Clicking Solenoid?

[atcmatt]

Today I made the 250es a roller with a motor :p

Anyway, everything is done minus the brakes and the WIREING :wondering

I cannot stress enough how much I hate wireing!

I have searched the boards for any information about this but i can not fidn a straight answer to my question, if yo ucan find a topic that would help me that would be more than appreciated.

Heres the deal, my neutral light works, the headlight works (only on low beam), the outlet works, the tail lights work, everything works except the starter, high beam and the reverse indicator light.

When I press the starter button all I hear is a loud click from the solenoid. I have tried just hooking the starter motor directly to the battery useing jumperleads but to no avail. What gets me is that this starter worked before I took the engine out of the chassis.

What could my problem be? :confused:

Thanks alot,

Matt

[Howdy]

Sounds like you need to take the starter apart and clean it. You might also find the brushes are wore to the limit.
Howdy

[200xman]

Make sure to check your grounds also.

[BLAZERONE22]

My moneys on the brushes, try tapping on it lightly.

[jeswinehart]

i haft to wiggle the wire at the starter on my br250 from time to time.
( like yesterday ) i am reluctent to try and over tighten it but in my case ,,, that is what i hafta fiddle with.
hopefully it will be simple on you trike as well ,,,


john

[atcmatt]

Thanks Everyone. Tomorrow is a nice new day and i will get stuck into it, i have a fresh rebuilt starter for project "hot motor" and if all else fails ill bolt that in. Just dont want to get it dirty just yet. :cry:

Matt

[broook]

Did you try to short across your solenoid with a screwdriver just to see if the solenoid itself is at fault?? I sugest you try this before tearing into your starter.

[bigredhead]

Is your battery fully charged ?

Might not have enough juice to kick it over !

[a-camp]

Look at last two reply ....

[MrDixie]

be sure the battery is hot, and all cable connections are clean and tight -s and +s

[83185s]

yea i thouhgt that sound meant trailprotrailpro battery doesnt have enough power to turn it over..that or try cross jumpin trailprotrailpro solenoid with the screwdriver...and if thats not it tap it lightly with a hammer or rubber mallet..LIGHTLY..lol alot of people dont do it lightly then when it breaks they blame other people for telling them to do it!

[atctim]

My money is on the brushes, my 85 Big Red just had the same problem. Loud clicking being consistant wit hevery tap of the starter button more than likely means your Solenoid is fine. Also this means your battery ground is also good - otherwise after every Click, your headlight would go out. I suggest replaceing the brushes.

[bigredhead]

would it be possible to have the polarity reversed and have the motor trying to turn the wrong way ? ( i don't think this is possible with the connectors and all.. but. )

[ClayW]

Take the starter off and bench test it with the battery. THen you will know if its the starter or an electical issue. I have never been able to sucessfully test on on the bike. My BR does it from time to time. But it only clicks once usually. All I have to do to get it to work after that is it to take a hot wire that I have mounted to the positive terminal of the post, and run it to the small yellow wire on the solenoid. As soon as I do that I will fire off and not act up for quite some time.

[atcmatt]

Thanks for the replies. The battery has more than enough power because it can also power the headlight and neutral indicator. The click doesnt sound like a half assed type click anyway, its loud and strong. I have also tried bridging the solenoid...

Im thinking it prpbably is the brushes, but like i said what gets me is that it worked fine 9 months ago when i pulled the engine :wondering

Anyway ill keep ypu posted on how it goes, im going out now in the heat too see if i can get it to turn over.

Matt

[TimSr]

The clicking means the solenoid coil is energizing, but it does not necessarily mean the solenoid contacts are any good.

Here is a simple test. Get a voltmeter, and set in on the DC volts scale. Attach one lead to a good ground on the frame. Touch the other lead on the starter lug that the power cable attaches to, and hit the starter button. If it shows 12V on the lug, your solenoid (which is a relay) is working AND switching on properly. This then leaves only two possibilities. Either there is a problem with the starter motor, or the battery cannot supply enough current to drive it. This can easily be tested by jumping it with a car battery or a battery charger 6A or better. If it turns over with a charger or external battery, your battery either needs charged, or is shot. If it wont turn over, then rebuild your starter motor.

[renotrikeguy]

Could it be a bit of rust has formed inside the starter? I'd take Howdy's advice and dis-assemble the starter and make sure it's all clean inside.


Other than that, I say great job on your restoration Matt. Don't give up if it doesn't look up to your high standards.. It's a hell of alot better looking than mine. (for now :eek: )

[PowerTrike]

This happened on my 200 big red before and my Srambler's soleniod is clicking now. On the big red all I had to do was actually remove the starter from the machine, spin it manually and bolt it back in. Just locked up and this would cause the soleniod to click loudly. Starter has been working great almost a year later with no problems. You might need a rebuild though. Before i tried that I tore apart the soleniod itself and cleaned it but it didn't make any difference...a multimeter could be very helpful to see where and if your getting power for various electrical problems such as reverse indicator lamp. Your high beam bulb filament could actually be burned out, or it might be in the switch...

Good luck. Your bigred is looking great so far mate!

[atcmatt]

Well the starter motor is shot. Dunno what i would do without you guys! :cool:

I bolted in the starter motor from my project "hot motor" and she fired right up. You gotta love honda quality, hasnt been running in about 5 years and it fires right up after all that time! I accidently started it and ran it for a minute without oil!!!! :rolleyes: Im such a drongo!

This is the first time i have ridden a trike in 9 months and let me tell ya, i absolutely love it! Only mishaps i had today was that i dropped my headlight and scratched the hell outta the powdercoating on the cage (very disapointing :cry: ), the exaust is leaking at the linkage and that reverse mechanism isnt working properly. Its like when people rig it up so you dont have to pull the lever... I want to repair it properly because i know i will damage it if i leave it like this!

Does anyone know how to adjust it so i actually have to pull the lever?

Oh and i got my horn working and i love it! HAHA

Cheers,

Matt

[83185s]

drongo?? and br's have horns??? good to hear you got it goin

[atcmatt]

Drongo = Idiot Redneck (Aus slang ;) )

Yeh well this one does have a horn, its an 87 harness. Its stock too. Maybe just an Aussie thing :wondering

Matt

[83185s]

o lol idiot redneck thats pretty good...thats cool ..i never knew br's had horns..i was thinkin about doin it to my 185..lol puttion my bros 88' grand am horn on there...and a battery hookup or plug it into the lights..lol that would be cool

[a-camp]

Did you try jumping it??If you jump the siliniod you will eliminate half the guessing. If it turns you know its not starter or batt.