Yet another starter question

Well, more of a test really.. I was fiddling in my shed, doing Idle mixture screws and JB Welding my petcock (No more leak hooraaaay!) and I was running the bike off and on to get that tan color on my plugs. Well, I shut the bike off, and then turned the key back to on and hit the START button.
POWER!
She turned on all by herself. No crossing the relay. Why is this? Anyone know? Is it cause there was juice still in the lines and it powered it back up with the button?? Does that mean a definate fuse problem??
I tried it again and it worked again. But after I let her sit for 30 sec she wouldnt start again with the start button. The OIL light just came on again. Same ol same ol.
Thoughts??
-SLKid

 

I don't think residual juice in the line is the answer. Starter relays act this way when they go bad. Often times a smart rap with a hammer handle will cause the relay to work once or maybe a few times and then stop functioning again. The switch in the handlebars can also cause problems. I would put my money on the solenoid if the battery is in good shape. Have you had your battery load tested? Just because it can light a few lights doesn't mean it can give up enough current to run the starter.

Anyone remember the days when there was a lever with a little foot flipper on it on the right side of the engine? Seems like they called 'em kick starters. Didn't need no stinkin' battery, switch, soenoid, etc.

Good luck on this. The other thing to consider are the relays designed to keep you from accidently running over your foot or committing other mayhem. Look for posts tha concern side stand relay, neutral switch relay etc.

 

Ooooh man.. that sucks. I was hopin it was somethin Easy... Start with the Solenoid then??

 

There's no such thing as "Residual Juice"
The Current is either ON or OFF.

You have an intermittently stuck switch, relay, or soleniod.
Start at the solenoid and then check the Start Button and the Safety Relay

 

Rick is right both when he talks about "residual Juice" and when he tells you something is stuck.

It' been my experience with my 85 XJ700N that the starter button can stick in just a tiny little bit and looks ok, but it isnt!

A shot WD in the switch took care of this for me.
Also look at the solenoid too but the 1st thing I'd check is the start button as it's the easyest thing to eliminate.

Just remember that you need to develop a process of elimination with the most logical and cheepest 1st. Then work thru them, thats what the trouble shooting guides do.
They figure what the most logical thing is and go from there.
(if your battery is dead, then you dont look at the carbs to decide why the battery is dead)

 

Oh, come on. I LIKE the idea of "residual juice in the lines." Liquid electricity, an interesting theory.

Maybe that explains smoke. I always though electrical components ran on the pre-installed smoke, and if it gets out, the component is no good. Maybe the smoke is a BY PRODUCT of "residual" electrons that build up and have no where to go.

Sorry, it's 5:30am I couldn't resist 8O

 

haha, this made my day fitz, I'm dying over here.

I'm gonna try the WD40 in the switch thing myself, maybe that'll fix mine. I tried to take it apart yesterday but one of the screws is stuck and I nearly stripped it trying.

 

I'm gonna try it too. Just to say I did. I think its jsut gonna come down to gettin a new relay though though

 

Good Yamaha Gods Almighty. The WD40 worked.

 

EEEEHAW!!

I tell you, my buddy said, I dont know what happened... your headlight just stopped working.
I chased my electrical system till I was sick. Funny thing was that the headlight worked fine the next day but then quit working again and again.

Then I noticed that when the starter button was pushed in the headlight went out.... the blasted started button was hanging up!!!

I had been riding in the rain and I guess that caused it to stick.

 

Residual Juice = large capacitors like the kind people put on car stereos
that rattle your brains
serious juice, like ruin your screwdriver type juice
but not on a XJ

 

Lol, thanks Polock. Ya'll make me feel so special here