Arnold wrote on 10/12/10 at 09:06:30:

Under tank, just follow the cable.
easy test...
push starter button
If it goes half a turn and stops, it's out of adjustment (too loose)
If it goes several turns before it starts, it may be out of adjustment (too tight)

well... not that easy. Decomp solenoid has nothing to do with this procedure. Yet.

You need to check these, in sequence:

1. Battery FULL (please jump from a car to make sure)
2. Starter turns when starter gets 12V (straight + to starter pole)
3. Starter solenoid switches the starter ON when starter solenoid gets 12V
4. Decomp circuit sends 12V to starter solenoid approx. 0.3 seconds after START button is pushed.

Arnold wrote on 10/12/10 at 10:41:28:

Batteries can go dead anytime, anywhere. Do yourself a favor, and make sure (probably by jumping from a cage) that you have enough voltage and current to make everything work correctly.

Well, looks like I didnt need the jumper cables after all. Shorting the solenoid told me the battery and starters are good, bike started right up. I'll replace the solenoid and hopefully that'll be the end of this misadventure.

Arnold wrote on 10/12/10 at 10:22:36:


Arnold, Your Clymers manual tells how to test the solenoid with OHM meter. As for taking the gas tank off, it ain't that big a deal. I just put a golf tee in the hose and take it off with gas in it. Be careful to not short out anything to power, as usual. When it's full, I just set my small mower gas can on a bucket or block and stick the fuel line in the top and put it on prime. And yes, my tank has to be wiggled to the left to clear the frame. Come on, boys. Let's man up here and work on these bikes. The deeper you go, the more you learn. Anybody can swap parts. It takes a little effort to actually fix anything. Good luck.  

I got a hold of a working solenoid and it stills behaves the same, the bike will only start when I touch the large poles on the solenoid. When I press the start button and try to start normally all I get is 2 clicks from the decomp solenoid and one click from some kind of relay in the rear.

I guess that leaves me to test the decomp solenoid next. I took the gas tank off and I'll do what verslagen1 instructed and see how many turn it goes when I press the start button.

Well the decomp solenoid clicks once to engage the cable then half a second later clicks again to release it. The start solenoid I have on right now is brand new.

I think now that I looked at it that the decomp solenoid is working since it engages the cable.

Now it leaves either cabling in between parts or some relay box somewhere?

On my way to get a voltmeter now.