TOPIC:

Having trouble getting power the the starter. I have 12v in the battery, and just under 11v at the bars with the kill and starter switch. When I cross the lugs on the starter solenoid, the bike starts. When I jump it battery to solder point on the solenoid, it seems to not get enough juice to the starter (chug, chug action). If I check the solder point with the start button pushed, I only get around 4v. My two concerns are that I cannot jump start with direct from battery onto the solenoid and that I am getting low volts from the kill/starter switch. I ran over the wire loom and everything seems connected, also checked the volts at the connectors and no loss through them. Any ideas on where to start?

Where does the 12V become 4V? You'll have to trace backwards from the 4V until it becomes 12V again. 8V doesn't just disappear, it's being used somewhere between the battery, starter switch, ignition switch, and solenoid post.

I am looking for any ideas of possible connectors that I cannot see. Hopefully I won't have to cut open the harness.

Have you checked voltage at starter button thses things are famous for getting dirty and losing connection.i have had to disassemble and clean or replce more than one.

As stated above, voltage at the button is at 11. I am going to check it over with the wiring diagram that I have from the manual, but outside ideas are much appreciated. One thread from wiredgeorge speaks of a check down for the system (kzrider.com/component/option,com_joomlab...,4/id,150702/#150702). I have gone through this and jumping the lugs works to start it, but hot wiring it gives me the click he speaks of but not enough juice to start it.

Your losing voltage through a bad connector or a frayed wire OR ? You will need to chase it down ,, Get a manual with a wire diagram and start in .. You may find it right off , Start with the simple to get at stuff first ,, Luck

Does the solenoid someday just quit, or is it a gradual process?

If you are shorting across the two big bolts on your starter solinoid with something heavy like a pair of screw drivers and the starter works well then the heavy guage wires from the Battery and to the Starter are probably OK.

If you then conncect a 16 AWG or so wire from the Battery to the solinoid trigger wire and the solinoid does not engage or clicks repeatedly then I would suspect the Solinoin unit itself. They can fail completly or partially.

On the other had, if you connect that 16 AWG from the Battery to the solinoid trigger wire and the solinoid works properly then I would suspect the wire from the Battery to the Starter button, from the starter button to the Clutch lever interlock switch, the wire from the interlock switch to the the solinoid trigger wire and all connectors and switches along the way. You need the locate and repair or replace the faulty part. Alternatively, you could install an additional automotive relay to have the trigger voltage bypass all this and go directly from the Battery to the Solinoid trigger wire... that's what I ended up doing. Let me know if you need a diagram for this mod... at least for the '77 KZ650-B1.

PS
Do all of this testing with bike out of gear and going through the appropriate fuses or an inline test fuse. Don't ask...

Best of success!

I ASK!! Just kidding.... I went through everything tonight. I cleaned all of the fuses, checked voltage, shorted things, and checked again. I believe it to be a combination failure. YEAH< MY FAVORITE!!! It seems the fuses needed a good scrubbing and that the starter just doesn't have the balls left in it. Once I cleaned the fuses, everything checked good, and the bike started a couple of times. After starting it 4 or 5 times, the starter just chugged along slowly. I am currently bidding on a cb900 starter for the upgrade. Hopefully that is all I need.

flrcreations wrote:

... bike started a couple of times. After starting it 4 or 5 times, the starter just chugged along slowly. I am currently bidding on a cb900 starter for the upgrade. Hopefully that is all I need.

May be just a failing battery.
Voltage measured across the terminals is not an adequate test. Would perform a specific gravity test, or better yet, a leakdown test.

If not already done, would try another known-good fully charged battery before blaming the starter. Maybe save some time and money.

Good Luck!

I've been using a known good battery, from my other bike. This bike is a new build and have not purchased a battery for it yet. Even if it is not the starter, I think the upgrade to a cb900 is still a good investment.