Ignition Questions

[Spartanman]

So lately when starting my 81 xs1100 there sometimes is a delay of a few seconds when I press the start button before the engine cranks. And if the bike doesn't turnover, sometimes when I press the button again, I get nothing...and have to wait usually 10 seconds or so before it will fire again. Doesn't do this all the time but it is becoming more frequent. Is my CDI going bad, ignition switch issue, somethng else, or is this just typical for an old bike. Note, I have replaced the fuse box with modern fuses. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Socer4m]

Hi Spartanman ,,,,,It sounds like a dirty starter button contact,,,,try taking apart the handle with the starter button,,,sand down the button and metal contacts, lube up the cables while your in the handle, reassemble and try again. Also check battery connections, and the ground from frame to engine, and ground from battery to frame, I have had a rusty frame ground, sand it shiny.....and pray to the cycle gods all is good....keep us informed,,Mike in S.Diego and Pa.

[Socer4m]

also, I dont think the cdi is bad,,,they either work or dont,,,,maybe get some electircal contact spray, and hit the cdi connections, and anything else that looks old and crusty., maybe others can chime in........Mike in S.D and Pa.

[LAB3]

What he said ^^^^^

Mine was doing the same thing until about a month ago despite doing the things already mentioned, turns out the electric contacts inside the key switch where pretty cruddy which I found out through chasing down another issue. After cleaning those up it hasn't done it since.

[Spartanman]

Thanks for the info guys, much appreciated.

[DEEBS11]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/230862110597?hash=item35c0743f85:g:MQ8AAMXQHDlRe0X6&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8DtVYmcfY30rFt6S0H71FcOmIP69%2F6zByc3CYstCcqJAV5EL9srNNtNO8sk8wyxonZt4dqbrw9TcdEX4DQAX2vWfXKYnI7StrgsZu2D%2B8BTbOVSBiYFZ%2BcLmwLvb1rDTLnrlggFpOt6OWMV2ZL5MhsReUZxP9SGeTAklUrtlSAtvatuV0%2FdrZxydlEHjTFOGW%2F6b1F4k9gvQtPduYJj3W74oXaKwRaufg0YVD77Z9qUiFfF7nhsXSnxenITvlgY34FqPOGuUIfEk7gDD0fY8JahdaA8wkQvs8L69HIXQN%2FCn8pCvzKSyM8K2Ol%2BbJEHi5Q%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR7K49KWZYg

[cajun31]

while you are in there I would check all the wires and solder connections. With age they weaken and need to be resoldered. Might want to check the left switch assembly as well. I was having an intermittent issue with the bike not wanting to start when I would stop for gas and found that all those wires in the left and right controls were coming lose and once I disassembled them and resoldered them I have not had the issue again. While you are at it I would also do all that was previously suggested. Not knowing the history of your bike an what all you have done to it, just the age of these bikes dictates what we are suggesting to at minimum check.

[Radioguylogs]

The starter relay is under the RH cover by the original fuse panel. You might want to check all the connections, including the connector nearby that feed the relay coil windings.

[bikerphil]

A cool test is, with the bike in neutral and the key on...
Take a jumper wire, attach one end to ground and touch the other end to the solder joint with the blu/wht wire on the solenoid. The bike should crank. This blu/wht wire runs to the starter button which completes the ground circuit which cranks the starter. Like mentioned above, the button contacts are probably corroded. The other point of failure on that blu/wht wire would be in the harness connector under the fuel tank.