Starter Question

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milesoffun
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Starter Question

#1

Post by milesoffun »

Had the bike out today - been able to ride down here for a while - no issues. Hopped on it at the store and just got the clicking from the solenoid. Was able to push it off and got home. Checked the voltage to the starter and had voltage from the solenoid when hitting the starter button - no previous warnings. The solenoid is only about 6 months old - china made I'm sure. I happened to have another starter in the shop - marked that it needed testing :-D - but threw is on there anyway and got the same result.

I'm wondering if I'm missing something on the bike as opposed to the starter? Opened up the first starter and it did not look that bad but both are OEM starters.

Thanks!
MilesOfFun
80 GL1100 - Yellow (Got wet due to Huricane Sally - gonna give it a try!)
83 GL1100I - Blue (Got wet due to Huricane Sally - but gonna give it a try!)
sphen
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Re: Starter Question

#2

Post by sphen »

clutch switch, neutral switch, or diode..?
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Re: Starter Question

#3

Post by Rat »

Those cheap solenoids have a bad reputation .... buy a good one .... bridge it with an old screwdriver in the meantime .... be careful though, they’ve been known to stick and ruin your battery and even your starter

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ericheath
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Re: Starter Question

#4

Post by ericheath »

If the ground wire is getting warm, check the ground strap behind the triangular motor mounts.
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milesoffun
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Re: Starter Question

#5

Post by milesoffun »

I've got an extra older solenoid that has the dogbone fuse on it but it is missing the 30 amp fuse. Is that 30amp a single fuse with 4 contacts - like a block fuse of some type?
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80 GL1100 - Yellow (Got wet due to Huricane Sally - gonna give it a try!)
83 GL1100I - Blue (Got wet due to Huricane Sally - but gonna give it a try!)
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milesoffun
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Re: Starter Question

#6

Post by milesoffun »

Hold the phone guys - like most of you folks, I've got parts I've forgotten about. I've got a couple of other used solenoids withthe dogbone fuses - I was confused on the power hookup but have it now - I'll swap one out and see if I have any luck!

Thanks.
MilesOfFun
80 GL1100 - Yellow (Got wet due to Huricane Sally - gonna give it a try!)
83 GL1100I - Blue (Got wet due to Huricane Sally - but gonna give it a try!)
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Re: Starter Question

#7

Post by Whiskerfish »

As Eric mentioned check that ground strap. It can zap a LOT of power away from the cranking system
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Re: Starter Question

#8

Post by Don R »

I bought an ebay start relay, it didn't work one time. Next up is a relay for a lawn tractor from the local parts store. It worked great for quite a while, sold the bike with it still on and working. Next time I needed one I rebuilt the stocker, no joy there. I was ordering from Randakks anyway and then got one of theirs, it came before I got around to the lawn tractor deal so I put it on. It's awesome.
Those tractor relays sometimes need to crank a large single cylinder engine with a good size battery so I think they are pretty solid.
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milesoffun
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Re: Starter Question

#9

Post by milesoffun »

Thanks - I put one of the old ones, put the started back together and gave her a try. It started, but would not stop cranking as it ran - maybe stuck solenoid. Finally got the battery disconnected but now it looks like that solenoid might have been fried in the process as I'm not getting any power to the starter any longer. Oh well, I have another old one to try! Will take a look at Randakks a well.
MilesOfFun
80 GL1100 - Yellow (Got wet due to Huricane Sally - gonna give it a try!)
83 GL1100I - Blue (Got wet due to Huricane Sally - but gonna give it a try!)
low-side
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Re: Starter Question

#10

Post by low-side »

I used an old Ford starter solenoid once (for a Taurus or Tempo or something). Held up very well for years and would probably work for decades. Wasn't pretty, but it was under a cover so I didn't care.
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10mm Nut
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Re: Starter Question

#11

Post by 10mm Nut »

You can buy a good used factory solenoid off of ebay from one of those places that parts out bikes and it won't cost any more than a cheap Chinese replacement. And you'll get a drastically better part. Been there and done that on my bike after fooling with sticking cheap aftermarket solenoids.

Mine came off of a later model bike so it doesn't use that horseshoe fuse like the original. I gave like 10 bucks for it.

Blade fuse for the win. No wiring mods required.

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Re: Starter Question

#12

Post by pidjones »

That looks just like several that I bought from Chinabay vendors. They all work fine. The original Honda solenoid's contacts were burnt up on a couple, water damaged and unreliable on another. As I remember, my '86 SEi had the dogbone fuse. I consider starter solenoids a consumable considering the current that they must make and break, often in a humid environment.
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10mm Nut
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Re: Starter Question

#13

Post by 10mm Nut »

On my bike the Chinese Amazon solenoid stuck and I had to quickly remove the battery cable. It was just a few months old. When I ordered a Honda solenoid and compared them to each other, the OEM solenoid was easy to tell it was higher quality than the aftermarket one. The Chinese excel at copying things and making them look the same, but at a lower quality and price point.
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milesoffun
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Re: Starter Question

#14

Post by milesoffun »

Thanks guys - it's going again. It's got a "different used" solenoid and starter on it and all is good. I was changing parts out that I had in the garage and when it worked, I quit. I'm thinking it was the starter but I'm not real sure and don't want to take it apart again to find out!

I appreciate all the help!
MilesOfFun
80 GL1100 - Yellow (Got wet due to Huricane Sally - gonna give it a try!)
83 GL1100I - Blue (Got wet due to Huricane Sally - but gonna give it a try!)
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