Starter will not engage with start button HELP!!

My son's 1981 KZ 550 LTD Chain Drive 26K sat for a year. We replaced the sprockets, chain, tires, wheel bearings, oil and filter. Now the starter will not engage. There is nothing wrong with the starter as it can be remotely jumped off the battery using the solenoid. So far we Replaced battery, starter solenoid, ignition switch, engine kill switch, neutral lockout switch tests ok, all fuses are ok, checked all the obvious connections going to the fuse boxes. The neutral light comes on when the ignition key is turned on and the shift is placed in the correct position. The oil light does not come on. We place the kill switch in the RUN position, and push the start button and NOTHING happens ARRGGHH!! no noise nothing. WHAT are we missing? HELP!!!!

Does that model bike have a clutch lever safety switch?

Yes, I tested it according the manual I downloaded and there is continuity through the switch and so it is ok. When the neutral light is on, and start button is pressed...nothing, when clutch lever is squeezed and button is pressed...nothing.

Start button switches can become corroded internally to the point that they do not close electrically. Try unplugging the R. side switchgear pin connector and probing the two pins that are in the start button circuit. You should see continuity (close to zero ohms) when the start switch is closed.

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

Like slmjim+Z1BEBE, maybe the start button is not passing the current. A squashed spider in there could prevent it from making contact.

Have you measured for voltage on the small wires at the solenoid?

will try to test your info this weekend Thanks!!

Could also be that one of the solder connections in the switch has broken. Forty year old solder can be rather brittle.

Tried your idea. Start button tests ok--no spiders:) run/stop switch works. Power is at solenoid for starter. No continuity or power at the small wires on the solenoid.

Start button tests positive for continuity when pressed

FOUND THE SHORT's !!! I printed out a schematic and blew it up so I could actually see it. VERY Helpful in tracing wires. Downloaded it from the I-Net. I tested 12 volts power at the ignition switch first ok, then the Kill/ run switch ok, then the starter switch OK, then the starter lock-out on the clutch handle lever both sides ok, then I jumped a wire from the lock-out to the solenoid and it worked. The wire from the neutral lockout switch inside the headlight going to the starter solenoid was severed about 6 inches into the wiring harness where it passes the fork/neck under the gas tank. There were also 3 other partially severed wires which explained the turn signal and flasher malfunctions. Fixed with new connectors and shrink-wrap/ electrical tape. Then wrapped the whole harness near the repair with lots of electrical tape and reinstalled all the wire connections in the headlight...brain surgery. But it solved the problem, starter engages. Since the bike was laid-up so long- more than a year, it took a while to start. I shut it down when smoke from the oil change started due to the engine warming. Also noted the see-through oil gage was low will wail till it cools to top-off and try again. THANKS FOR ALL Your thoughts.

Question?
I bought a 82 kz550 ran good just had few issues burnt bulbs, fuses, burnt wires. Ran good and started good. I rebuilt it from ground up, It gets spark and gas. When I go to turn it over nothing engine wont engage. Even roll start doesn't work. Im puzzled anyone got idea

Lawson78 wrote: Question?
I bought a 82 kz550 ran good just had few issues burnt bulbs, fuses, burnt wires. Ran good and started good. I rebuilt it from ground up, It gets spark and gas. When I go to turn it over nothing engine wont engage. Even roll start doesn't work. Im puzzled anyone got idea

Weak battery
Burnt wires
Sparkplug wires mixed up
Points improperly installed
Bad sparkplugs
Conversion to individual (pod) filters and open exhaust without rejetting the carbs
A host of other possibilities

Perhaps you should start a discussion thread that begins with some more detailed explanation of what has been done to the bike and what the specific symptoms are.