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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
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Message started by Moarpower on 07/31/23 at 00:29:19

Title: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by Moarpower on 07/31/23 at 00:29:19

Hey guys, so long story short I parked my bike last night. Woke up at about 1:00 a.m. to a loud bang and the sound of it starting by itself. I went downstairs and it was on its side. The back wheel spinning as it was parked in gear.
The only thing I had at hand quickly to make it stop was wire cutters and I cut the positive battery cable as quickly as possible.

The key was not in the ignition or anything like that. Something shorted in the bike had tried to start itself.

I wasn't able to find any continuity between power and the frame. However, when I press the starter button, the starter get stuck closed and will keep trying to start.

I also noticed that when it was stuck closed I would get continuity from the hot terminals of the relay to the frame.

I tested the two smaller wires. They only have 12 volt power when the ignition button is pressed and the key is on.

I'm really not sure what went wrong or where the short occurred, but it did look like the wire was coming out of the battery post on the starter relay so I think maybe it's shorted out somehow.

My main concern is the continuity from the hot terminals of the solenoid to the frame when it is stuck closed. Is this meant to happen?

Title: Re: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by zevenenergie on 07/31/23 at 01:03:01

Could it be Climate change?I hear on the news that even mountains are shifting as a result.

Unless there are mice or squirrels building a nest and fiddle with the wiring to get more space,
I wouldn't look for it in the wiring but in the moving parts of the electrical diagram.
I think your starter relay is broken and the contacts that power your starter motor are not releasing properly.

Title: Re: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by Moarpower on 07/31/23 at 01:07:01

Thanks.
Yes the relay is definitely stuck. It seems to be open but as soon s it gets power it gets stuck closed.

Title: Re: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by Surviving Philly on 07/31/23 at 05:37:14

From what I understand there are two main suspects here, the relay over the carb or the relay on the decomp.

Looking into this I think when you hit the starter button, voltage goes from a relay to the decomp solenoid and then to the actual starter -- it's possible to put 12v on the decomp solenoid and get the starter running without even having the ignition switch on from what I've heard.

Title: Re: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by verslagen1 on 07/31/23 at 08:39:40

Your starter/decomp controller (black box over the carb) is fried
It’s powered all the time and when water gets in can corrode some of the components causing a short
You can pull the box out to stop the problem for now

Title: Re: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by Moarpower on 07/31/23 at 09:40:23

2B382F2E313C3A38336C5D0 wrote:

Is there a way to test this to make sure it's faulty?

Title: Re: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by DragBikeMike on 07/31/23 at 10:27:57

I assume you have the battery disconnected to prevent the starter from cranking continuously.

To test the decompression relay, just disconnect it by pulling the plug out. Then reconnect your battery cable and see if the starter is still cranking the engine.

If the starter is still cranking the engine, the starter relay contacts are stuck. If the starter is no longer cranking the engine, the decompression relay contacts are stuck, or possibly the starter button contacts are stuck.

Another option is to disconnect the plug to the starter relay. Then reconnect the battery cable. If the starter is still automatically cranking, then the starter relay contacts are stuck closed.

This is the decomp relay plug.

Title: Re: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by DragBikeMike on 07/31/23 at 10:29:43

This is the plug for the starter relay. If you disconnect this plug and the starter is still cranking away, then the starter relay contacts are stuck closed.

Title: Re: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by Moarpower on 07/31/23 at 15:07:04

Thanks Mike.
I'll check shortly.
When I disconnected power and then reconnect not. It stops cranking. However as soon I input power back through the starter relay by pushing the button, it gets stuck and the hot terminals show continuity bro ground.
I checked the small wires at the starter and they only get 12v when I press the button so the switch itself isn't stuck.

Title: Re: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by Moarpower on 07/31/23 at 16:23:32

After disconnecting both the plugs you suggested, the starter still engages and has a short to ground.

I would like to replace the decomp relay too as it is the original unit. Will the bike run without it for now? I'm not using the decompression on my savage 400 head anyway

Title: Re: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by verslagen1 on 07/31/23 at 19:02:08

If you have the 400 then you don’t need the starter decomp controller anyway
Just short the starter button to the starter relay

Title: Re: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by Moarpower on 07/31/23 at 19:42:31

Thanks Vers. Yeah I have the 400 head on the 650. Could you advise what pins to short?

I have it working again now. Just replaced the starter relay.

Title: Re: Starter solenoid short. Nightmare
Post by verslagen1 on 07/31/23 at 21:21:36

Center of the plug on 1 side and down 1 on the other
Confirm with a vm