Starter Button Problem

[trapper_canada]

Hi all,

I think my starter button is skrewed. When I press it the bike does nothing...as if I never even pressed it. I read some earlier posts about 'gremlins' and I think that is my problem

My question is how can I "debug" this problem....how can I prove, without buying new parts, if the right controls are to blame.

I took apart the control and saw that the start button only has 1 wire attached....can I assume that the bike should turn over if I ground that wire?

I know the bike is turned on as the lights are all up.

What else can I do to fire this thing up short of jump starting it? There is a place for the kicker but I don't have one.

I have read people saying that any metal (i.e., a key) can be used...but I am not sure of where or how.

btw it is a 79 XS1100

Thoughts?

[mitch]

Right side cover

They have a solinoide like a car under the right side cover u can jump start it there by crossing the tww main wires or run a wire from the battery positive side and touch it to the starter where the wire hooks on . just to get it running , dont be hookin up no toggle switches lol HTH ......MITCH

[Huron52]

If you follow the wiring harness back from the kill switch to the first plug you can unplug it there and put a small jumper wire from the two contacts to see if that fires up the bike.

[uk1.1s]

Captain Dangerous

I had two faults which caused this behaviour

1. Plastic starter button began to fall apart - had the same starting trouble so investigated and the whole thing (button) came away in pieces. I worked out that you could stick a screw driver into the hole and press a plate in slighty to activate the starter

2. Solenoid died...awwwww
This is the round unit under the LHS side panel and connects straight to the positive terminal of the battery. Here's my Captn Dangerous bit.... it'll start if you place a screwdriver or wrench (spanner) across the contacts in the end. Don't be too sheepish doing this as it sparks if you are half hearted - and move it away pretty quickly after a second or two as it heats up and could damage things. But just for a couple seconds is OK - I did this occaisonally for around 18 months as my solenoid gradually got less reliable.

Option B works for fault one or two (and other things like wiring trouble....but getting it fixed and working back to normal is the key...not just bodging it with the above "get you home" repairs.