Getting an 80' sg tomorrow...

[ERM83]

okay...the main fuse was broken in half when I checked it. pulled it out, cleaned it, put a new one in. turned the key to try to start it, and THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON! PROGRESS! however, I went to start it, and nothing. switched out the ground wire on the starter, switched out starters, cleaned all connections, EVERYTHING. still not getting the starter to turn. I have no idea at this point. i'm going to try to switch out the fuse disaster next, as I have no other idea what else to do. SO CLOSE...this is making me crazy, man. AAAAGGGHHHH!

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Eric,

Do you have a voltmeter?? Did you try jumping the large wire bolts/screws on the solenoid just to see if the starter will spin? IF so, then, use a little jumper wire and jump the small blue/white wire to a good ground, and see if the starter will spin. If so...then it's the starter push button, switch, connector, blue/white wire to the switch, or ground at the button switch housing?

IF grounding the blue/white wire at the solenoid doesn't make the starter spin, then the solenoid is most likely bad. Did you check out the Emergency shut off switch? Also the tipover switch under the tank can cause problems, just unplugging it will bypass it.

T.C.

[ERM83]

Hey Eric,

Do you have a voltmeter?? Did you try jumping the large wire bolts/screws on the solenoid just to see if the starter will spin? IF so, then, use a little jumper wire and jump the small blue/white wire to a good ground, and see if the starter will spin. If so...then it's the starter push button, switch, connector, blue/white wire to the switch, or ground at the button switch housing?

IF grounding the blue/white wire at the solenoid doesn't make the starter spin, then the solenoid is most likely bad. Did you check out the Emergency shut off switch? Also the tipover switch under the tank can cause problems, just unplugging it will bypass it.

T.C.

I just tried all of these things...none worked. I even took the starter off the 79 and the solenoid, and NEITHER of those attempts worked. also not the tip over switch. could it be in the fuse wiring??!?! I don't have a multimeter at the moment. I don't understand.

[Dbshea]

I just tried all of these things...none worked. I even took the starter off the 79 and the solenoid, and NEITHER of those attempts worked. also not the tip over switch. could it be in the fuse wiring??!?! I don't have a multimeter at the moment. I don't understand.

If you've got the plugs out and cylinders wetted (atf, MMO, etc) shift the bike into 5th and gently rock forward and back. With the plugs out you should be able to verify nothing is frozen as it doesn't take much to turn these over via the trans.

[ERM83]

I just tried rebuilding the solenoid...it was pretty pitted. put it back together perfectly...still nothing. i'm losing my mind.

[ERM83]

If you've got the plugs out and cylinders wetted (atf, MMO, etc) shift the bike into 5th and gently rock forward and back. With the plugs out you should be able to verify nothing is frozen as it doesn't take much to turn these over via the trans.

the engine turns, I just can't get the starter to turn for the life of me. I cleaned the 80' starter; nothing. I put in the 79' starter, which I know for a fact works...still nothing. tried to jump the solenoid directly to get it to move...nothing. all I have is the oil pressure light (drained the oil yesterday). I just want to ride this thing before it gets cold, for god's sake.

[zzay]

the engine turns, I just can't get the starter to turn for the life of me. I cleaned the 80' starter; nothing. I put in the 79' starter, which I know for a fact works...still nothing. tried to jump the solenoid directly to get it to move...nothing. all I have is the oil pressure light (drained the oil yesterday). I just want to ride this thing before it gets cold, for god's sake.

man, you really need a multimeter, it could be something as simple as the starter switch. you can pick one up for $20 at any auto parts store or walmart

[HalfCentury]

Have you tried hot wiring the starter to a known good auto battery? Try jumper cables and a nearby car battery.

[Dbshea]

Have you tried hot wiring the starter to a known good auto battery? Try jumper cables and a nearby car battery.

Agreed. I would run a jumper cable straight to the positive lug on the starter. Verify the final operation and then start working backwards.

You could build a really simple 12v test light?

[Dbshea]

Agreed. I would run a jumper cable straight to the positive lug on the starter. Verify the final operation and then start working backwards.

You could build a really simple 12v test light?

Also, grounds are a pain in the rear end, but very important. General consensus will be to remove and clean all of them. For troubleshooting purposes, run a jumper cable from the negative terminal to the engine. I like to clip into the shifter if the bike doesn't have a kicker shaft.

[ERM83]

I'm going to get a multimeter tomorrow, but I can't do any work on it until Monday. I tried using some components from the sf, because I know for a fact that they worked, but I still couldn't get it to turn. I cleaned the starter switch assembly REAL good. the reason I didn't jump the starter from my car is because the garage I have it in doesn't have a driveway...it's back in my friend's yard, and even if I did pull it back there, my cables aren't long enough. both my starters are off at the moment...could I just take the starter to my car, and hook a ground onto my car?? also, could the fuse wiring have anything to do with any of this??

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Eric,

Yes, you can have the starter out and connect it to the car battery with the cables, but you will want to stabilize the motor, it will want to spin the casing when you connect it to the battery...don't want it flying loose and falling, hitting car, your foot, etc.!

The starter should have turned just jumping across the solenoid large bolts/wires...this bypasses the solenoid and connects the battery 12V+ directly to the cable going to the starter motor. HOWEVER, if the ENGINE to Frame ground strap isn't clean AND connected to the frame below the battery just above the swingarm frame crossjoint, then there wouldn't be a very good return path for the electricity to flow from the battery, thru the starter, then thru the ground cable that is connected to one of the mounting bolts of the starter and back to the frame section and then via the frame back to the (-) ground cable back to the battery.

SO..the fuses should NOT have any affect on this type of testing of the starter bypassing the solenoid!

If you have a Harbor Freight, you can get a multimeter for ~$10.00.

[ERM83]

Hey Eric,

Yes, you can have the starter out and connect it to the car battery with the cables, but you will want to stabilize the motor, it will want to spin the casing when you connect it to the battery...don't want it flying loose and falling, hitting car, your foot, etc.!

The starter should have turned just jumping across the solenoid large bolts/wires...this bypasses the solenoid and connects the battery 12V+ directly to the cable going to the starter motor. HOWEVER, if the ENGINE to Frame ground strap isn't clean AND connected to the frame below the battery just above the swingarm frame crossjoint, then there wouldn't be a very good return path for the electricity to flow from the battery, thru the starter, then thru the ground cable that is connected to one of the mounting bolts of the starter and back to the frame section and then via the frame back to the (-) ground cable back to the battery.

SO..the fuses should NOT have any affect on this type of testing of the starter bypassing the solenoid!

If you have a Harbor Freight, you can get a multimeter for ~$10.00.

Thanks, T.C.! I'm going to head out to the garage in a couple of hours; getting a multimeter on the way. I'm having a hard time thinking that my solenoid is shot, though...when rebuilding it, it really didn't look THAT bad. Also, i'm going to re-test ALL of that stuff, because I may have done some of it wrong. Like I've said before, on my off days, I usually work on these bikes for 8 hours minimum or until I literally can't think / see straight, haha. either way, i'll have to get another solenoid (if the current one works), because i'll be working on the SF this winter.

On a side note, there's a guy who lives on my ol' lady's street that has a PRISTINE 80' SG, and I swear...every time I drive by it, I feel like i'm being tourtured!!!! I've been waiting to see him outside, just to talk shop. I REALLY HOPE that I can get this thing AT LEAST started this week...fine tuning in due time! I'll definitely be posting in here in a couple of hours...and thanks everyone for your help!

OH: if any of y'all find yourselves in Louisville, KY on the way to the rally, definitely hit me up!! I'll help you around this awesome city! Plus, the bar I work at easily has the BEST wings / bar food in town!

Eric

[ERM83]

Yeeeeeessssssssssss

Ok...I figured out what the problem was, and here it is:

I am an impatient dumb-ass. plain and simple.

tested the starter (both of them), and the solenoid directly from my car battery...bother are just fine. I think I killed my battery, despite charging it, from working on the SF. the headlight on the SF is hard-wired on the fuse box, and i'd forgotten twice while working on it to turn the key off.

the good (GREAT TO ME!) news: the SG is turning over fine with GREAT compression in all cylinders, all sparkplugs have spark, and i'm replumbing the (79') carbs as we speak. getting inline filters set up, attaching the pods, going up the street to get gas, then the maiden fire-up happens. wish me luck! THANK YOU EVERYONE for your help!

[ERM83]

alright...I've got gas leaking out of carb #2. about to research it, but advice is welcome / appreciated! man, when this thing started running and got the years worth of garbage out...not gonna lie, I almost teared up. oh...got myself pretty good trying to splice some wires. blood drips on the engine...i'll take some pics in a little, haha. this is ridiculously exciting...thanks for the help!

Eric