starting problems

ok i was teaching my brother how to ride on my bike a 1983 honda vf750f interceptor. it started up just fine i was teaching him how to take off from a a stop. after a few times of showiing him how to get going i shut the bike off to talk to him. when i went to start the bike again all i got was click. so i ran a voltage drop drop test on the relay. and when activated it uses up all the voltage as it should. and i am gettin 12 at the postive. i also ran a continuity test on relay and it does have a good ground. it will roll start. so im figurin its the starter. does any one know if this diag is correct or if theres anything else im missing. and if its correct how involved is replacing the starter on these.

 

isnt the starter inside the case. and how do get to it im a car tech not a bike tech lol so all of this haveing all the parts like your distributor and clutch and starter and alternator and watever else inside the engine are so confusing to me lol. ive never seen any thing like it

 

Get the manual. Starter is located at front of (not inside) engine and seldom fails. Jump the 2 large terminals on top of starter relay to test battery and starter. How old is your battery ?? May need replacement or a proper re-charge.

 

i have jumped the starter relay i get nothing it doesnt even spark like it should and the battery is brand spankin new

 

Owning any motorcycle--especially an older Honda--requires that you also own a battery charger and a multimeter and know how to use it.

 

Check

Run switch
Sidestand switch
Clutch switch
Neutral position sensor
Starter relay


My bet is master fuse

 

pretty sure that gen 1 has no side stand switch...but check the master fuse anyway
I would start there before jumping the starter..if its good continue with what Tink said

 

well first off im a car mechanic so obviously i have a multimeter and i atleast know the basics of how to use it. thats kinda a requirement for the job especially with all these newer cars out there with all their sensors and electrical crap. and secondly i work at a shop so i have access to a battery charger we kinda need that at a shop as well. i wrote in the original post that i performed continuity and voltage drop tests on the relay to test if i had a good ground and to test if the relay was opening up the circuit and using the voltage like its supposed to. i have also taken a screw driver and stuck inbetween the two post on the relay to see if it will turn over that way. nuthin not even a spark and since the battery has 12 volts which i know it does because i tested that with the meter as well i would believe it is the same thing as performing a jump test with an external battery. i also did not mention before but i recently replaced the relay because the one fried. i could still start the bike tho with the old relay using this method. so when all this started happening i figured i would try throwing the old back in see if i could cross the terminals and get it to start still nuthing not even a spark. so seeing as i have 12 at the battery and the four fuses on the fuse panel are not blown and the relay clicks when i hit the start button with the bike in nuetral. and i have continuity (good ground) and proper voltage drop and since i am at work right now and can not jump the starter itself i am lead to believe that the problem is down line from the relay i.e. in the wire running to the starter or the starter itself i think that sounds like a pretty reasonable diag dont yall. now if it comes down to replacing the starter is it just like on a car disconect neg terminal on battery disconect power wire on back of starter remove two holding bolts pull old starter out put new starter in put bolts back in conect power wire back and connect neg terminal.

 

OK, you're an experienced mechanic, so get in there and replace the starter brushes, likely worn to nubs after 28 years.

 

unlikely, since you dont pay on bets

 

did you check the main fuse? on the starter relay it would be a 30 amp.. also make suer that your wires the four that come off the relay are connected to the correct terminals....

 

ok when i jumpeds the starter i got nuthin. im definantly condeming the starter now. so on to the next part removal its just like on a car corect or is there some other fancy crap that it has in there that i gotta worry bout springin out when i pull the starter out

 

part 13 is a one way bearing in my clutch basket i believe. so i cant just take the two bolts holding the starter in place and pull it off and put a new/used one in