HELP - Is it my solenoid??

beechy · Aug 15, 2009

Hi Mechanical ones.

Did about 100+ trouble free miles today (with 2 or 3 stops) then stopped for a short break, when I went back to the bike turned on ignition, dash went through normal routine, pressed starter button and nothing but a click from under the rear seat.
Double checked everything - kill switch OK, would it start with clutch in, sidestand up or down but again nothing but a click.
Got my mate to bump start me (nearly killed him!!) and it fired straight away.
Rode home no issues whatsoever.
Pulled up at my garage tried starter again and still no joy. As I said just a click from under the seat hump.
Did a couple of searches on here and the solenoid problem seems favourite to my very non-mechanical, non-technical brain.
Am I on the right track?? Is there anything else - alwatys starts first or second push of the starter normally, lights on full so I think battery is OK.
Any advice would be very much appreciated...

Badger · Aug 15, 2009

Yes, solenoid is fecked, usually caused by a weak battery trying to start it, do a search on here and fit the yamaha 100volt one, straight swap and about £27 from Wemoto:thumbup

amb67 · Aug 15, 2009

Check your battery is in tip top condition, then check the charging circuit is working fine too.

If all is well then you need a new starter solenoid.

beechy · Aug 15, 2009

Cheers Boys, thanks for the quick responses. Pretty sure battery is Ok and its back on the optimate so I will check again in the morning .......... and order a new solenoid I guess.

beechy · Aug 19, 2009

Cheers Badger and AMB
Spot on advice / distant diagnostics - - - new solenoid arrived this morning from Wemoto, fitted and started first push of the button.
Thanks again guys, RESPECT

amb67 · Aug 20, 2009

beechy said:
Cheers Badger and AMB
Spot on advice / distant diagnostics - - - new solenoid arrived this morning from Wemoto, fitted and started first push of the button.
Thanks again guys, RESPECT

Glad to have been of assistance. :thumbup

BRG · Sep 21, 2009

beechy said:
Pretty sure battery is Ok and its back on the optimate so I will check again in the morning .......... and order a new solenoid I guess.

Just to follow up on this...

I did a bit of fettlin' on my bike over the weekend and gave it a test start... the starter motor engaged, turned for about 1s (not enough to start the engine) then the solenoid clicked off and the starter motor stopped. Tried this several times with the same result.

Checked a few threads here and went back to the bike: 11.7V (Remember? We have a built-in voltmeter in the dash!). Put it on Optimate overnight and came back to it today: 12.5V. Turns over and starts a treat! (Charging voltage at tick-over: 13.5V.)

So the explanation is that an undercharded battery only just has enough oomph to overcome the solenoid spring, but once this closes the high-current circuit, the draw on the battery drops the voltage by such a level that the low-current circuit can no-longer overcome the solenoid's spring and the circuit breaks.

IMHO, the solenoid's such a simple device it's unlikely to go wrong. More likely is an undercharged battery. This may be because:

Leaving it for ages with an active alarm (6 weeks in my case);
A knackered generator (cf. rectifier connector).

Then there's the sprag issue...

beechy · Sep 21, 2009

Thanks BRG

In my case it was deffo the solenoid, a couple of days after I posted the thread I replaced solenoid with a Yam part.

Started first push of the button (thinking back it didnt always before) and she's never missed a beat since.

Cheers all for advice etc

jon_melson · Sep 22, 2009

These things are a pain in the arse...

I ordered a new batter and solenoid the other week but due to the Royal Mail strike the battery made it to me 4 days prior to the solenoid.
I fitted the battery and the old girl started fine- tried it a few times over that weekend and it was all good.
Of course I've now fitted the solenoid, and of course it still starts.

It's a mystery. I can't see how it was the battery as I don't have an alarm and the first time it failed to start the bike was hot and had been ridden hard for about 30 mins. I don't use an optimate so can't see it being a charging issue either.

£96 later it's fixed, but the Aprilia is definitely a money trap!

kawasakiinit · Sep 22, 2009

beechy said:
Hi Mechanical ones.

Did about 100+ trouble free miles today (with 2 or 3 stops) then stopped for a short break, when I went back to the bike turned on ignition, dash went through normal routine, pressed starter button and nothing but a click from under the rear seat.
Double checked everything - kill switch OK, would it start with clutch in, sidestand up or down but again nothing but a click.
Got my mate to bump start me (nearly killed him!!) and it fired straight away.
Rode home no issues whatsoever.
Pulled up at my garage tried starter again and still no joy. As I said just a click from under the seat hump.
Did a couple of searches on here and the solenoid problem seems favourite to my very non-mechanical, non-technical brain.
Am I on the right track?? Is there anything else - alwatys starts first or second push of the starter normally, lights on full so I think battery is OK.
Any advice would be very much appreciated...

fookin hell beechy i bet them cans took out your mates lugs at close range eh lol

LEGS · Sep 22, 2009

I bet 75% of all problems with these bikes stem from a poor battery. Upgrade to YTX-14BS or YTZ14S-BS, fit the Yamaha starter solenoid part number 4KD81940-00 and keep the bike hooked up to an Optimate battery conditioner, not some cheap LIDL crap and it's problem sorted.

Once the weather gets colder and with the onset of winter, just watch how many posts appear about the bike not starting

beechy · Sep 23, 2009

kawasakiinit said:
fookin hell beechy i bet them cans took out your mates lugs at close range eh lol

Well you met him at the weekend - he was the guy who kept saying pardon all the time LOL

Glad it was him pushing BTW I'd have had a coronary

btkwaka · Sep 25, 2009

Ok guys I had a similar problem with the bike not starting at a trackday last week and I was just getting a click from under the seat unit, it was showing 12.5v on the dash and I tried starting it with jump leads off my car battery with the car running, still no joy, i tried jump starting it in a car park with the dear wife pushing but still no joy, so back on the jump leads and it showed 13v but still just the click, then a guy with a starter pack came along and it started first go. Is this likely to be the battery or a troublesome starter solenoid ?

Badger · Sep 25, 2009

Your solenoid is knacked, the clicking is the solenoid, weak batteries are the catalyst for this problem.

Do a search on here for Yamaha solenoid and replace with one of them, also a YTZ14s BS battery gives better CCA for starting, do a search for these items:thumbup

Search

Search

HELP - Is it my solenoid??

beechy

Badger

amb67

beechy

beechy

amb67

BRG

beechy

jon_melson

kawasakiinit

LEGS

beechy

btkwaka

Badger

Similar threads

New Posts