grusvag Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 1979 XS400 Working through a bunch of issues on this bike that's been sitting for about a year and a half and would love to get the electric starter working again. Can anyone suggest a troubleshooting checklist? 1. New battery. Check. 2. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave C Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 is it the starter itself or the wiring from the button. If its the starter could be it needs stripping cleaning and new brushes fitted, haynes manual should give minimun length off brushes. If its the wiring from the button its just a case of tracking it to the bad connection. Its a bit hamfisted but the fastest way to find out is to short the contacts on the starter selonoid, if the starter spins ok then you need to start looking at the wiring for the starter button or the button itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grusvag Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 The solenoid clicks when the starter button is pressed. I assume that means the solenoid is good. If the solenoid is good do I then need to remove the starter motor itself and check brush lengths as you suggest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted May 20, 2008 Moderator Share Posted May 20, 2008 The solenoid clicks when the starter button is pressed. I assume that means the solenoid is good. If the solenoid is good do I then need to remove the starter motor itself and check brush lengths as you suggest? not necesarily, by pass the solinoid by getting jump leads and connecting to earth and the fat black lead from you starter motor. if it spins then its not the starter. and i would suspect the solenoid, do you hear buzzing after the "click" or is it quiet? buzzing indicates starter worn, nothing, i would suspect the solenoid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Openroad Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 not necesarily, by pass the solinoid by getting jump leads and connecting to earth and the fat black lead from you starter motor. if it spins then its not the starter. and i would suspect the solenoid, do you hear buzzing after the "click" or is it quiet? buzzing indicates starter worn, nothing, i would suspect the solenoid Also, the solenoid can click but if the battery connection or earth connection is in poor condition there wont be enough current flow to turn the starter, so check all connections are clean and sound first - cheapest job first! Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grusvag Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 by pass the solinoid by getting jump leads and connecting to earth and the fat black lead from you starter motor. From the wiring diagram it appears as if the fat black lead to the starter supplies positive power and the starter is grounded probably from it's mounting on the engine. I ran a jumper from ground to the post on the solenoid that the fat black wire going to the starter is attached. Nothing. My guess is that this wire needs to be energized with positive power in order for the starter to turn but I wanted to double-check here before trying that and possibly frying something. I think I need to run the jumper from the positive battery post to the post on the solenoid that goes to the starter. Am I correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted May 21, 2008 Moderator Share Posted May 21, 2008 From the wiring diagram it appears as if the fat black lead to the starter supplies positive power and the starter is grounded probably from it's mounting on the engine. I ran a jumper from ground to the post on the solenoid that the fat black wire going to the starter is attached. Nothing. My guess is that this wire needs to be energized with positive power in order for the starter to turn but I wanted to double-check here before trying that and possibly frying something. I think I need to run the jumper from the positive battery post to the post on the solenoid that goes to the starter. Am I correct? correct, and earth to ground on the engine. you canuse a different battery if you want to eliminate the bike battery( like a car one) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grusvag Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 Forgive me for being dense... I ran a jumper from the battery positive terminal to the post on the solenoid that also has the fat black wire going to the starter - so I assume I'm sending positive current directly to the starter. Nothing happened. I also assume from what you're saying that I also need to run another jumper from either any ground on the bike or the frame or from the negative terminal on the battery also directly to the starter? Where do I make the negative attachment on the starter? Do I have to take the cover off the starter and find a negative terminal on the starter? By the way drewpy, your XS400 looks gorgeous! Wow - looks absolutely perfect! Very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted May 21, 2008 Moderator Share Posted May 21, 2008 Forgive me for being dense... I ran a jumper from the battery positive terminal to the post on the solenoid that also has the fat black wire going to the starter - so I assume I'm sending positive current directly to the starter. Nothing happened. I also assume from what you're saying that I also need to run another jumper from either any ground on the bike or the frame or from the negative terminal on the battery also directly to the starter? Where do I make the negative attachment on the starter? Do I have to take the cover off the starter and find a negative terminal on the starter? By the way drewpy, your XS400 looks gorgeous! Wow - looks absolutely perfect! Very nice. thanks for the comments, just clip it to an engine fin, anything with bare metal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grusvag Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 Clip what to an engine fin? What does the other end of the lead go to? Directly to the starter after I take the cover off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted May 22, 2008 Moderator Share Posted May 22, 2008 Clip what to an engine fin? What does the other end of the lead go to? Directly to the starter after I take the cover off? 1) the starter has only one lead from the cover, this is the positive and goes to the positive jump lead( usually red) 2) the engine is earth or negative, use the clips off the jump lead and open jaws and clip to engine fin (it completes the circuit for the starter motor) 3) attach jump leads to a 12v battery observing correct polarity 4) starter should spin, if it don't its knackered Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grusvag Posted May 22, 2008 Author Share Posted May 22, 2008 Thanks for your patience. Ran positive power to the big lead going to the starter and negative to a fin on the engine. Nothing. Dead as a doorknob. Looks like I need a starter. Will post my results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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