Starter Solenoid question

[Bassman]

I determined that my starter solenoid needs to be replaced and want to make sure that I purchase the correct one. I found this one on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Starter-Solenoid-Relay-Yamaha-XS1100-XS850-1981-1982-/270652212051?hash=item3f04210353&item=270652212051&pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

I wanted to make sure that this one will work with my 1980 XS1100G

Thanks

[CatatonicBug]

Why replace it? Just open it up and rebuild it. They aren't that complicated inside. Just an electromagnet and some metal contacts on a slide.

[Bassman]

I was just reading the solenoid rebuilding post and wondering if I could pull it off. The solenoid on my bike is not stock, however, and that is why I hesitate. Would it still be the same procedure?



I can take a better picture when I get home tonight

[CatatonicBug]

Pretty much. They all work the same. The hardest part is opening them up in such a way that will still allow you to seal them back together again. Mine is a little different from the one in that thread too, and I couldn't just flip the contact piece over. The contact piece had arc'd so much that it ate holes into it. I cleaned it up really well and melted some solder into the holes, then ground it smooth again. It's worked fine for over a year now.

[Bassman]

Ok, so I took the whole thing apart and everything looks great. The copper looks brand-new and I couldn't find a thing wrong with anything. I reassembled it and it still would not fire the engine.

I even decided to try hooking the solenoid directly to the battery terminals to see if it would do anything and...Nothing!

I am feeling stuck here, any ideas?

Thanks

[James England]

If the solenoid is completely dead, then the coil must have a break in it. A solenoid is an electro-magnet actually. To work, it has to have continuity in the coil. If there's a breal somewheer in the yards of fine cable that make up this coil, then it will not work and is ready fro the recycle bin......

Have a careful look at the two ends of the wire and see if there is a break at that point. If so, you can solder it easily.....

[fredintoon]

Ok, so I took the whole thing apart and everything looks great. The copper looks brand-new and I couldn't find a thing wrong with anything. I reassembled it and it still would not fire the engine.

I even decided to try hooking the solenoid directly to the battery terminals to see if it would do anything and...Nothing!

I am feeling stuck here, any ideas?

Thanks

Hi Andrew,
test the solenoid coil with a multi-meter set to Ohms. If you get any kinda reading on the meter scale there's continuity through the coil.
Now feed 12V to the solenoid terminals. You should hear the power points closing click.
With the power points closed, use the multimeter Ohm setting to see if the power points actually conduct power when they close.