Starter Solenoid

[colint]

When I try to start the bike the bike turns over slowly but the solenoid is "buzzing" I have powder coated the frame and I am told that it could be the earth but the earthing point to the battery earth metered out OK any ideas.
The bike had been stood for a few years before I stripped and rebuilt it and it did turn over OK before the stripdown
ps New Battery fitted

 

[pete.keys]

When I try to start the bike the bike turns over slowly but the solenoid is "buzzing" I have powder coated the frame and I am told that it could be the earth but the earthing point to the battery earth metered out OK any ideas.
The bike had been stood for a few years before I stripped and rebuilt it and it did turn over OK before the stripdown
ps New Battery fitted

The causes are usually as you mention -bad earth or battery now quite charged enough. It happens to my bike every now and again as for some reason the charging system seams to stop for a while. Suggest - jumping of a car or just putting your new battery on charge for a while. Check the earth - on mine/usually this goes from the negative battery terminal to the back of the gearbox.

 

[Beemerboff]

Sometimes it is only a slack or poor connection on the starter - try cleaning the connections and put a star washer on when replacing.

Take care when replacing and tightening - the terminals are bronze and it is easy to cross thread or strip them.

The starter lead can corrode internally too - bypassing it with a jumper lead can be a pointer.

I replaced my leads with the "Starter Upgrade Kit"from Ebay and am pleased with the results, but everyone who hant tried them thinks they are a waste of money.

 

[SJRoome]

Hi

Check the voltage output from the solenoid to the starter with the other meter lead actually on the batteries negative terminal - while the starter is operating. Then check the voltage drop across the solenoid - again while the starter is operating.

Steve

 

[bumpmuncher]

Bosch or valeo if the latter. Have any of the magnets fallen off. They can fall off partially jamming it and making it turn slowly. Apparently damp can soften the glue.

 

[colint]

On checking as suggested below it appears to be the starter solenoid that is not working it is dropping in and out (buzzing) even when jump leads are attached.
Voltage in to solenoid when starter operated 12.95 volts out of the solenoid 5.6 volts
Can the solenoid be repaired/replaced?
I remember reading somewhere that a starter for a Citroen fits any idea which model or part number the Motorworks ones are very expensive and secondhand not sure that it would be a viable option.

 

[bumpmuncher]

A suitable donor is the valeo D6ra most of the parts are interchangeble. http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136093
I you are stuck I have an old one I could send you the solenoid assembly from in the cupboard.

 

[SJRoome]

Hi

A solenoid is a heavy duty switch operated by pulling a metal slug into a coil. Are you applying the jump lead to the switch terminal or to the input to the coil? It would be unusual for the metal slug to be vibrating in and out of the solenoid to be caused by a solenoid fault. It is more likely to be a bad connection.

Connect one jump lead from the positive terminal of the battery to the input to the coil and another to the starter body from the negative terminal of the battery.

If it still buzzes then you can be sure you have a faulty solenoid. You didn't say which bike or starter you have so I am assuming that you have a Valeo D6RA7 fitted to airheads from 77 to 95. It is easy to replace the whole solenoid on the Valeo starter, but even a second hand one is rather pricey from Motorworks etc.

You could take the parts from any Valeo D6RAxx starter you find at a scrapyard. They were fitted to a lot of small renault and citroen cars in the mid 90s.

My recommendation would be to fit one of these. http://www.woodauto.com/Component.aspx?Ref=SND12901 A bargain at £14.

Instructions on dissassembling the starter here. http://www.largiader.com/tech/valeo/

Steve

 

[bumpmuncher]

price of second hand solenoid from motorworks http://www.motorworks.co.uk/bmw/pro..._90&header_text=&header_text_image=0&spPage=2

over 4 times what I would ask for the spare one I have

 

[Beemerboff]

Euromotoelectrics in the US has all the Valeo spares at sensible prices, and the cheap, unbranded Valeo replicas for $120-

He gives a 12 month warrenty on his cheapos, in my experience it wont be needed as I have done 40,000 km on one on my 1000cc G/S and it has worked perfectly, people actually comment on how it bursts into life at a touch of the button compared to the clunk /whirr/grind of the Bosch on my
/7

 

[colint]

Hi

A solenoid is a heavy duty switch operated by pulling a metal slug into a coil. Are you applying the jump lead to the switch terminal or to the input to the coil? It would be unusual for the metal slug to be vibrating in and out of the solenoid to be caused by a solenoid fault. It is more likely to be a bad connection.

Connect one jump lead from the positive terminal of the battery to the input to the coil and another to the starter body from the negative terminal of the battery.

If it still buzzes then you can be sure you have a faulty solenoid. You didn't say which bike or starter you have so I am assuming that you have a Valeo D6RA7 fitted to airheads from 77 to 95. It is easy to replace the whole solenoid on the Valeo starter, but even a second hand one is rather pricey from Motorworks etc.

You could take the parts from any Valeo D6RAxx starter you find at a scrapyard. They were fitted to a lot of small renault and citroen cars in the mid 90s.

My recommendation would be to fit one of these. http://www.woodauto.com/Component.aspx?Ref=SND12901 A bargain at £14.

Instructions on dissassembling the starter here. http://www.largiader.com/tech/valeo/

Steve

Steve have tried with the jump leads connected as you describe but still the same problem
If I connect the positive jump lead to the solenoid output the starter spins OK without any noise, but obviously not engaging on to the flywheel.
So I will strip down and replace with new solenoid
Thanks for the help.

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

If you go to a scrappy, ask for a knackered starter motor. a working one will be about £15 but a scrap on will be a fiver or even free and if its only the solenoid you want the chances are it will be ok. Doddle to strip and fix, see other posts on here for more info.