Intermittent starter issue

[mmarine]

I have an '87.  Recently, the starter will not work when I hit the button.  I do hear a quiet click.  If I keept trying, eventually it will turn over and start up.  At the same time this started, I notice my headlight doesn't come one and the high beam indicator light is one while running.  I know the battery is good.  No other symptoms.  Thoughts and where to start looking?

[Barry]

If you are sure the battery is fully charged I'd start with the simple things like a check on the battery terminations and cables for bad connections. If you have a voltmeter I would check what voltage you have at the battery and then see what you have at various points like the headlight and  starter while they are being operated. The basic idea is to look for big voltage drops that would indicate a problem with the connections or cabling.

[Bob_Roller]

If you do everything that Barry has posted and still have the problem, you may have the same issue I had with my '81 R65 about 30 years ago .

The starter relay will make a faint click and nothing else happens when you press the start button .

Remove the fuel tank and press on the top of the starter relay, you should be able to manually close the contacts in the relay and the starter will work, just make sure the transmission is in neutral, because you bypass the safety interlocks on the starter circuit by doing this .

You can remove the plastic case from the relay and adjust the movable part of the relay a bit, doesn't take much to get it adjusted .

You'll need to remove the relay from it's socket to do this .

You'll probably need to use a screwdriver to get the relay removed, use caution, there is a ' hot ' wire on the connector, it has power from the battery all the time, regardless if the key is off .

[montmil]

Check continuity within the starter button. It may be dirty or headed south.

The large battery ground cable has caught out several Airhead owners. Terminals may be bright ' shiny but the cable strands hidden beneath the sheath have failed.

Pull the engine top cover and check out connections on the starter.

When disconnecting that starter relay or removing the timing chest cover, ALWAYS disconnect the neg cable at the battery. Doesn't take but a nano second to toast a diode board or burn a new short circuit.

[mmarine]

Thanks for all the helpful hints.  I will give them a try and let you know the results.  It's great to get some help from folks with more technical experience than me.

[mmarine]

The battery is fully charged (over 12 volts).  i get a faint click coming from the relay.  No difference if I push down on the relay.  I did temporary jump at selenoid (battery terminal to post where black wire goes into selenoid) and the starter turns over.  Is this a bad connection between the relay and the selenoid, or could the relay still be bad? How can I test if I am getting power to the selenoid? Any other suggetions are welcome.

[Bengt_Phorqs]

If you have run all of the tests recommended, then it may be time for a starter overhaul.  I believe you may have one of the Valeo starters, but you'll have to remove the engine cover to confirm this.  The overhaul is not difficult to do, or it can be sent to a quality shop like Rick Jones at Motoelektrik.  He does good work at an affordable price with a quick turnaround.

[iwSVPyFzWDH]

There are three switches in the starting circuit. They serve to isolate the low and high current switching responsibilities.

The push button on the handle bars activates the relay under the tank. That is the low current side. The relay under the tank activates the solenoid on the starter itself. The high current side.

You proved that the solenoid and starter motors are good. The problem is in the low current side of the circuit.

I had intermittent starting on my bike. When I pushed the button the starter would turn but then stop, or stop/start intermittently, despite my continuing to mash the button.

If your bike spends much time outdoors, as mine does, the starter button is exposed to the elements. The starter button needs to be flushed with contact cleaner.

Disconnect the battery. Disassemble the starter button and flood it with contact cleaner. Operate the switch repeatedly. If you have compressed air use it. Repeat the process.

I also removed the starter relay under the tank and flushed its contacts. In fact I flushed and cleaned every electrical point of contact on the entire bike. Well worth the effort. Lights are brighter, charging current is greater.

There are two types of contact cleaner. One is simply solvent, no oil additives. That is what you want to use. Once you have the switch working you can go back and use a contact cleaner that contains a light protective oil as well.

[Bob_Roller]

When you press the starter button, what is clicking when you do this ?

A relay under the fuel tank, or the starter itself ?

On North American version bikes, there is a relay that opens when you use the starter, it turns the head light off to take the head light load away during starter operation .

There also is a clutch safety switch, it is operated by the clutch lever, when the clutch lever is not pulled it will interupt the start relay circuit, if the neutral light is not on .

Does your neutral indication light work, if the does not come on, the circuit for the start relay is not completed and the start relay will not operate .

I would try pulling the clutch lever in and see if the starter is working then .