Make sure you have voltage on the starter side of the solinoid. ie. be sure you have voltage at the starter when you press starter switch...if so, pull starter, if no solinoid probally bad...it is very rare for starter to be bad...good luck...
Is removing the starter my next step?
Have read and read again every thread on 'won't start'. My '03' 1800A has 35k miles and since new has been a short-run commuter bike. OEM battery went at 15k (3yrs) Just load tested number two battery and it performed flawlessly! It was in service five years but I bought a new one anyway. Number three was properly initialized and installed. Here's why: For a month the starter had been cranking a bit slower. Last weeks trip out of town after first shut down heard slower than normal starter spin speed but did start. Another 100 miles, parked, spotted a better parking spot and attempted to restart. Had usual instrument lights but just clicking, no start. Put it into 2nd and pushed six inches forward against compression. Placed into neutral, keyed on and it started! Starter speed was still a bit slower than normal. Shut down, and an hour later started without incident still experiencing the slower than normal starter speed. Continuous run for 200 miles home and into the garage, shut down, immediately tried to restart. Starter wouldn't spin. Normal instrument lights, one second of the typical fuel pump sound, under seat relays producing the normal clicks and the two starter solenoids clicked with each press of the starter button. Did triple checks of all the fuses with a meter and used care reinserting them. Have cleaned and tested all right side handlebar switches paying attention to detail with starter, cruise, kill and reverse. Pressing the starter switch I’ve 12.38V at NEW battery terminals and 12.20V at 'B' solenoid terminal as it exits to the starter. All the usual and customary instrument lights are evident cycling through them with the ignition on. Sidestand, cruise engaged, reverse, FI, every one of them operate normally. ‘A’ and ‘B’ solenoid coils are energized (12.20V present) when pressing the starter switch. I put jumper cables on the bike from the car and still the starter will not work. Are there any other definitive tests I can perform that tells me the starter has to come out? I have my empty gas can at the ready anticipating siphoning the tank to remove the starter. Thanks, Bill
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
Yes.....use some good jump cables or jump wires direct to the starter from a known good battery.....see how the starter acts then. Bypass the rest, if it still is slow and acts up, then it is the windings in the starter. One to positive and one to ground..see what it does. If it spins it fast and good, then your relays are not making full contact. If it still acts the fool, it is the starter.
Kit
Kit
You said you had 12.2V at the starter side of the "B" relay, but what is on the starter end of that cable at the starter? If you haven't checked it yet, the cable on the starter could be loose. If it checks out tight, I would say your starter is going bad or has already gone. Like Kit said you can jumper straight to the starter. If you find 12.2V on the starter, you need a starter. There's some new and used ones on Ebay. If it turns out to be the starter, I would replace the 2 starter relays as well. The reason I recommend this is you said it has been a commuter bike, that means you have probably used the starter alot more than bikes that have long trip miles on them. One thing that can cause a starter to go bad is the relays start dropping voltage across their contacts leaving less power to go to the starter, in turn the starter is still working just as hard to turn the motor but has less to work with. This type of operation will wear out a starter faster than anything. So, if you're going to keep the bike, change the relays along with the new starter so it will last as long as this one or longer.
Thank you all for the responses. Yes, replacing the two solenoids at this stage of disassembly is reasonable based on the bikes short-commuting history. I am keeping the Wing and will ultimately pass it on to my son. Admitting I don't have a repair manual nor Fred's DVD collection one minor item eludes me. Getting to the starter end of the positive cable run to perform the 'difinitive' test appears the need to pull the gas tank. Got all of today at my disposal if that's the route. Thanks, Bill
Yep, the tank has to come out. Be careful with the fuel lines. :thumbup:
A long Saturday in the garage!
Here's my progress: Pulled the gas tank, attached a jumper cable directly to the terminal stud on starter, and other to frame. Put the opposite end to a fully charged battery and NOTHING! Starter would not spin. Will pull the old one out of the bike and get a new one on order. Will purchase 'A' & 'B' solenoids and replace them too because this 'short-commuter' has experienced lots of starting cycles. I'll pass along a disassembly tip that may help some of you keep track of all the nuts, bolts and screws. I had a quantity of the tiny 3"X4" zip-lock plastic bags I bought long ago thinking they were sandwich sized. These small bags are excellent to keep the few fasteners associated with the specific panel or component when scotch taped to it. Thanks, Bill
Here's my progress: Pulled the gas tank, attached a jumper cable directly to the terminal stud on starter, and other to frame. Put the opposite end to a fully charged battery and NOTHING! Starter would not spin. Will pull the old one out of the bike and get a new one on order. Will purchase 'A' & 'B' solenoids and replace them too because this 'short-commuter' has experienced lots of starting cycles. I'll pass along a disassembly tip that may help some of you keep track of all the nuts, bolts and screws. I had a quantity of the tiny 3"X4" zip-lock plastic bags I bought long ago thinking they were sandwich sized. These small bags are excellent to keep the few fasteners associated with the specific panel or component when scotch taped to it. Thanks, Bill
Are you going to take the old one apart to see what failed? I like the little bag tip.
Yes, I just have to know what it looks like on the inside too! Have worked on lots of auto and marine starters in the past and this little one should look pretty familiar once opened up. Will let you know. Thanks, Bill
I do know it is a permanent magnet type, no field windings, just the armature and brushes.
Here's the results of the disassembly
![]()
Successful removal
Removed the starter, bench tested it and four times out of five it took a manual rotation of the output shaft before the 12V would spin it up. It became evident once disassembled one of the carbon brushes was faulty. It was bound tight in it's guide just off the surface of the commutator. Examing each of the four brushes it was clear that this errant one was hung up and not contacting the copper segments. There was no damage to the armature but I'm still happy with my decision to put an entirely new OEM part in place. The new starter and a pair of solenoids combined with the new battery will enable me to do my 'happy' dance again. Thanks to all of you for your help. Bill
Removed the starter, bench tested it and four times out of five it took a manual rotation of the output shaft before the 12V would spin it up. It became evident once disassembled one of the carbon brushes was faulty. It was bound tight in it's guide just off the surface of the commutator. Examing each of the four brushes it was clear that this errant one was hung up and not contacting the copper segments. There was no damage to the armature but I'm still happy with my decision to put an entirely new OEM part in place. The new starter and a pair of solenoids combined with the new battery will enable me to do my 'happy' dance again. Thanks to all of you for your help. Bill
Would a hammer tap on the starter have fixed the stuck brush? That is a common fault as is the fix. Been there. Bye Bye.Successful removal![]()
Removed the starter, bench tested it and four times out of five it took a manual rotation of the output shaft before the 12V would spin it up. It became evident once disassembled one of the carbon brushes was faulty. It was bound tight in it's guide just off the surface of the commutator. Examing each of the four brushes it was clear that this errant one was hung up and not contacting the copper segments. There was no damage to the armature but I'm still happy with my decision to put an entirely new OEM part in place. The new starter and a pair of solenoids combined with the new battery will enable me to do my 'happy' dance again. Thanks to all of you for your help. Bill
Gary
:agree:... how true ... electric motors do not like low voltage. It causes arching between the brushes and the armature and slowly begins fast failure.One thing that can cause a starter to go bad is the relays start dropping voltage across their contacts leaving less power to go to the starter, in turn the starter is still working just as hard to turn the motor but has less to work with. This type of operation will wear out a starter faster than anything.
A hammer 'tap' might have worked!
Gary.
One of the 'diognostic tests' (read this as: in one moment of fustration!...) Before I extracted the unit from the bike I did hit the starter housing with a light ball-peen hammer. True, the shock will sometime free up a carbon brush that is hung up in it's holder. This little morsel had so much dust and debris inside that it took quite a bit of a push with sharp stick to the top of the spring after disassembly to get it to drop down to the segment. The old starter does test out good electrically and I may purchase bearings, seals, brushes and holders, refurbish it all and try to sell it to recapture some of my OEM replacement cost. Have several other tasks to accomplish beforehand while the bike is apart and the November winds are whistleing through the trees. Bill
Gary.
One of the 'diognostic tests' (read this as: in one moment of fustration!...) Before I extracted the unit from the bike I did hit the starter housing with a light ball-peen hammer. True, the shock will sometime free up a carbon brush that is hung up in it's holder. This little morsel had so much dust and debris inside that it took quite a bit of a push with sharp stick to the top of the spring after disassembly to get it to drop down to the segment. The old starter does test out good electrically and I may purchase bearings, seals, brushes and holders, refurbish it all and try to sell it to recapture some of my OEM replacement cost. Have several other tasks to accomplish beforehand while the bike is apart and the November winds are whistleing through the trees. Bill
Hi Bill...well you did yur tappit deal and that didn't work. I have a big rubber hammer that gets used for lots of things. The times it's worked for me has been in severe Alaska cold when outdoors removal from a cage was not an option. Sometimes lube and carbon just goop things up like you mention. It's amazing stuff lasts as long as it does.Gary.
One of the 'diognostic tests' (read this as: in one moment of fustration!...) Before I extracted the unit from the bike I did hit the starter housing with a light ball-peen hammer. True, the shock will sometime free up a carbon brush that is hung up in it's holder. This little morsel had so much dust and debris inside that it took quite a bit of a push with sharp stick to the top of the spring after disassembly to get it to drop down to the segment. The old starter does test out good electrically and I may purchase bearings, seals, brushes and holders, refurbish it all and try to sell it to recapture some of my OEM replacement cost. Have several other tasks to accomplish beforehand while the bike is apart and the November winds are whistleing through the trees. Bill
Hope you get 'er going soon. Is there an online rebuilder for Honda Wing accessories? I'm new to the bike and haven't come across a link. We have a couple of shops locally that do that type of work so I guess we're spoiled up here.
Gary
Starter Question
Will using Reverse a lot to get on after market Drive off Center Stand damage and or wear out Starter Mtr ?
Will using Reverse a lot to get on after market Drive off Center Stand damage and or wear out Starter Mtr ?
Not really, backing up, even onto the centerstand is still alot less work than turning the engine over. Plus, the reverse system has built-in protection for over running the starter.
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
GL1800Riders Forums
A forum community dedicated to Honda Goldwing owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, touring, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Top Contributors this Month
View All
clayusmc
499 Replies
ssncob
415 Replies
VoicesInMyHead
332 Replies
