Woohoo!! Another starting problem thread!!

[Burninator]

What's up guys? I am having a bit of a problem with my bike, '97 600. Just recently when I would go to start my bike, sometimes it will click really quickly by the fuse box and do nothing. Sometimes it does one big click then nothing and sometimes it will start fine... Even more recently (trying to start up to leave work the other day) when I turn the key absolutely NOTHING happens, no lights, no clicks, no dash lights, nothing (I was all by myself with no one to help me out so I had to resort to jumping it with a work truck. Not something I like doing bc I hear jumping a bike with a car can mess stuff up [?]. Truck was off though. After I hooked up the cables, she started right up ran beautifully...).

I just yesterday realized I had gotten a Clymers when I bought the bike. I crack open the book and it mentions something about the circuit breaker. It just happens to be in the same area where I'm hearing the clicking. Hmmm... I take a look for the breaker don't find it, but by one thing leading to another I find the starter solenoid. As of now the bike wont do ANYTHING when the key is turned. I tinker (tap) with the solenoid a bit then I hear a click and the lights come on, everything does what it is supposed to do. Try starting the bike, all works like it should.

What could possibly be the problem? Is the starter solenoid bad? Battery is less than a season old and has good fluid levels. Also all the cables are in good condition. Or what else could it possibly be? (Anyone have a spare solenoid? lol)

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have a trip to MB, SC next week and I really want to take the bike with me, but don't want to run the risk of it leaving me stranded somewhere, especially with a NY plate in the south, lol.

Thanks guys

[jday240]

I had a similar problem once and it was a bad battery. I charged it up and still nothing. A new battery was the fix for me. It may also be the solenoid. Check the fuses in the last two pics in this thread.

http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=89010

[Kreylyn]

No lights at all sometimes, lights but not enough juice to turn the starter at times, and other times everything works fine...

That screames to me you have a poor or loose connection associated with the primary power circuit. When you mess with things you bump it to make a better connection sometimes.

If you don't have a full solid connection with the starter... it won't flow enough juice to turn the starter. It will just click.

I would check all the circuit connections are clean, and tight. Check the battery connections, ground wires, all main wiring harness connections, especially at the fuse block. Inspect for heat damaged connectors, broken/damaged wires, heavily rusted/corroded connectors, etc...

And yes.. test the battery.

Krey

[Burninator]

I had a similar problem once and it was a bad battery. I charged it up and still nothing. A new battery was the fix for me. It may also be the solenoid. Check the fuses in the last two pics in this thread.

http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=89010

Thanks I'll look, but pretty sure the last time I had the bike apart I'm pretty sure there weren't any fuses down in that area...

Just like my Clymers says that there is a red circuit breaker by the starter solenoid that when popped, give it 10 min and push it back in... There is no red push button circuit breaker, at all.

Lol, who's poopin who?

No lights at all sometimes, lights but not enough juice to turn the starter at times, and other times everything works fine...

That screames to me you have a poor or loose connection associated with the primary power circuit. When you mess with things you bump it to make a better connection sometimes.

If you don't have a full solid connection with the starter... it won't flow enough juice to turn the starter. It will just click.

I would check all the circuit connections are clean, and tight. Check the battery connections, ground wires, all main wiring harness connections, especially at the fuse block. Inspect for heat damaged connectors, broken/damaged wires, heavily rusted/corroded connectors, etc...

And yes.. test the battery.

Krey

thanks for the info. I'll just go around when I get a free minute tightening all the connections I see in the area and on the bike and just double checking everything that can possibly be checked. The bike went naked from March to a couple weeks ago... would that effect anything? Probably, right?

[Thirdorb]

I too am having starting problems...If I press the starter button nothing happens, not even a click, but if I take a screwdriver across the starter solenoid it'll crank. Does this mean the starter solenoid is bad? I looked for loose/corroded wires but no dice.