weak spark

I have a bad starter solenoid, it clicks but does not always turn the starter. But when it does turn it over I have a week spark, very light blue to orange. My question is if the solenoid is going bad will it pull the voltage down enough to weaken the spark. It has a brand new battery, it will start while on jumper cables, and the connections to the coil is clean. If I am not clear enough on whats happening let me know.

 

When you say you have a brand new battery...a lot of times they are only about 75% charged when you get them, have you ridden the bike with the new battery quite a bit?

I thought I had a bad solenoid when my starter brushes were shot, because jumping the solenoid started it, but when I fixed starter all was good. Also, how are alternator brushes? Also, how are your wires and plug boots? I just trimmed a little bit off of my wires the other day. It's pretty easy, the boots have a little internal screw, unscrew them, trim like a quarter inch off the wire, screw them back on good and tight. Might fix your problem. And it might always actually be something with the coils. At this point I'll have to wait for someone with more coil experience than me to chime in with the proper way of diagnosing those...

 

I charged the battery before it went into the bike. And I have been riding it for aboyt 3 months now. The solenoid clicks but don't always turn the starter.

 

The XJ spark is pretty weak. You'll not see a fat blue spark like you will on some other stuff.

 

In answer to your question: the solenoid won't necessarily "pull down" the voltage; however a gummed up, dirty or in-need-of-maintenance starter will.

Generally, the solenoids just get intermittent/make poor connection or quit outright.

Depending on the mileage on your bike, it might be wise to give the charging system a "once over," it might be alternator brush time.

 

Fixed it. The o-rings on the starter where smashed pretty thin allowing the case to tightening to much and causing the starter to drag. I could not find any o-rings locally so I made some out of insulated single strand copper wire.