Author Topic: Ever had a solenoid lock up?  (Read 5235 times)

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luoma

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on: January 05, 2008, 09:26:14 pm
When I started by bike today, the starter solenoid stuck and the starter motor kept running, even after I shut the ignition off. I had to undo the nut on the starter motor to get it to stop. Didn't do it again all day. Maybe just from sitting. I was wondering if I should squirt some WD-40 in it.


DaveG

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Reply #1 on: January 05, 2008, 10:03:08 pm
Had the same problem last year. Connector nuts shorted out on the metal baterry cover. Temporary repair was to wind insulating tape  round the nuts and refit the cover. Followed this by turning the solenoid 180 degrees round in its fixings.
Later, the solenoid intermittently failed and was replaced with a newer type that can't  short out to the cover.
All 3 fixes above lead to 'problem solved'-- no starter motor spinning continuously even when switched off.

73 de dave G7NCB with Mac Pro and 05 Electra X from the Isle of Axholme
73 de Dave G7NCB from the Isle of Axholme UK (MacPro and OSX.4.11) and 05 Electra X


Vince

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Reply #2 on: January 05, 2008, 10:28:48 pm
Replace the solenoid NOW. I have seen this on all brands of bikes. It can happen for a variety of reasons, but after the first time it almost always happens again. Often it's from another cause, but after they over heat inside they never get better. Sometimes it will stick on while you are tootling down the road and you won't hear or feel it until it does real damage to the engine or starter drive. Don't take any chances. Replace it now.


luoma

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Reply #3 on: January 05, 2008, 10:35:52 pm
Thanks, I will. Good thing I'm still under warranty.


Thumper

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Reply #4 on: January 06, 2008, 12:45:41 am
Check to see if your side cover is making contact with the starter solenoid contact. I had to rotate the solenoid 180 degrees in its rubber holder. Also added rubber trim to the edge of the sidecover just in case.

Matt


JLR

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Reply #5 on: January 08, 2008, 03:15:23 am
don't know exactly what these solenoids look like, but I'll add my two cents worth since we build all types here where I work.

"Sticking" can be caused by many things. Most frequently, in used ones, the contact washer burns thru the coating on either it or the contact bolts (inside the unit) and welds to them causing it to remian open. A bent plunger shaft can cause intermittenet "sticking" as most units (at least now) are designed so that the plunger will rotate when it operates, reducing the likelyhood of the contact washer repeatedly making contact in the same position (the bent rod  prevents normal rotation).

I have to agree with Vince tho...replace first. In desperate times a good rap with something may jar it loose, but it will happen again.


Thumper

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Reply #6 on: January 18, 2008, 11:55:51 pm
luoma,

Whatever became of this?

Yes, I am curious to see if yours shorted out on the sidecover making it start automagically like mine did...

Matt


luoma

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Reply #7 on: January 19, 2008, 04:54:08 am
Hey Thumper. No, it wasn't a short. Actually, I think it was the delay unit the dealer installed. What happened is that the bike had been sitting for awhile, and when I tried to start it, it wouldn't fire while cranking, but tried right at the moment I let off the button. I didn't figure this out right at first, and in my stubbornness, I over cranked it. I think that is when the solenoid heated up and stuck. Never happened again, but if it does, I'll be replacing the solenoid. I don't know if anyone else has had this experience with the delay switch malfunctioning, but someone is surely going to.


Thumper

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Reply #8 on: January 21, 2008, 12:41:51 pm
Hey Thumper. No, it wasn't a short. Actually, I think it was the delay unit the dealer installed. What happened is that the bike had been sitting for awhile, and when I tried to start it, it wouldn't fire while cranking, but tried right at the moment I let off the button. I didn't figure this out right at first, and in my stubbornness, I over cranked it. I think that is when the solenoid heated up and stuck. Never happened again, but if it does, I'll be replacing the solenoid. I don't know if anyone else has had this experience with the delay switch malfunctioning, but someone is surely going to.

Thanks for the update. I just got mine in the mail, so I'll be watching out for that!

matt


scoTTy

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Reply #9 on: January 21, 2008, 05:31:03 pm
this is a weird thought that went through my head :P

what if a toggle switch was put in line?  I had that on an old car of mine as a anti theft device.

You could crank it, but until that switch was flipped it wouldn't start.

Now, with the switch flipped to off, you could crank the RE engine, but until the switch is flipped, there is no power to the coil.

Of course worst case scenario is you blow a head gasket or worse :o :'(


TRider

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Reply #10 on: January 21, 2008, 09:06:27 pm
When I started by bike today, the starter solenoid stuck and the starter motor kept running, even after I shut the ignition off. I had to undo the nut on the starter motor to get it to stop. Didn't do it again all day. Maybe just from sitting. I was wondering if I should squirt some WD-40 in it.

I had the same problem when I got my Electra back from the dealer after so many months.  He replaced it with a new one. 


Thumper

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Reply #11 on: January 25, 2008, 05:09:24 pm
this is a weird thought that went through my head :P

what if a toggle switch was put in line?  I had that on an old car of mine as a anti theft device.

You could crank it, but until that switch was flipped it wouldn't start.

Now, with the switch flipped to off, you could crank the RE engine, but until the switch is flipped, there is no power to the coil.

Of course worst case scenario is you blow a head gasket or worse :o :'(

OK, so how about this with the Electra X's:

You can't start it with the sidestand down - but the engine will turn over.
You can disable the sidestand-kill switch by unplugging it.

So here's the process:

Have your sidestand down
Press the starter button so that the engine is turning over
Now reach down and remove the side cover and then the battery cover
Still reaching down, unplug the sidestand-kill switch
(remember, don't stop pressing the starter button while you're doing this)
Engine fires real easy
Stop pressing starter button
Retract sidestand
Re-engage sidestand-kill switch
Replace battery cover and then the side cover...
and you're ready to go!


Foggy_Auggie

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Reply #12 on: January 25, 2008, 05:35:21 pm
this is a weird thought that went through my head :P


OK, so how about this with the Electra X's:

You can't start it with the sidestand down - but the engine will turn over.

So here's the process:

Have your sidestand down
Press the starter button so that the engine is turning over
Retract sidestand
and you're ready to go!

Or this process  ;D
Diagonally parked in a parallel universe.

Fortiter Et Fideliter


scoTTy

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Reply #13 on: January 25, 2008, 10:44:09 pm
hmmm, Matt.. you got my one brain cell working..

Quote
You can't start it with the sidestand down - but the engine will turn over.
You can disable the sidestand-kill switch by unplugging it.

ok.. some time back I took the wiring off the sidestand.. somehow it got tangled in something and  both wires were mangled.  So I taped the connector under the seat .

Seems to me that would be a good place to put the toggle switch and it would behave in the manner Foggy spoke of.