Why does smacking the starter make it work?

[Courtney]

My XS today cranked fine but didn't start for the first 5 seconds, so I stopped cranking it so it wouldn't overheat the starter. (Old habit from cars). When I went to hit the starter again, the solenoid went "click". That's all it did 5 times in a row, so I searched the forum. Jumping the solenoid did nothing, so I did the next thing as mentioned, I smacked the shiny chrome cover of the starter, (on my left leg side of bike) about 3 times with a dead blow, and voila, it started right up. So on a car starter you are hitting the bendix usually. Why am I smacking the XS starter, and why is it working?? What is the fix, as I am not into carrying a deadblow hammer with me everywhere.

[crazy steve]

Good chance you have a dirty connection between the starter and the cases. If not that, then you may have a poor connection internally in the starter. I'd pull the starter, disassemble it, and clean everything.

Also check your ground strap between the cases and the frame.

[Courtney]

Can you clarify between the starter and cases Steve? Do you mean the actual engine case itself?

[motoman]

As Steve stated, bad connections. Might wanna dis-connect connections at relay(right-side beside battery) and clean them good, even though they may "look' okay. DAMHIK.
Internal contacts of relay get pitted/corroded also, as does start button contacts. Grounding through bars IIRC is necessary on that year also.

[Radioguylogs]

Or possibly marginal brushes inside the motor?

[motoman]

Or possibly marginal brushes inside the motor?

Not happenin'........it not an XJ, and wouldn't create his scenario anyways.

[crazy steve]

Can you clarify between the starter and cases Steve? Do you mean the actual engine case itself?

Yep.... The bolts that hold the starter on and the contact between the engine case and starter case is the last point of contact for completing the starter motor circuit. Just like any other connection, corrosion will rob power.

[Courtney]

As Steve stated, bad connections. Might wanna dis-connect connections at relay(right-side beside battery) and clean them good, even though they may "look' okay. DAMHIK.
Internal contacts of relay get pitted/corroded also, as does start button contacts. Grounding through bars IIRC is necessary on that year also.

Are you talking about the solenoid that the battery +ve hooks up to Motoman, or is there also a relay there I'm not knowing about? Time to get my manual out and quit bugging people.

[BA80]

Not happenin'........it not an XJ, and wouldn't create his scenario anyways.

I believe your thinking of the alternator moto. The starters are the same on the XS and XJ and do have brushes. It is a possibility that the brushes are worn causing what is being described.

Smacking them (technical term) will cause worn brushes to make better contact, causing starter operation in most cases.

[motoman]

I believe your thinking of the alternator moto. The starters are the same on the XS and XJ and do have brushes. It is a possibility that the brushes are worn causing what is being described.

Smacking them (technical term) will cause worn brushes to make better contact, causing starter operation in most cases.

True....don't know what headed me in that direction.

Initially referred to starter relay and/orconnection there. Just kinda reminded me of what mine was doing several yrs. back. Turn key on, one click....nuttin' after that.......till I slapped bike on either side like wakin' up and ole' plod horse, then wa-la, start right up. Turned out internal starter relay contacts were pretty beat up. Only three+ decades of use, so don't know what was up with that.

[BA80]

Occasionally I'll hit my start button and it'll crank, fire, then quit and when I hit the button again .....nothing. If I turn the kill switch to off then back to on it'll fire right up. Eventually I'll have to go in and clean up that kill switch.

[motoman]

Occasionally I'll hit my start button and it'll crank, fire, then quit and when I hit the button again .....nothing. If I turn the kill switch to off then back to on it'll fire right up. Eventually I'll have to go in and clean up that kill switch.

Yup......that was where 3Phase found the rest of the all important missing smoke on mine when he was here last year. He dis-assembled that buger and tossed ALL the pieces in a bit of Evapo-Rust overnite. Everything came out lookin' like new.
Best part besides getting the lost 'smoke' back was how bright and new that colored insert was.

[Courtney]

Update - Could this cause the starting problem??

So I guess in my haste to put my bike back together after the resto, I didn't tighten down the 10mm bolts that hold the starter cover in place. The two on the left leg side were not even finger tight, the washer was rattling around under the bolts! Are these the contacts that Steve was trying to tell me about, and could this be why my starter was being bitchy?? It has NEVER given me trouble before so this seemed weird to me.

[crazy steve]

Yep, that was the problem.....

[Courtney]

Ok let's hope so Steve. I polished/cleaned the contacting faces of the starter body and case for perfect contact. I also cleaned the 12v terminal and wire connections, AND the ground strap that is there beside the helmet holder lock and goes to the case allen bolt. That has GOT to cure any connection problems. I also checked the battery after resting overnight and it came out at 12.68 volts at rest. Unless it has an internal fault that should be good too. I'm now waiting until my grand daughter Poppy wakes up, and then I can fire it up without waking her. Let's hope.