Author Topic: Solenoid ~  (Read 5241 times)

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UncleErnie

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on: July 27, 2009, 10:16:30 pm
,09 Classic AVL;  my solenoid needs an occasional whack with a wrench, so I thought I better get a new one before it leaves me high and dry for good.  So today a new on arrives in the mail that looks completely different;
The stock solenoid is round, has 2 large terminals and one wire that comes out of the plastic body.  This wire has a white plastic connector / plug on it that just plugs into the matching plug on the wire harness.
The new model ihas a retangular base, 2 main terminals, and 2 smaller terminals- no wires or plugs.

Advise?  Should I just get a $40 Japanese solenoid from Parts Unlimited? 
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axle

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Reply #1 on: July 27, 2009, 11:15:00 pm
ernie, mine was acting goofy too so cmw told me to go to the napa store and buy a harley/ford truck solenoid. i cut the pigtail off the old one as close to the base as i could then put new ends on the blue and white wires. if it is the same as the one i bought . the ends of the pos. and neg. cables may not be large enough.


UncleErnie

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Reply #2 on: July 28, 2009, 12:50:14 am
???  Not large enough for what?

You brought up antother question I forgot to ask;  there is no + or - on the solenoid they sent.  Does it not matter which wire goes where?
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Vince

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Reply #3 on: July 28, 2009, 05:29:19 pm
     It doesn't matter. The 2 small wires are from the handlebar switch. It's just a simple in and out. Either way works and makes no difference to  the handle switch or the solenoid. The 2 large wires are battery + to starter to ground. On the Enfield it doesn't matter which side of the solenoid they go to. When they are connected by  activating  the switch it is a straight shot from the battery to the starter.


UncleErnie

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Reply #4 on: July 28, 2009, 06:52:33 pm
I need to call and see if the units have changed and/or why I got this one.
Do all the models share the same solenoid?
If I use the one I got sent, do I just cut the wire coming out of my stock unit and hook the wires up to the smaller posts?  No + or - there either?
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Kruiser

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Reply #5 on: July 29, 2009, 02:18:03 pm
I need to call and see if the units have changed and/or why I got this one.
Do all the models share the same solenoid?
If I use the one I got sent, do I just cut the wire coming out of my stock unit and hook the wires up to the smaller posts?  No + or - there either?

The solenoids they sell are supposed to be a "beefier" upgraded replacement for the original.  Apparently the stock ones aren't very good.


UncleErnie

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Reply #6 on: July 29, 2009, 03:06:29 pm
Yeah... I took my sidecases off and did a sano job of arranging the stuff that used to be in the left case.  Back to the drawing board.
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Thumper

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Reply #7 on: August 15, 2009, 08:52:11 pm
UncleErnie and Vince (and anyone else...)

I've gone through the same paces as UncleErnie and probably at this point more...

I need help and I think I know where: Somewhere between the solenoid and the starter motor.

Here's what's happened on my 2006 Electra X:
It's a brand new sealed battery (although the old one is apparently good). It's a brand new solenoid (although the old one is apparently good). Kick starts fine and electrics are fine - the ammeter even shows a slight drop if I press the starter switch. At this point, with a new battery and solenoid you're probably thinking I have more money than brains - and you'd probably be right! The kicker is that I don't have much money - what does that tell us?....

So with this brand new battery and solenoid and it still wasn't starting (nothing, and I mean NOTHING). So I checked the starter switch and it checked out OK. But I went ahead and did a simple bypass check - put another switch directly onto the two solenoid posts. Still nothing.

That's why - by process of costly elimination - I'm now thinking the problem must be between the solenoid (post) along that brown cable that goes to the starter motor.

Any ideas? I guess I should start with a simple continuity check between the solenoid and the starter? Since I'm broke - I'm no longer worried about spending more money. Just call me kickstart Clyde.

Matt
« Last Edit: August 15, 2009, 09:11:27 pm by Thumper »


Kruiser

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Reply #8 on: August 15, 2009, 09:03:41 pm
Is the neutral light/wire in that circuit?  Maybe there is a wiring problem there and the bike doesn't
know it's in neutral? 


Thumper

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Reply #9 on: August 15, 2009, 09:12:41 pm
I don't know. The neutral indicator is not very consistent. Wouldn't that also affect my kickstarting?


UncleErnie

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Reply #10 on: August 15, 2009, 11:38:34 pm
I've been talking to Earl...
My bike starts when I lay a screwdriver across the 2 main posts on the soenoid.  Earl says this means I havce a short somewher or my ground wire is loose / disconnected.

I can't read a diagram- where is the ground?

Mr Thumper, you should try that post-to-post thing, too.  It may well be that neither one of us needed a new solenoid after all.  (Although the neighbors come by to look at my display of Solenoids From Around The World)
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Kruiser

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Reply #11 on: August 16, 2009, 12:25:11 am
I don't know. The neutral indicator is not very consistent. Wouldn't that also affect my kickstarting?

I'm not sure, mine will kickstart when my neutral indicator is not lit.


The Garbone

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Reply #12 on: August 16, 2009, 01:44:27 am
To start with the ES you either need a ground to the solenoid from your neutral switch or clutch lever switch.
Gary
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* all actions described in this post are fictional *


UncleErnie

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Reply #13 on: August 16, 2009, 02:32:00 am
That must be it then.  My neutral light doesn't work very often. 
That starts at the very back of the engine?   I guess I need to check all the connections in the HL nacelle, too.

Otherwise, the bike is running great.  I noticed today I wasn't paying all that much attention and it just kind of slide up to 70mph.  WHOA horsey- !
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Thumper

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Reply #14 on: August 16, 2009, 01:38:19 pm
To start with the ES you either need a ground to the solenoid from your neutral switch or clutch lever switch.

Can you please expand on this? The ony wire externally obvious on the starter is the brown cable coming from the solenoid. How does a ground from either of two sources (clutch lever or neutral switch) become involved? Where do they come from physically and where do they go - besides the obvious easy answers? What color are they? I don't think it's my clutch switch because I don't think I've ever E-started it with the clutch leve pulled in (clutch engaged).

And besides the brown cable - which I will still utilize - I'm thinking about a complete bypass test since most of it's accessible and I've done almost everything else. Not just the starter switch but the rest of it too. How does one make a straight forward switch, battery, solenoid, starter motor circuit for test purposes? Seems like I just listed it, it that correct?

Thanks, Matt