Starter button intermittently works??

[bedrich7]

Hey guys..

I have a 1979 XS650 Special (SF). My starter button intermittently works. I have not been able to track down where the disconnect is happening, but I was wondering if you guys knew a good place to start. It seems to always work first thing in the morning, and then after that, all day long it won't work. Strange, i thought. No amount of wiggling the wiring by the switch changes it. I did replace the button/spring/metal connector cylinder in the button but the problem still happens.

I also replaced the fuse box with the one from Mikes XS.

It happened when I got it, it happens still after all of that replacing things.

When I kick start it throughout the day, it fires right up no problem.

Any ideas of where to look??

Thanks in advance.

Ryan

 

[gggGary]

Check handlebar grounds the switch works by completing the electrical circuit for the solenoid by grounding it to the handlebar. I would toss on a temporary ground wire and see if the problem goes away. Do you have black handlebars? I think on a 79 the ground wire is found in the LH handlebar switch, goes from there to the headlight housing where it connects to a main harness ground.

 

[weekendrider]

Sometimes the contacts are just dirty. The on/off switch is known as being a problem for this.

 

[adi1974]

My starter wouldn't work a few weeks ago, turned out to be the earth through the bars as Gary suggests. I had to scrape away some of the paint / anodising on the bars to make a good connection with the switch gear.

 

[bedrich7]

Thanks guys! I'll give these things a try. I'll clean up the contacts and make sure the handlebar ground is making good contact/ground it manually to test the button. i'll report back if there's an AH HA!! moment.



Thanks!

 

[scabber]

Check your battery conections to make shure they are tight. Vibration can cause them loosen. Had the same problem loose ground on the battery caused it.

 

[XSLeo]

One thing you can test is when the button isn't working, down at the starter relay unhook the blue/white wire and jumper it to ground. If it works this way, you know its in the wiring , switch, or ground.
Power flows to the starter relay on the red/white wire, out to the push button on the blue/white wire. Check all the connections on the blue/white wire, any of them dirty or loose will cause trouble.
Good clean connections are needed on both housings.
On the earlier models the didn't use a ground wire from the housing. They used a wire from the riser nut to the top tree clamp bolt and the ground went through this wire to the trees, to the stem, bearings and frame. This is an inconsistant grounds because of the bearings and it also pits the bearings.
So adding a ground wire from a switch housing to the harness ground is an improvement over the early ground, Do it to the early years is a good thing.
Leo

 

[bedrich7]

I fixed this a few days ago finally, but forgot to post right away. Turns out it was the ground to the switch since I put black bars on. Simple fix, but would have taken forever without you guys helpin'.

Thanks guys