Failing Starter Button Or Starter?

[Valkorado]

Ruby is having some sporadic starting lately, and I'm hoping it's the button and not the starter.  Battery voltage fine, but sometimes she spins and other times she fires right up.  Getting to be a 50/50 proposition nowadays.

Could a failing starter button be the culprit, or should I look to the starter itself?  Is there a way to easily check which is wonky?

[97BLKVALK]

http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/VSGPages/starterbutton.htm

Also may want to check you ground which is under the alternator.

Michael

[sandy]

Could be a weak battery. They can spin fast but the coils need 9.6 volts to fire. Check voltage while the engine is spinning.

[Valkorado]

   Thanks.

[Willow]

Could be a weak battery. They can spin fast but the coils need 9.6 volts to fire. Check voltage while the engine is spinning.

Often when it's the battery the bike will fire when you let off the starter.

[Valkorado]

Could be a weak battery. They can spin fast but the coils need 9.6 volts to fire. Check voltage while the engine is spinning.

Often when it's the battery the bike will fire when you let off the starter.

Interesting.  I'll watch for that.

[Chrisj CMA]

Most of us have volt meters either as a tool or mounted on the bike. The volts may read good but if the amps are low that could cause your symptoms

[Valkorado]

Most of us have bolt Meyers either as s tool or mounted on the bike. The bolts may read good but if the amps are low that could cause your symptoms

Thanks Jeff.  It took me a second, but I got the gist before I started checking my bolts!   

[Chrisj CMA]

Most of us have bolt Meyers either as s tool or mounted on the bike. The bolts may read good but if the amps are low that could cause your symptoms

Thanks Jeff.  It took me a second, but I got the gist before I started checking my bolts!   

Ya. I typed in a hurry. Amps is what powers the ignition. If it’s turning over and not starting. Jump it to your car (car not running). If that fixes it you need a battery

[csj]

On one of our two wings, I had to go in and spray a bunch of contact cleaner in/around the starter button. Appears to have been all bunged up. Works properly now.

[Willow]

On one of our two wings, I had to go in and spray a bunch of contact cleaner in/around the starter button. Appears to have been all bunged up. Works properly now.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but if the starter button is in need of attention it won't spin the starter.

[sandy]

On one of our two wings, I had to go in and spray a bunch of contact cleaner in/around the starter button. Appears to have been all bunged up. Works properly now.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but if the starter button is in need of attention it won't spin the starter.

Carl: You’d be correct.

[Chrisj CMA]

On one of our two wings, I had to go in and spray a bunch of contact cleaner in/around the starter button. Appears to have been all bunged up. Works properly now.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but if the starter button is in need of attention it won't spin the starter.

It can be intermittent but it’s not going to cause a situation where the engine turns over with a no start

[Valkorado]

On one of our two wings, I had to go in and spray a bunch of contact cleaner in/around the starter button. Appears to have been all bunged up. Works properly now.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but if the starter button is in need of attention it won't spin the starter.

Uggh.  If that's the case it sounds like my starter could be going out.  Bummer.  I'll try a stronger battery first and see what happens.

[hubcapsc]

I don't guess I've ever heard of a Valkyrie starter going bad...

There's a doubled low-profile set of nuts locking the hot wire
to the starter. There's a properly fitting low profile wrench
in the OEM tool kit.

I wrung off the plastic part inside the starter by trying to loosen
the top nut without holding the bottom nut.

-Mike

[RonW]

"Could a failing starter button be the culprit, or should I look to the starter itself?  Is there a way to easily check which is wonky?"

A note on the start button. All that pushing in the start button does is send electricity to the starter relay. If the starter relay is defective, even a good start button won't trigger the starter motor to start cranking the engine. Both items must be working to complete the circuit. Usual test is bypassing the starter relay by jumping the positive and negative posts on the starter relay (pic below).

This connects battery +12 directly to the starter motor, something that the starter relay is suppose do internally (bottom pic). If bypassing does crank the engine reliably where pressing in the start button wouldn't, either the start button or the relay is bad. It's possible that both the start button and the starter relay are defective. To rule out the start button inspect its movable contact, here. Jumping the two posts with a screw driver isn't possible due to the protective *wall* between the two posts. Use extra heavy gauge wire or jumper cables to preform the bypass safely. I guess you could unbolt the cables and touch them together.

[The emperor has no clothes]

On one of our two wings, I had to go in and spray a bunch of contact cleaner in/around the starter button. Appears to have been all bunged up. Works properly now.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but if the starter button is in need of attention it won't spin the starter.

Uggh.  If that's the case it sounds like my starter could be going out.  Bummer.  I'll try a stronger battery first and see what happens.

I’m 99% sure it’s not your starter. If I understand what is going on correctly, when you press the starter button the engine spins over but doesn’t start ? If this is the case it is almost always a weakened battery. Possibly bad battery or ground connections.

[Valkorado]

Thanks for the replies.  I'll start diagnostics soon.

[csj]

On one of our two wings, I had to go in and spray a bunch of contact cleaner in/around the starter button. Appears to have been all bunged up. Works properly now.

I could have been more clear.

That 'Wing was not starting up. I found that the bike's starter motor was spinning, but the bike not starting up, with the starter button only half way depressed. After a bunch of research on goldwingdocs
I found that the starter button (and other buttons) can get bunged up with 22 year old grease. The contact cleaner got into the button, cleared it out some, now it depresses all the way down, and then the starter motor spins, as it is supposed to.

The bike still did not start up, even though there was spark at all 6 plugs, and the strong smell of gas from each plug hole.

Finally ripped off tupperware covering carburetors, took out air filter, a quick spray of starter fluid, and away she went, finally.
I also replaced the fuel filter. (I thought at the beginning that it was the starter button. Nope)

Working on a carbureted 'Wing is an exercise in Patience.