no start.... please help if you can

[Geezer]

Solenoid... please excuse my unmechanicalness... are the solenoid & the relay one in the same?

In this case, yes, I believe that the reference is to the relay. A solenoid can act as a relay. Many starters have a solenoid that pushes the starter gear into place to turn the engine while also serving as a relay to switch power on to the starter motor. So, when talking about starters the terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

 

[luvtoride]

Well, I suppose that's good news... except all the work to get that starter out in the first place.

 

[Fred W]

Technically, a relay is a solenoid operated switch. The solenoid provides the mechanical action to operate a high current switch.

 

[dcarver]

Well, I suppose that's good news... except all the work to get that starter out in the first place.

Huh? Was it the starter relay?

I mean, uhh, I'm seeing lots of fjr1300 parts on eBay and thought maybe someone is making some profit?

You know I'm just kidding!

 

[Intech]

Here is the latest: New battery installed, ignition jumped, Hit start and the starter motor just spins. No engine turn over. The starter is also drawing 100 amps and the engine isn't even turning. Starter draws 10 amps off the bike. I need to try that again just to be sure that is still the case.

Question: How does the starter work on the FJR? Is it centrifical? Could there be something going on in the starter gearing that has been the problem all along? New territory for me.

 

[Geezer]

Here is the latest: New battery installed, ignition jumped, Hit start and the starter motor just spins. No engine turn over. The starter is also drawing 100 amps and the engine isn't even turning. Starter draws 10 amps off the bike. I need to try that again just to be sure that is still the case.
Question: How does the starter work on the FJR? Is it centrifical? Could there be something going on in the starter gearing that has been the problem all along? New territory for me.

If the starter is spinning but the engine is not spinning at all then the starter gear is not engaging. Is that a new symptom since you had the starter out or was it like that before you pulled the starter?

Can you turn the engine by turning the back wheel while in gear?

 

[FJRay]

Sounds like it might be time to pull the stator cover and see what's going on in there. I haven't heard of a starter drive failing on the FJR but it could happen. I think it's called a sprag clutch that uses rollers and springs to engage and when the engine starts centrifugal force moves the rollers out of the way. It used to be a real problem on earlier bikes, the Virago was infamous for shitty starter drives.

 

[Intech]

Greg: I think this may be what Heidi was hearing when she was trying to start it. Starting has been a problem for a while with this bike.

Ray: That is where I will go next. I will still pull the starter back out and run it to see if it is still just drawing 10 amps unloaded.

 

[08FJR4ME]

If you apply voltage to the starter you should see the gear pop out. If it doesn't replace or rebuild.

Dave

 

[FJRay]

If you apply voltage to the starter you should see the gear pop out. If it doesn't replace or rebuild.
Dave

There is no gear to pop out. It's a gear drive to the starter clutch mechanism.

 

[luvtoride]

Hey ya'll, thanks for the advice on this. & Bob is right... starting has indeed been an issue for awhile. I thought that it was solved after he replaced the starter. I still had the issue a few months later.. It was always when hot. I guess whatever is actually going on finally shit the bed. I have 116,000ish thousand miles & I have been through about 6 batteries on this bike. Granted, I didn't take as good care of those batteries as I should have That just seems plain extreme to me. Looking forward to having it solved for good. Just hoping that whatever the issue... it doesn't suck too bad resolving it.

 

[dcarver]

Probably a broken crankshaft just inside the starter motor drive.

.

.

.

Just Kidding!

 

[Intech]

How is that helpful Don??

 

[dcarver]

How is that helpful Don??

Oh, it's NOT! In any real way. Except to point out it's most likely not as bad as it seems.

I hope it goes well..

 

[hppants]

Ive still got parts from Patriots grenaded gen 1 motor, Bob. When you need, holler!! Im ready to ship pronto.

 

[John d]

Hey ya'll, thanks for the advice on this. & Bob is right... starting has indeed been an issue for awhile. I thought that it was solved after he replaced the starter. I still had the issue a few months later.. It was always when hot. I guess whatever is actually going on finally shit the bed. I have 116,000ish thousand miles & I have been through about 6 batteries on this bike. Granted, I didn't take as good care of those batteries as I should have That just seems plain extreme to me. Looking forward to having it solved for good. Just hoping that whatever the issue... it doesn't suck too bad resolving it.

This sounds exactly like what happened to me.

 

[Geezer]

If the starter draws 10 amps when off the bike, but 100 amps when in the bike but still not spinning the motor then where is the load that is causing the increase in amps? Some kind of bind in the starter after it is installed? Or the starter clutch? I have never had a starter out so I don't know exactly how that clutch works, but that seems like a good place to look.

 

[Intech]

Just took the starter back off and tested again. It is drawing >70 amps unloaded. That is no good. Drawing > 100 amps on the bike. I don't think is turning fast enough to start the bike.

Anyone have a starter laying around?

 

[FJRay]

Just took the starter back off and tested again. It is drawing >70 amps unloaded. That is no good. Drawing > 100 amps on the bike. I don't think is turning fast enough to start the bike.
Anyone have a starter laying around?

I'll check the stash and see what I've got. I know I have some but I'm not sure if any are ready to ship.

 

[John d]

A bad starter can easily shorten the life of a new battery. Then a new battery will provide enough power to the starter for a while. Rinse and repeat until you get a new starter. Just my opinion.

A used starter might put you back in the same position in the not too distant future.

There are a number of us who have had to replace starters at around 100k.