right i have a problem.i took the start and light switch apart and a ball bearing flew out,four days later i found it.i have tried the bearing in different places,but i cant get the click on the switch working.ihave been having problems earthing, just replaced the starter motor.will i need to replace switches or can i fix it.please say yes bob we can

It's a bit had to describe where it goes unless you can see photos and there is a write-up or two in the download section of this Forum.



Totally unrelated...you may want to think about changing your avatar.



I access this Forum on my laptop that I use at home and I don't want my wife and daughters to see something like that.

+100 on the avatar comment blakey. Out of bounds for this forum.

+100 more for that avatar picture.

The steel ball should live happy together with a small spring inside this sliding piece in the switch assy.



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Inge K.

ok sorry.you didn't like the avatar, now changed.
inge k, thank you for the picture,now the switch is clicking.

slumrat , you say you changed the starter ,,,,was it an used replacement ?



we have had many issues regarding the brushes in the starter itself ....this relates to the operation of the F1 relay which really affects the operation of a lot of the electrics .



basically the starter motor provides earth to the relay when not in use ..the main issue seems to be the brush contacts /armature develop a high resistance with unusual and frustrating results to the start and operation of lights and many other things

yes it was a used part reconditioned.so now all the lights are working starter relay clicks when button pressed no fuel pump sound and starter does not turn.i have cleaned all earths and checked all conections and fuses.

Here is link that could be helpful to solve your problem.

The only problem seems to be that in the troubleshooting chart starting it`s small mistake.
In the circuit, kill switch-clutch switch-neutral-starter button-starter relay ..it shows that ground should be
expected, ...that should be positive current.

Inge K.

I'm with Charlie...it's not hard to whiz the starter out and have a squiz at the guts to see if (even though it's possibly a 'reconditioned' unit) they're dusted up. Mine caused a no-start situation intermittently and various lights to flash on the dash, the left indicator to flash when I'd pressed the right hand side switch, and the headlight to pulse randomly whilst riding. Yep, the starter. I swapped a new brush holder into it and cleaned it out with contact cleaner and a coupla clean rags. Two years now down the track she's still my golden child. Get on those earth connections (all connectors, actually) with some anti-corrosion liquid magic stuff, you might have heard of it here and there, it's a rare gem called DeoxIT.

as for the fuel pump ...no power .....so recheck the under frame connection (4 pins) below the seat under the side cover , on the riders right hand side (they have been noticed to be a common intermitent connection )

The four pin is where I would look first, I have had trouble in the past with them and have had to recently replace the female side on the K1100.

I reckon that what causes part of the problem is wriggling the plug to get it to part causes the female plug to get lose and so give bad contact I now try to just release the clips and pull the plug to part it.

I reckon the starter could be the problem itself may pay to check continuity of each winding, it may have one that is O/C and cause intermittent no go when that winding is in the wrong place.

To do a quick check put the bike in 5th gear and rock it back and forth to move the starter commutator a bit then try to start it.

The other problem with the four pin plug is when taking the tank off and forgetting to undo the plug till the cable gets a hearty yank and the plug takes the strain BTDT, stupidly not once but twice!
Regards,
K-BIKE

K-BIKE wrote:The other problem with the four pin plug is when taking the tank off and forgetting to undo the plug till the cable gets a hearty yank and the plug takes the strain BTDT, stupidly not once but twice!
Regards,
K-BIKE

aye ...redfaced charlie admits to that one .....grin

thanks for the advice.went out last night for a while to play,i think the problem maybe neutral or clutch,as it goes in to first and neutral only the bike has been sitting for a few month now so could something get siezed,i wish my brain worked aarrrhh

You earlier mentioned that you did hear the starter relay was clicking.
If neutral or clutch switch was the problem, the starter relay wouldn`t click.

Inge K.

good point inge ....



as the starter is the only way to get the sprag clutch engaged to the rest of the internal drive train , i think the best option is to pull it out and give it a bit of a rotate .

that way if it was a brush to armature issue ...it may just revive that connection again ?



you could always try to rotate the motor via the rear wheel whilst engaged in first ,,,but i dont think its going to happen easily



but best option is to do a pull down of the starter and make sure ...i guess once out of the housing ...and being extreemly carefull you could hold the starter to the body of the bike and pulse it with the starter switch ....and in neutral

Ahhh, but no fuel pump sound either soooo... I'm still going with an electrical fault. Have you worked the 4 plug connection under the tank above the throttle bodies? That supplies power to the pump.

Before throwing out the starter, measure the voltage at the starter terminal while pressing the starter button, it should be very close to the same as the battery.

If it is, the starter is the problem.......low voltage, shorted starter or burnt relay points.
No voltage, check starter relay...rear right corner in the relay box under rear end of the tank.

On this relay it`s two terminals with heavy gauge wire....the rearmost one is hot at all times,
the other one is the output.

If it`s the relay that is the problem, it can be opened and cleaned.....look in the tutorial section of this forum.

Inge K.

charlie99 wrote:as the starter is the only way to get the sprag clutch engaged to the rest of the internal drive train , i think the best option is to pull it out and give it a bit of a rotate .

that way if it was a brush to armature issue ...it may just revive that connection again ?

you could always try to rotate the motor via the rear wheel whilst engaged in first ,,,but i dont think its going to happen easily

If you got good voltage at the starter terminal, this advice from Charlie also could be followed before throwing out the starter.

Removing the spark plugs makes it easier/better spin, but move the rear wheel backwards.

If the starter function after this, it`s possibly just temporary...one day..two months.
It needs to be dismantled and the commutator cleaned, and possibly new brushes is needed.
Again, look in the tutorial section.

Inge K.

thanks again everyone.as i live in uk with no garage, can only work when it's dry.but the bike is all covered when not in use.but i'm getting feed up having to go out on four wheels.

For those living in the UK if you can get hold of one of those giant fishing umbrellas they sit on the ground they are good for working outdoors.
Regards,
K-BIKE