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Starter Solenoid Problem Again !!!

wilpir

New member
I drove to work today ,a whole 3 miles and when I went to turn off my 2012 RT spyder the starter was spinning trying to start the bike! I turned on the ignition and it started..tried to turn off and same thing happened again!..So I left work drove the the 3 miles home pulled into garage and again motor off and starter still spinning..so I started it removed some panels and disconnected the battery..This happened a month ago and I replaced starter solenoid and all was good..now again!! Did I get a bad solenoid or what? Is there a fix or should I replace with another NEW solenoid..What a bike never had any problems with my 16 yr old Goldwing :banghead::banghead::banghead:
 
:shocked::hun::banghead: that short timeframe there is something eating them.
Have seen starter damage from cranking too long 15+ seconds on older cars & trucks usually overheating then a short but on starter itself, not the solenoid :dontknow: whatever is going on with yours, hopefully dealer can catch it in process & fix:popcorn:
 
before you pull the solenoid off hook the battery up long enough to check the voltage on the small wires to the solenoid, with the key off, if there is no voltage on them it has to be a bad, stuck solenoid, you may have some stray voltage coming from somewhere pulling it in.
 
I think we need to isolate the problem between the solenoid and the Pre-Starting relay R2. Here's the thing - when you push the start button, the first thing that happens is that R2 energizes and closes its contact. That energizes the starter solenoid, closing its contact and connecting the starter motor to the battery. If the contact in R2 sticks closed, the starter solenoid will stay energized and the starter motor will just continue to run. When you turned off the key last night, that killed the ignition, but the bike still stays partially powered up for awhile. The R2 contact, if it is stuck closed, can still supply power to the starter solenoid until Main Relay 1 drops out 40 minutes later.

So, now that the battery has been disconnected all night, leave the key off and only reconnect the battery. If the starter motor stays off, the solenoid isn't stuck. Go remove the covers from the front fuse box and identify R2, then turn on the key. If the starter motor immediately starts to run, yank out R2. If it stops running, get a new R2. If it keeps running, then yes, see if you have voltage to the two small wires on the solenoid with R2 removed. It's coming from someplace else that it shouldn't. Maybe some harness damage someplace.

The other possibility is that overnight, things corrected themselves and you can't repeat the problem. Next time it occurs then, do the R2 test.
 
By the way - the starter motor is connected to the engine crankshaft through a couple of gears and a Sprag clutch. So, you didn't over-speed the starter motor while the engine was running. Worst case is that the starter motor ran for a period of time at little to no load, just spinning those two gears. Hard to tell at this point what damage, if any, was done to it. Put that one low on your priority list.
 
I think we need to isolate the problem between the solenoid and the Pre-Starting relay R2. Here's the thing - when you push the start button, the first thing that happens is that R2 energizes and closes its contact. That energizes the starter solenoid, closing its contact and connecting the starter motor to the battery. If the contact in R2 sticks closed, the starter solenoid will stay energized and the starter motor will just continue to run. When you turned off the key last night, that killed the ignition, but the bike still stays partially powered up for awhile. The R2 contact, if it is stuck closed, can still supply power to the starter solenoid until Main Relay 1 drops out 40 minutes later.

So, now that the battery has been disconnected all night, leave the key off and only reconnect the battery. If the starter motor stays off, the solenoid isn't stuck. Go remove the covers from the front fuse box and identify R2, then turn on the key. If the starter motor immediately starts to run, yank out R2. If it stops running, get a new R2. If it keeps running, then yes, see if you have voltage to the two small wires on the solenoid with R2 removed. It's coming from someplace else that it shouldn't. Maybe some harness damage someplace.

The other possibility is that overnight, things corrected themselves and you can't repeat the problem. Next time it occurs then, do the R2 test.

I will try this tomorrow morning..gotta go to work..tomorrow off..Thanx
 
Bummer.....

Would also check the starter button if it has malfuctioned it would be keeping the R2 relay closed...:dontknow:
 
Quik try before going to work as soon as I tried to reconnect neg battery terminal starter started spinning pulled it gave a rap to starter solenoid with a screwdriver and hammer (slight tap) and tried again no starter spinning..WTH..will try again when I get home ..did order another solenoid and the relay just in case......
 
BMW motorcycles used to have this occur when the battery voltage was low, don't know if it's applicable here, but you might want to check the condition of the battery. I had it happen to my wife's K75RT.
 
Quik try before going to work as soon as I tried to reconnect neg battery terminal starter started spinning pulled it gave a rap to starter solenoid with a screwdriver and hammer (slight tap) and tried again no starter spinning..WTH..will try again when I get home ..did order another solenoid and the relay just in case......

Because the solenoid is relatively new, I was expecting the relay to be at fault. But it looks like you nailed it with the hammer test. Replacing them both is a wise choice.
 
if you had just checked volts on the solenoid on the energizer [small] wires, you would know for sure if the relay was bad or not. its just an electromagnet with a contact on one end.
 
Well it happened again! WTH!! I drove to work a whole 3 miles as I do everyday here in sunny AZ and when I went to turn bike off starter was spinning!! So this time I was prepared I carry a dowel rod and small hammer with me...gave a tap to the starter solenoid and it stopped spinning..went in to work..8hrs later drove home parked bike in garage and no starter spinning everything ok..Why the heck does this keep happening?:banghead::banghead::banghead:
 
You need to disconnect the small wire on the solenoid when the stater is running...If it stops running there could be several reasons, one of which could be that relay...Just checking for voltage on the small wire while the starter is running won't work because if the solenoid is stuck engaged it could feed back that small wire post on the solenoid...larryd
 
I would say if your taping the Solenoid and it stops than your R2 is not the issue. Something is moving and you are getting - or + contact to the starter to by pass the relay. Wiring is moving or starter is moving so when you tap it, it loses contact with what ever it is touching. That is what I would be thinking. I once had a truck with a lose starter and when it moved the positive cable post on the back of the starter touched the frame and that created a ground and the starter would not stop until I got under there and knocked it away from touching the frame. I hope you find the problem, good luck Ill be watching this one.
 
Weird ! brand new solenoid..if I only drive 3 miles to work could it be the battery is going /or not getting a full charge? Should I plug in battery tender every night?
 
Weird ! brand new solenoid..if I only drive 3 miles to work could it be the battery is going /or not getting a full charge? Should I plug in battery tender every night?
change your route add a mile
or 10:dontknow: :popcorn: maybe letting idle more. Yes battery could always use help or inspections when there are faults. Curious why only on way to work any funny potholes that are missed on route home:dontknow: lots of variables
 
Well drove to work next 4 days and everything is fine! I even drove a different route once nothing everything seems ok..until it does it again! still very confusing...
 
This apparently is a common fault on Gold wing 1500, mine did it last week, the solenoid actually jams in the on position, after I replaced it I took the old one apart and sure enough the rod in the centre of the coil was sticking, there was no sign of the high current contacts being stuck together, sounds like you just got a second bad one. I've heard of some people using a car solenoid as the're bigger and more reliable.
You're lucky I had to have my bike towed off the motorway, it flattened the battery

I would replace the solenoid not with a BRP one.

Hope this helps
 
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