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Jimbe's starter problem. Please help......

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Old Mar 31, 2009 | 05:20 PM
  #1  
piniongear's Avatar
piniongear
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Default Jimbe's starter problem. Please help......

hello I am new here but I do not know how to ask a new question so I will ask here and hopefuly some one can help.I have a 79 iron head.I have had problems with my starter.When I would try to start it.The starter would make a bad noise like a winning noise.I replaced sylenoid high torque starter starter relay.I have found out that when the starter is engaged the gear that would start the motor is not always turning.This gear is the gear on the starter that makes contact with the flywheel.I dont know what to do please help if you can.

OK, now you can get some discussion going about your starter.
I try not to comment on any machine newer that 1975, and there are a lot of other members more familiar with these 'newer' machines than I.

First, help me to understand what you replaced.
The solenoid?
The starter relay?
The entire starter?



Referring to the pic above, the starter is item 30.
The solenoid is item 13.
The pinion gear is item 20 and it is shown as the assembly of all the related parts as item 14.
Simple explanation of how things work:
When the solenoid is energized with 12V the plunger (#11) compresses the spring (#12) and pulls the far end of #25 inward.
The other end of #25 has a yoke surrounding the shift collar (#21).

This moves the gear and assembly (#14) outward on it's shaft to engage with the ring gear (not shown) that is attached to the backside of the clutch basket. (You referred to the clutch basket as the 'flywheel')
That will give you an idea of what things look like inside. This pic is for a 1974, but yours will be very similar, if not identical.
I would suspect a bad solenoid myself. Let's see what other members have to say.
Let's hear some noise guys!
pg



 
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Old Mar 31, 2009 | 08:28 PM
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sugarplum247
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im having same problem i get that whining noise also but im not getting 12 volts to the starter its breaking down to 9 for some reason havent found out why yet
 
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Old Mar 31, 2009 | 09:03 PM
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Not getting 12V to the starter can only be:
1) Low battery.
2) One or both battery cables bad, or dirty connections or loose connections.
If these things are in order, then you have to be getting 12V at the starter. There is just no other possible thing that could drop the voltage down below 12V.
If you question the health of your battery, disconnect the cables from the MC battery and connect the cables to a set of jumpers off the car battery. That starter should spin now.
If it does not, then you will have to go into the starter and see what is the problem.
This is the simplest way to test things that I can think of......... pg
 
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Old Mar 31, 2009 | 09:20 PM
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going to check wiring and cables tomorrow 12v at input on starter relay only 9 coming out i have new relay new cyl new starter hooked mt truck batt up still the same got new batt also
 
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Old Apr 2, 2009 | 12:10 AM
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How to connect jumper cables from car battery (or external battery) to bike... First

Solenoid end cap connections( factory installation check this) :
Upper thick is coming from battery positive pole
Thin wire is coming from starter relay
Lower thick wire is going into startermotor

Connect positive cable to cars battery positive pole -> solenoid terminal (that upper check this)



Connect ground to car in grounding point not battery negative -> to bike frame place what isn't covered with paint ( footrest mounting bolt )

with this you can eliminate if you have bad battery or battery cable.
 
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Old Apr 2, 2009 | 05:55 PM
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hooked up bat sraight to starter cyl same thing
 
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Old Apr 3, 2009 | 12:05 AM
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Originally Posted by sugarplum247
hooked up bat sraight to starter cyl same thing
No comprende ? my english is little rusty but...what you mean by that ?
 
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