no start

[Snow]

You can also take it to a good electric repair shop - I just had a starter (from my XS) and an alternator for my toyota camry repaired - $40 each, comparied to $200 for just alternator from Discount Auto.

[sidecarKev]

Well by the sounds of it I guess the starter is next on the list. I don't have the Clymer but I do have the manuals on CD. They should be able to get me through it. I will repport back later.

Thanks so far,
Kevin

[sidecarKev]

I have the starter out. What should I check? The manual wants me to tear apart the darn thing and check a few different things, but I think this is only if the starter is not working. I tested the starter out of the motor. Seemed to have lots of torque??? One other thing, would no oil in the middle drive be causing the problem. I'm assumed that the oil is only needed for the transmission and since I wouldn't be driving it yet it wouldn't matter. Did I assume right?????


Kevin

[Ken Talbot]

Kevin, you mentioned in one of your posts that you have repainted the frame. Have you gone back yet and removed all the paint where the battery ground cable attaches to the frame?

[sidecarKev]

Yep, paint has been removed from ground.

Kevin

[sidecarKev]

Ok, I put the starter back in and cleaned all ground points for it. I disconnected the starter wire from the solenoid and also the wire that I think goes to the CDI box. I connected the battery right up to the starter wire and it turned over pretty good. A little slower with the CDI wire hooked back up. I know my solenoid is probably shot but I would think that if I bypassed the solenoid with a screwdriver it would be the same as when I removed the wire from the solenoid, no deal. So I want to get the solenoid out of the equation so where can I pick up one for a decent price. I have lots of room because my battery iwill now be in the sidecar so if anyone knows of another solenoid I could use I might give that a try.

Kevin

[ratbyk]

Solenoid

If you can't find an XS11 solenoid I'm sure that a Ford starter solenoid will do the job for you. Any starter solenoid that is designed to handle a high amperage situation will work for you.
The Ford solenoid is just a bit bigger physically than the XS 11 one but if you can fit it in, it should function fine. The price will be right as well. Likely in the $10 to $12 range for the Ford solenoid at any automotive parts store.
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk
82 FT500 "lilRat"

[sidecarKev]

Ok next question. Electrics aren't my strong point. How would I wire the Ford solenoid? I can figure out the battery and starter connections. Then there is a blue/white and a red/white. One of the wires will go to the post to energize the relay. Where will the other one go?

Kevin

[MartyA]

Hi Kevin. I had a solenoid problem. Look very carefully at the terminals. I had my son-in-law the electrician helping when I had a sudden no start problem. I had checked and wiped every connection I could get to. Nothing, the starter button was dead. He traced the problem to the solenoid. We took it out, pried the rubber cover off, tapped on it, bolted back up, rapped on it some more, nothing. I started looking for a replacement. Then he noticed a little corrosion around the base of one of the terminals. It was enough to stop the connection. He wire brushed it again, added a new washer and nut, and that did it.

Looking at that terminal, I would never have guessed that would be the problem.

[ratbyk]

Solenoid

If you buy what is called a Ford 4 wire solenoid from the late 60's early 70's I would wire it up as follows.
Placing the solenoid so that the large end section is at the top,
left side connection would be the battery cable positive. Right side connection is the cable to the starter. Small terminal to the right will be the green/white. (comes from the starter button- handle bar right side). I believe (but not positive) the red/white wire would go to the small terminal left side of solenoid. It, I believe is the ignition wire that bypasses the ballast resister during start phase.
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk
82 FT500 "lilRat"

[sidecarKev]

Tried wiring in the relay tonite, no luck. My main problen is getting the starter button to work with relay. I would think that one of the wires would have 12v when pressed. As far as I can tell neither of the do. I did have the bike running for a couple seconds tonite twice. I didn't even have power to the main. I assume that wire from the starter to the TCI box must allow the ignition to work during startup???



I'm not exactly sure how the original relay worked. As far as I can tell it must have been grounded through one of the wires that came from the starter button. The new relay grounds through the housing.

Hopefully I will finally get this all figured out.

Kevin

[Ken Talbot]

If you take a battery and a couple of jumper wires, you should be able to work by trial and error to see which combination makes the solenoid work. Try jumping across the two screws you have marked with red lines, or from each to the case. You will hear a definite click when you get it right. You can confirm this further by putting a volt meter across the 'starter' and 'battery' posts to see when the link is made.

[sidecarKev]

I can get the relay to work, just not with any of the original wiring. If I get 12v to the starter button post it will work. Neither of the wires that went to the original relay carried 12v as far as I can tell. I'm thinking about bypassing the whole starter button anyways and having a new one the has 12v. Should anything be done with the original wires from the starter button? Oh another thing, I fried the starter button by accident last night, another good reason to bypass it.

Kevin

Anyone sick of this yet????
I am.

[MartyA]

"Anyone sick of this yet????"

Nope, long as there is a good ending.

[randy]

The start button on the XS is wired so it grounds out to complete the circuit for the solenoid (relay). Therefore, the screw you have marked "start button " gets grounded to operate the solenoid. The other screw gets +12v. That takes care of the coil for your relay.

The fat black "battery" lead goes to +12V. The "starter" leads goes, obviously to the starter. Good luck.

Randy