Starter won't engage.

[StumpyBrad]

I have power. I have spun the starter. I have power to both poles of circuit breaker. My run switch lights up the module. I put my meter in the paddle connector (grn/blk wires top of starter) push start button compression releases click. I've done the ecm already 13yrs ago. 2004 ridgeback 107. Appreciate your input... thanks...!

 

[knothead]

So you do have 12 volts of power on the green wire on the starter when you hit the start button?

To me if you have a good hot battery and 12 volts on the green wire when you hit the start button and the starter still wont engage but the starter spins over then it sounds to me the starter clutch is possibly bad

 

[StumpyBrad]

I made the starter spin by removing the cover and pushing plunger in. 13v on battery. (Per my meter) The green wires at 10/ 11. And the green wire shows voltage when I turn the switch on. nothing changes when I push the start button stays at 10 . My light probe won't light on the green wire.
Thank you for your time.
I hope I'm making sense.

 

[BigDogRick]

I don't think that 10v is enough when you press the start. You may have 13v of charge cold but not a true full capacity battery under load. That's a frustrating fact of life with these beasts.
BTW, Knothead, thanks for mentioning the starter clutch. I went ten years of starter gremlins before a custom shop told me about that . I was clueless that even existed and went through three starters. Replaced the clutch on an unplanned three day stay over the weekend in beautiful downtown Lake Havasu AZ and it's been fine ever since. Going on three years.

 

[knothead]

First issue could be the battery being bad.....need to have it load tested if you dont have a load tester
Green wire should be around 9 with just the switch on which you have stated that you have 10/11....when you hit the start button it should go 12 or little above...so there again make sure your battery is checking out good and load test the battery to make sure its putting out atleast 12.8 or above when loaded
The second issue could be your hand control pc board not working right or possibbly bad itself, failure not getting single from the computer or failure not sending the single thru the green wire
Third issue is the computer start circuit isnt working... it is one of the 3 issues i stated

If its the original ecm or a wire plus then i about promise its the computer start circuit took a shit if all is good with your battery

 

[StumpyBrad]

Ok thanks.. much appreciated..

 

[Coolbreezin]

If im reading your situation correctly, kinda sounds like a broken jackshaft.
Did you hear a loud metallic bang last time you started it?

 

[Mikeinjersey]

I made the starter spin by removing the cover and pushing plunger in. 13v on battery. (Per my meter) The green wires at 10/ 11. And the green wire shows voltage when I turn the switch on. nothing changes when I push the start button stays at 10 . My light probe won't light on the green wire.
Thank you for your time.
I hope I'm making sense.

The start button has 2 functions when depressed. 1, it operates the compression solenoids and 2, it operates the starter solenoid. If your comp releases are clicking it means the start button sent the signal to the EHC successfully and the voltage to the starter solenoid should jump up to 12ish volts also. The best way to test this is to disconnect the green wire on the solenoid and read it while hitting the starter button. If you hear the CR's click and the voltage on the green wire stays the same the EHC is not sending the voltage or you have a bad connection between the EHC and the starter solenoid.
If the voltage on the green wire does go up the system is good and you need to troubleshoot the starter. As mentioned before you need a battery in good shape to have enough punch to crank. Check inside the solenoid where the green wire comes in for a fracture. It's a common failure and can be re-soldered if needed.

 

[Sven]

I have power.

As stated above, there is a static number, and there is PUSH. Push means volts. Think of PUSH as pushes over the motor [not engine] we all talking volts to PUSH E out of the battery.

I have spun the starter.

So you do have PUSH.

push start button compression releases click.

Power to main fuse and out to the jobbers.
Switch clam shells are split apart to measure 11 or 10v? Still says you have power to the one side.
Color wire enters says power up to, now press button, and is there power connected to the second wire out to the relay?
Power shows the one wire to the relay when the second wire has power [button press] and test light moves to the relay wire on the other pole on the relay is this should happen?
Yes, power at both relay poles when button is pushed = Bad Relay no magnetic field made to pull the set of points inside the relay to connect both cables together?

Or WATT am I missing?

-Edit-
Or is this one of those relays inside the black box that basically controls everything?

 

[StumpyBrad]

Thank you all for your help.. I'm gunna start with the start switch.. I've had my Ridge back for 15 years and I've managed to keep it going all this time this is a new problem for me so hopefully I'm not changing that ECM again

 

[Mr. Wright]

Thank you all for your help.. I'm gunna start with the start switch.. I've had my Ridge back for 15 years and I've managed to keep it going all this time this is a new problem for me so hopefully I'm not changing that ECM again

Before you get all excited and start buying parts that you don't need, there is one thing you need to check that is common on these older starters. It's on the inside where the green starter wire connects to the solenoid.

Disconnect your battery and remove the back cover off the solenoid

Remove the plunger.

Then take a small screwdriver and gently stick it between the two wires, and make sure one of them has not broke loose from the solder connection.

 

[StumpyBrad]

Ok.. thank you..

 

[StumpyBrad]

 

[StumpyBrad]

Those two connections are solid. Thank you very much.

 

[StumpyBrad]

Hello... Changing the start button.. the new part has a fuse off the small connection. And the old part has that connection going into the handle bars. What do I do?

 

[Jersey Big Mike]

Hello... Changing the start button.. the new part has a fuse off the small connection. And the old part has that connection going into the handle bars. What do I do? View attachment 108260View attachment 108261

I do believe that is a reed relay for the brake switch in the handlebar -- there is a magnet in the mech as well, pull in brake move magnet, trigger switch. The relay needs to go into the controls where the wires when before and be adjusted correctly (distance to magnet).

 

[StumpyBrad]

Ok.. thank you...

 

[Rottweiler]

Yes There is a very small allen screw.

 

[StumpyBrad]

That's the set screw on the outside by the brake handle... I was wondering what that was for... thanks.. makes sense now

 

[StumpyBrad]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their replies. I Changed the switch and it works.. so yup yup..