Starter Glitch

[2wheelmadman]

I must be brain dead today, but Im encountering an electrical starting issue that has me puzzled.
Ridgeback has 12v at the green wire each time when depressing the starter button but doesnt turn over. Slam button works fine and fires it right up. What am I missing here, possible bad solenoid? or?

 

[Rottweiler]

Take a ohm reading of the solenoid. I bet the wire broke off. If so you might be able to get it fixed.

 

[2wheelmadman]

What wire are you talking about? Theres only one green wire to the solenoid and the switch puts power on it as described.

 

[chubs]

Pull the cover off the end of the solenoid, ( 3 screws) and look inside where the green wire hooks to, should be 2 (i believe) small bare wires that go back into the solenoid. If one of them breaks, you'll have the issue that it sounds like you're having. If it is broken where you can get to it, you can solder it back together and be set. If the wire isn't broken where you can get to it, probably time for a new solenoid.

 

[Chong]

Another check, disconnect the green signal wire . Make a jump wire and attach to starter in its place. Then touch end to the battery +. See what happens. You may have a device like that with a push button that auto mechanics sometimes use . You would be checking the selonoid trigger curcuit that its not compromised/not passing enough current. You still get the same results you'll pretty much know its something with the selonoid.

 

[Rottweiler]

Green wire connector and ground. For ohms check. Any bolt on the starter is ground.

 

[2wheelmadman]

the starter already must be grounded as the slam button on the solenoid works.

 

[2wheelmadman]

Pull the cover off the end of the solenoid, ( 3 screws) and look inside where the green wire hooks to, should be 2 (i believe) small bare wires that go back into the solenoid. If one of them breaks, you'll have the issue that it sounds like you're having. If it is broken where you can get to it, you can solder it back together and be set. If the wire isn't broken where you can get to it, probably time for a new solenoid.

thanks, I will check that in the am.

 

[2wheelmadman]

Took the solenoid cover off, found one wire broken as you said, soldered it secure but the bike still wouldn't turnover by the switch. Tried the slam button and it kept the starter engaged and promptly melted the ground cable at the battery terminal.
Must be a complete short inside the solenoid. It appears the solenoid is an integral part to the starter. A new starter required?

 

[Coolbreezin]

Considering the age of our scooters, maybe your handlebar pod finally died? Mine lasted about 10 years. I r&r the OEM key switch to a marine spring loaded key switch like in a car.
Goes from key to battery to solenoid. My turn signal switch is mounted under my tank by the petcock.
FYI - my brain was removed not long after that to avoid Sheldon Colemans future pounding me in the ass.

 

[chubs]

Not saying you missed something, but, if you pulled the plunger out of the solenoid and didn't notice that the spring had fallen off when you put it back in, the plunger would stick to the contacts when you let off the slam button keeping the starter engaged, drawing a lot of current. (ask me how I know) The battery ground cable has me wondering if it was actually making good connection, since the starter is grounded to the frame via the mounting bolts. A poor connection will usually result in high resistance and excess heat. Also, as Pete said about the handlebar switch, the problem may be there.

 

[2wheelmadman]

Yeah, I considered the handlebar switch at one time but it shows 12v consistently to the trigger connection when depressed.
I had been starting it with the slam button for over a year with no issues, just got tired of burning my fingers on the pipes everytime when the bike was hot.
Pulled the starter, can't get it to do shit on the bench.