So, last night I hooked the battery back up. Switched back to my old relay. Adjusted the activator wire on the solenoid, turned on the ignition key and hit the starter. Once again, the starter would not quit until I pulled the ground on the battery (took my finger off the starter, hit the kill switch, turned off the ignition key, starter still turning). Apparently, disconnecting the battery resets the system.

A couple of questions....

1. Does this sound mechanical or electrical?
2. If the plunger on the solenoid jams, does it keep the circuit to the starter open?
3. This is a brand new solenoid, what might cause a jam?

As I mentioned before, the new starter, an "All *****" 1.4Kw unit, came with a small metal "wafer" that fit in the hole where the solenoid plunger activates. I will be taking it out on my next round, but any other suggestions are welcome for any further tweaks. I swear, it's feast or famine. Started out with a dead ignition system, seems to be the starter was dead. Now, the starter is TOO alive. Ah well, I know how the starter system works now, um well, in theory anyway. Thanks for all your help.

GM

 

So the wafer thing is in there now and it did it with two different solenoids? In that case, take the waferout and try it. Something is causing the solenoid to jam. Isn't there a spring in there too? Make sure that looks OK.

 

Just remember the famous quote: "Experience is the thing you have after you needed it" Good Luck.

 

Yeah, the spring is in there. I'm thinking I'll be replacing that as well, when I pull the "wafer" thingy. Going back and re-reading the notes on the "fancy" starter installation, I found they recomend installing the wafer/spacer if the selenoid has problems activating. Frankly, this is the only thing I can think of that it might be, at this point. In essence, it extends that solenoid shaft approx. 1/8 inch. I had a discussion with my mechanic neighbor who seemed to think that if the starter gear was pushed another 1/8 inch, or so, onto the starter, that the pressure from the starter might be inclined to hold the gear. When the battery is disconnected, and the pressure released from the starter gear, the spring has the chance to disengage the starter gear, re-tract the selenoid and reset the system. This sound plausible? I'll be testing that theory tomorrow night. Wish me luck.

The good part is, I only have to figure it out once!

GM

 

Dejavu

I would ammend that saying to, "Experience is the thing you have after you needed it... until the next time you need it."

Of course, that counts on my feeble beer addled brain retaining it that next time! But I guess that's what these forums are here for? Interactive memory?

Thanks!

 

The problem sounds electrical. Pull the small wire off of the starter and connect it to a test light. The light should go on when you push the starter button and then go out when you let off. If the light goes out when you releasethe problem is mechanical. If the light stays on there is probably a problem with the relay or the circuit that is keeping the wire hot. To see if the starter is the problem, attach a jumper wire to the solenoid terminal on the starter and touch it to the positive on the battery. The starter should run when the circuit is made and stop when the wire is removed.

 

Still having issues with this one. I took out the little "wafer" from the selenoid and it wouldn't engage the bendex properly (see previous entries). So I put it back in. The starter still wants to keep cranking once engaged. But after a few times, seems to be intermittently better. I've noticed that if I open the carb, it will shut off. I'm thinking taking some of the pressure off the cylinder (when the intake vavles open) lets the bendex disengage and the starter system reset. I'm thinking of replacing the bendex gear as I think the pressure on it is keeping the starter engaged via the solenoid. But here's my latest rub...

I got the bike started and ran it for a bit while tweaking in the S&S carb. Needless to say, as I would tweak, it would sometimes stall out. Well after about ten minutes of start, tweak, stall, restart. I get a loud POP from the battery. It blew out! Killed it completely. Fortunately, it's new so I got a replacement for it, but, I haven't put it back in yet. I'm wondering what killed it.

Here's my question for you good people...

If the bendix gear is NOT disengaging, and the starter circuit remains open after the engine is running, wouldn't I hear the starter? When I pulled the battery out, it was pretty friggin' hot (and dead!). So I'm thinking it's shorting out somewhere and the battery simply kept getting hotter and hotter until, well.... POP!

Any thoughts or similar experiences would be appreciated.

GM

 

Did you ever find a fix. I have the same problem with my 03 dyna low. It has an All ***** starter.

 

Don't jump the bike with a car!!! It could mess up your electronics, just put it on a trickle charger to charge the battery up and if the battery is good you'll be fine if the battery is bad change it out samething happened to me too and battery was bad

 

Five year old thread. See the sticky in the Evo section.