Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hey guys, i'm a noob and need help, PLEASE!
my bike wont start. its a 91 EX500 (i bought it used about 5 weeks ago -first bike)

the starter solenoid clicks, but the motor wont turn over. it happened on and off three weeks ago, where it would start in the morning, but not in the afternoon (or vice versa) and now it wont start at all. I figured it can't be the starter motor because it doesn't it turn at all, so i figured it had to be from the solenoid on back.

WHAT I CHECKED
battery voltage -good, i replaced the battery yesterday just in case
fuses-all good
solenoid-replaced w/ a used one, just in case, still nothing

Basically, i am COMPLETELY stuck. here's the readings on my multimeter.

Battery:12.5v; 0 Ohms; +5 amps
Solenoid:10.11v; 0 Ohms; +4.2 amps
Solenoid as starter button is pressed: 9.23v; 0 Ohms; +4 amps
Solenoid when starter button is held down: 0.6v; 1.8 Ohms; +0.6 amps
Starter Motor: 0.4v; 2.1 Ohms; 0 amps
Starter Motor as starter button is pressed: 0v; 0 ohms; -2.8 amps
Starter Motor when starter button is held down: 11.9v; 3.2 Ohms; -14.7amps


I SUCK at electrical work so i dont even know what these numbers should be. Is the solenoid supposed to be 2volts lower then the battery voltage? is the starter motor supposed to read 0volts when the starter button is pressed (and the solenoid clicks)? Can anyone please please please help me, i'm completely stuck!

Check all your wiring between the solenoid and the starter, looking for a short to ground.

Also, check to make sure that the starter motor itself is properly grounded. If it was intermittent a couple weeks ago, and is non-functional now, it's possible that you may just have a bad (or dirty) starter ground connection.

Per Honda750's suggestion, i replaced the fuse holder for my main fuse just in case the springs were worn out and the solenoid wasn't getting full voltage. switched it out with a spare i had from the replacement solenoid i bought on ebay. didn't work.

gadjet:
thanks for the suggestion. i checked the ground for the starter motor. last week (after the 1st week of it not working) i took the starter motor out, dissassembled it and cleaned the commutator bars, and reground it then. the connection is secure on there.
checked all the wiring between the solenoid n starter. BUT, i haven't checked all the wiring between the starter button and the solenoid (yet). i'm still trying to trace all the wires.

tried jumping the solenoid. still nothing. i bought a used starter motor (fr/ ebay) so i'm gonna put that in and see if that works. but i would've assumed if it was the starter motor then it would've died slowly. crank, but not turn over, etc. but instead it was like i said. sometimes works, sometimes doesn;t, then stopped completely. guess i'll find out.

well i put another (used) starter motor on and now i'm getting the starter motor to whir, but the bike still wont turn over. i tried to bump start it, wont turn over though. i'm one step closer now but now what? you think my carbs are flooded?

did u try to start it in gear?
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Scientology Forum

yep. tried to start it in gear. i also bought new spark plugs and drained the carbs just in case. still nothing.

If the starter spins, but the bike does not turn over, it could be an exhaust valve issue. I had a single-cylinder where the exhaust solinoid died, freezing it open. Everything worked, but without compression, it would not turn over. Got the solinoid replaced, and it started like a champ.

Not sure if the EX500 has a single exhaust solinoid or two (being a twin). Not an electrical guy at all Maybe have the compression checked.

--Dave

Try pulling the startor out then cranking it over. Make sure you are pressing the startor motor against the crankcase to get a ground. This will tell you if it is a electrical problem or a motor problem. Plus I would replace that right handle bar switch cause if you have to hold the botton down to get power to the startor its going out for sure. If the motor spins good outside of the motor then check you startor clutch. In two years as a motorcycle tech. I have had to replace 5 startor clutches in the EX 500's. Good news though they have not change the bike since 86. Hope this helps.