switch.
 
Check the Starter Safety Relay (SSR) - I believe that a fault there could cause that condition.
 

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