Starter Woes... exploded solenoid??

[imwastefull]

when i turn my key my bike just does some rapid fire clicking. Blown starter solenoid?

anyone have a hot lead on one of those new-fangled working ones?

 

[Brian902]

Check this post and see what he ends up getting.

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6713


Here is an example of a relay from JP Cycles. Just hard to find one that fits unless you go to Yamaha parts or someone like MikeXS.

You should test first before running out and buying.

You can place a screwdriver or some other large piece of metal between the two large posts to verify that the starter is working. Just make sure it's out of gear and up on it's stand. This bypasses the solenoid and will spin the starter instantly, so be ready.

If starter is working properly, then test for voltage on both small wires connected to the solenoid. One should show battery voltage, 12 volts, as this is the feed. The other is connected to the starter button and provides the ground. With key on you should have the clicking you mentioned.

If the starter was working when you tested it in the first step then clicking when doing the second test, solenoid is likely bad.

 

[retiredgentleman]

The starter motor is very much a "load test" for the battery. You could take the battery to a shop that sells batteries and have a "load test" done on their machine.

Connect a VOM to the battery terminals to read voltage. Watch the meter and try to crank the engine with the starter motor. If the voltage drops instantly to 4 or 5 volts , the battery is defective. Buy a new battery.

You should also check the large cables from the battery positive and negative terminals. If either end of those cables is corroded with nasty green stuff, it causes high resistance, and failure to crank. The same applies to the large cable that goes from the solenoid (relay) down to the starter motor itself.