start button

[jetero41]

Wiring diagrams be damned....... I cannot get my head around how the starter button is supposed to work with only 1 wire !!! Completing a circuit should involve 2 wires !!!! 1 in, switch, 1 out.
I have rebuilt (replaced rusty and broken springs and rusty detent balls) my kill switch and spent time looking and cleaning the right side control. 2 r/w wires to "kill" switch, 1 brown to starter button. Moron that I am I cannot see this.

What am I missing, besides maybe another wire.........

 

[ReycleBill]

The ground wire is the chassis, frame, handlebars and other metal parts of the motorcycle. Look for rust, dirt and corrosion on the handlebar and parts that mount the switch to the handlebar.

 

[jetero41]

sanded the bars and yokes, even went to radio shack and bought some "de-soldering" braid and with a drop of super glue lined all mating sirfaces to ensure contact.

 

[jetero41]

just to clarify, the harness to the right side control has only 3 wires into a 4 space quick disconnect. The hdlight side quick disconnect has ALL 4 spaces filled.
Have I lost a wire????

 

[Hairyblackdude]

I thought my start button had 2 wires, but I could be mistaken..

All you need to test this is a multimeter. You should have one already if youre wiring your bike. Go grab a cheap one @ Walmart or radioshack etc...Like 10-20 bucks.

Take the multimeter, set it to OHMS. This will tell you the resistance between 2 points. When your 2 points are connected properly, it will show 0.00 resistance. When they are not connected- it should show OL.

Youre going to use it to see if your frame or handlebars are "connected" to the start wire when you press it in.. Connect 1 lead to your start button OUT, & the other to the frame.. When the start button is pressed- you should see 0 resistance.

If so, this means your starter button is sending out a ground signal when pressed.. You would connect this OUTPUT to the blue/wht thin wire thats on the starter relay. The thin RED/wht wire right next to it would get connected to an IGN source. The 2 heavy terminals on the starter relay are going to go BATTERY IN & STARTER OUT.

When the relay is energized by getting BOTH + & - signals on the THIN wires, its going to connect those 2 heavy battery cables together turning over your starter.

So, relays can work either way- They just need to be energized- its up to you to decide what type of signal youre are going to send, a negative or a positive. Whatever you do, the other wire needs to be hooked up to the opposite..

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The only reason I want to say my bike had 2 wires for the starter is because I recall alot of the wiring diagrams showing using the starter button as a POSITIVE circuit. I know mine is hooked up thru a negative circuit that Im fairly certain I did on purpose- it could have gone either way.

 

[5twins]

The right control grounds through the bars over to the left control. The left control has the ground wire going to the headlight. If you're testing with the left control removed, the right won't work.

 

[jetero41]

Back at it. STILL can't tell where the button transfers the current.

Button and spring are contained in a "cage", button is pushed, makes contact with "contact" ( and L/W wire ). Where does the actual ground contact occur ????

Button goes in and out (got that), got where it completes the circuit fron L/W wire (2 contact points, button and wired point) button has no wire, what does it touch to complete the circuit.

I know this is repetitive, sorry, but I can't see it.
-Does the contact occur as the button "rocks" and makes contact with the control housing then to bars ???
-Is there a path thru the "cage" that I don't see ???
-Is the spring the path???

 

[Grinder]

It's been awhile since I've had this apart but I think there is a metal tab that touches the bar to make the connection. Look at mikes part #24-2060 here and you can see the silver tab on the side of the control.


http://www.mikesxs.net/products-51.html#products

 

[jayel]

the switch grounds to the switch housing which grounds to the handlebar (note: painted handlebars will not allow ground)

 

[gggGary]

One contact is the L/W wire the other contact is the ground, the button bridges the two contacts when pushed. The circuit is Battery +, R/W, solenoid coil, L/W, starter button, ground, back to battery.

 

[jetero41]

looking at it now, the ground is accomplished when the contacts come together (duh!) and the SPRING completes the circuit to the "cage", to the housing, to the bars ??????

 

[jayel]

looking at it now, the ground is accomplished when the contacts come together (duh!) and the SPRING completes the circuit to the "cage", to the housing, to the bars ??????

yes, btw what year bike are we talking about? some years didn't have a dedicated ground from the left switch but ran a ground from the handlebar clamp post to the main wiring loom

 

[I am Carbon]

looking at it now, the ground is accomplished when the contacts come together (duh!) and the SPRING completes the circuit to the "cage", to the housing, to the bars ??????

I just put that button on my 80 and that is how mine works the spring makes the bridge

 

[jetero41]

sorry about the missing year, '83 her' spec'.
Thanks to all .

 

[wheelhouse8]

Don't know if you got the button working yet but I am having the same problem and just thought of a possible solution....When I built my chop, I took the original headlight/harness off and dissected it for the necessary parts only. I think when that happened I removed the ground from the handlebars(like others have mentioned the bars are mounted with rubber grommets) I am going adding a ground wire to the riser bolts under the top Triple tree and back to the frame. Hope it helps and works.