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XJ500 Starter Relay Problems

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by zburke11, Oct 12, 2021.

  1. zburke11

    zburke11 Member

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    So I kinda rebuilt an 81 xj 500 over here in Slovakia. I can use most parts from a 550 for it so that's what I usually order. My wiring isn't super great, but it's been fine up until just recently. I had issues with pushing the starter button and nothing happening, but eventually the bike would slightly turn... then finally turn over. I thought it was perhaps just the battery needing to be fully charged or something. Recently it stopped everything altogether. When I push the start button, nothing happens, except the light turning on on the gage. I took a screw driver to the relay poles and the starter turned fine. Once I got it to start turning over and then the starter wouldn't stop once I let off the start button. Even when I turned the kill switch off it kept going. It finally stopped when we tapped the relay a few times.

    I thought perhaps the relay was the problem because it wasn't clicking or anything, and the starter turned when I connected the poles. So I just replaced the relay. Now when I press the start button I can hear the loud click from the new relay but still nothing from the starter. I took a screwdriver to the poles again to check and the starter turns.... I even swapped the two wires going to the relay just in case I had them wrong. So I have no idea what to do now... I checked fuses and they're all fine.

    Not sure how important it is, but also in order for the start button to actually do anything I have to very slightly turn the throttle as well. Not sure if it impacts any of this or not. I also rebuilt the starter itself and haven't had any problems with it.
     
  2. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    if it is like a 550 the starter button grounds through the handle bars as the black wire from control goes to main harness and has no mating wire in the harness.

    test by hooking a wire to ground and to the screw that holds the shell together.

    you can add a ground from the ignition coil mounting bolts to the wire in the connector of the control harness.

    painted bars will cause a ground issue
     
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  3. zburke11

    zburke11 Member

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    Ok, first... excuse me for just being dumb and not knowing much about these things and diving into rebuilding a bike :(

    When you say the test, do you mean ground straight from the battery to the mounting bolts on the control harness(that has the starter button?) What happens if it's good?

    Second, I do have painted handlebars.

    I was messing with it today, took the control harness apart and noticed that when the throttle cable touched the control harness then the starter button would work. That explains why I have to slightly turn the throttle to get the button to even light up the red light on the instruments. But... again sorry for being dumb... if I can here the starter relay click, and the light on the dash comes on which happens when you push the start button, is it still a ground issue? It just confuses me, also because this wasn't doing this like 2 months ago. It had it's issues and I had to push the start button a few times, but it would always eventually turn things over and start. Anyway, thanks again for all the help.
     
  4. Noahsxj

    Noahsxj Active Member

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    Get the paint off the bars where the controls mount up, I bet that’s the problem

    if there’s paint where the controls mount, it could be causing a bad ground connection, or none at all
     
  5. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    thats ok thats why we are here.

    you can run a test ground from battery or a permenant ground from the ignition coil mounting bolts. to the screws holding the control halves together for the test
    if this complets the ground circuit your starter will spin when you push the button connector for that pro look.

    you can add a from ignition coil mounting bolt to the black wire from the control at the connection to main harness.
    cut and splice wire into the black wire.
    or get the proper connector from xj4ever.com and add the connection to main harness
    the current setup grounds the controll through the bars so if painted add a wire. it is easier than grinding off paint.

    throttle cable would act as ground it is a steel wire. just do not depend on it.

    dirty connections will cause a dely on the starter button. if the red oil light lights up you have ground.
    starter button may be dirty.
    also the connector that the control connects to the main harness may be dirty or loose. this is a common weak point of the 550.
    push the wires into the connectors to make sure they make the connection.

    I have also found that when the battery wire to solinoid is dirty and the starter wire from solinoid is dirty you get a delayed starter response remove thw 2 nuts and clean.

    i use electronic connector cleaner and an eraser when possible sometimes a 2000 grit wet dry paper
     
  6. zburke11

    zburke11 Member

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    Alrighty thanks so much! I'll try all these things and get back to you.

    Ya I was super confused. If the red light is coming on, which means there is ground clearly, and the click from the starter relay happens, why is it still the starter button/controller that's the problem? Didn't make sense to me. But again, I don't understand electronics well enough haha.
     
  7. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    if light comes on starter button should be good i would look at solinoid connections for starter and battery, clean them.
    try jumplin across the 2 nuts with an old screw driver to see if starter spins. there will be some sparks.

    there are a few safety circuits involver.
    sidestand switch unplug the relay under the seat to bypass
    clutch switch 0nly lets bike turn over in neutral when clutch lever is not pulled in. will let bike turn over in gear when clutch is pulled in.

    does the neutral light come on? if not bike will not turn over
    neutral switch is behind the shifter cover may be loose . you can ground this wire to see if bulb lights

    all the switches can be bypassed but you really want to fix them.

    clutch switch put a jumper across the connector in the headlight bucket.
    neutral switch ground the wire that connects under the shifter cover . this will bypass and light the bulb.
    sidestand switch unplug the relay under the seat,

    bypass ing creates dangerous conditions.
    left turn with side stand down will cause a problem.
    clutch and neutral bypass will allow bike to start in gear without pulling in the clutch bike will jump forward
     

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