Starter Clicking

[Chatherton99]

Hey everyone! I am trying to do a compression test on my 1979 honda cb750f and I just got a fresh battery for it as well as a ignition jumper to hook up to the starter solenoid. My issue is that the starter just clicks once when i press the button and nothing else happens. There is ground continuity between the negative baattery terminal and the case of the motor. The handheld button as well as the leads from it were getting fairly warm whilst trying to get the starter to turn over. Any help would be appreicated!

https://imgur.com/a/yMbkw10

 

[brettp]

Sounds like the relay is receiving the control signal but the battery isn't strong enough to turn the engine over. I know you said it was a new battery, so test the starter. Touch one end of a set of jumper cables (you are only going to use one of the cables) to the positive terminal of the battery and touch the other end of the cable to the starter post. If your starter doesn't turn over, the starter is the issue. Whether it is a mechanical issue or electrical, you need to investigate.

 

[Chatherton99]

Sounds like the relay is receiving the control signal but the battery isn't strong enough to turn the engine over. I know you said it was a new battery, so test the starter. Touch one end of a set of jumper cables (you are only going to use one of the cables) to the positive terminal of the battery and touch the other end of the cable to the starter post. If your starter doesn't turn over, the starter is the issue. Whether it is a mechanical issue or electrical, you need to investigate.

When you say jumper cables, do you mean like ones you'd use on a car? And the starter post is the negative on that relay I had my bypass switched hooked up to or is this a different part?

 

[Loose Chain]

Do you have a 12 volt test light? Find the starter relay and see if you have 12 volts coming out of it when you push the starter button on the handle bars. Where have you connected the remote start switch?

 

[Chatherton99]

Do you have a 12 volt test light? Find the starter relay and see if you have 12 volts coming out of it when you push the starter button on the handle bars. Where have you connected the remote start switch?

The first image after the video is where I connected the remote starter switch. On the positive and negative of the starter relay. I do not have a 12 volt test light, I have a multimeter though.

 

[Loose Chain]

When you push the button, measure the voltage coming "Out" of the relay. The relay might be clicking but nothing coming out. Also why don't you just use the push button on the handle bars?

 

[Chatherton99]

When you push the button, measure the voltage coming "Out" of the relay. The relay might be clicking but nothing coming out. Also why don't you just use the push button on the handle bars?

The click seems to come from the starter and not the relay. And this bike did not come with a handle bar starter. I’m essentially rebuilding the bike.

 

[Loose Chain]

With your button pushed, see if you have 12 volts at the starter.

 

[Chatherton99]

With your button pushed, see if you have 12 volts at the starter.

Is that just measure across the relay or is there a different spot I should be measuring the 12 volts to the starter

 

[Loose Chain]

You need to have 12 volts coming out of the relay. If you do then confirm you have 12 volts at the starter. I will ask you a stupid question. If this is a project bike, are you sure the engine is not seized?

 

[Chatherton99]

You need to have 12 volts coming out of the relay. If you do then confirm you have 12 volts at the starter. I will ask you a stupid question. If this is a project bike, are you sure the engine is not seized?

I do in fact know the engine is not seized, I’ve got the pistons and valves moving if I put it in a high gear and spin the back wheel

 

[Loose Chain]

Good, just checking.

 

[Loose Chain]

I’ve got the pistons and valves moving

They weren't moving to start with?

 

[Chatherton99]

They weren't moving to start with?

they were moving to start with, I just couldn’t initially figure out how to get it into a higher gear as there is no clutch lever on the bars

 

[Loose Chain]

Okay, confirm you have 12 volts at the starter with the button pushed and report back.

 

[Chatherton99]

Okay, confirm you have 12 volts at the starter with the button pushed and report back.

Just to confirm, my starter button will hook to either side of the relay, then read the voltage across the relay with the button pressed

 

[Chatherton99]

Okay, confirm you have 12 volts at the starter with the button pushed and report back.

Looks like when the button is pressure the volts shoot way down, between 6-8 volts. Then after a few clicks there’s a faint burning smell, unsure the origin but still.

 

[Loose Chain]

If you are going to use your handheld button, put one clip on positive battery terminal and the other on the small trigger wire on the relay. Then follow the large positive wire down to the relay. On the other side of the relay there is another large wire that goes down to the starter. When your button is pushed the large wire going to the starter should have 12 volts.

 

[Loose Chain]

Or do you have your start button on the ground circuit?

 

[Chatherton99]

Or do you have your start button on the ground circuit?

This is where I have the button hooked to now, and reading across those two spots that the clips are connected to when the button is pressed has it go down to 8 volts. Where would the trigger wire be?