Author Topic: Testing Starter relay - Discrepancy in the manual ? Alternative part ?  (Read 8765 times)

greenjeans

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Finally got to ride my 82 FT500.  It started very easily with a few rolls down the drive way to bump it.   Anyway, it's the only way I can start the bike.  Starter does not engage.  You can hear clicks when you hit the start button.  Nothing at the starter.

I tested the solenoid (the one closest to the actual starter) - it works.  It was very clean, but I cleaned, checked and tested it anyway. (Tested using procedure in the manual)
I tested the relay under the seat.  It is also functioning properly.
The starter relay switch appears to be the culprit.  The fuse in it tests good.  When I check for continuity as directed by the manual, the switch is BAD.

*BUT, according to the drawing in the manual I think there may be a mistake ?    See below - It shows that you connect the prong Y/R to the + side of a 12v battery and the Y/Black to the - side.  The drawing has them reversed from what is coming out of the actual wiring harness.  I do not think the harness has been altered, but anything is possible over 35 years.   I hooked it up according to the photo before I noticed that the drawing was different from what I actually have.


**  I have not tried jumping across the posts of the Starter Relay since there seem to be 5000 relays etc.    That wouldn't hurt anything would it ?    That way I would know very quickly if that was my problem correct ?

Could that cause a bad test or fry the relay ?   Not able to find a replacement (35850-KE5-000)

Is there a known substitute relay switch that I could use ?   Aren't they all pretty much the same ?

The wiring diagram doesn't show definitively the order of the prongs in the 4 pin connector.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2017, 08:46:27 am by greenjeans »

murdo

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A screwdriver across the big posts of the starter relay will tell if the starter motor is going to work. Should not hurt it as that is what it does anyway.

greenjeans

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Yep, I know that trick.  I tested the solenoid according to the manual (see pic) and it doesn't work.  Got a replacement (cheapo). And for giggles, I hooked it up to test and it actually made an audible click.  But, since I'm a curios dummy, I reversed the hook up just to see if it would have any effect.  Well now, the new solenoid tests bad.   

I was always under the impression that those 2 wires wouldn't matter?

Any ideas?   I guess it IS possible that the harness cloud have had a new 4-pin connector on there, but the bike seems clean enough that I doubt that.

Is the manual correct?   Does the order in which those 2 (yellow/red & yellow/bulk) wires connect even matter?

scottly

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I checked my bike, and the manual is indeed incorrect. It shouldn't make any difference which yellow coil wire is connected to the battery+ for the test, as long as the switch isn't connected to the harness. You should be able to measure the coil resistance across the yellow wires; I don't see it listed in the manual, but I would expect about 4 ohms? Does the replacement have the fuse holder/plug attached, or is it like a 750 with two loose wires?