starter relay

[CMA_Carl]

I've been screwing with this starter relay for a couple years. I'm tired of it, what do i need to do to fix it. The green part is all but gone. the red connector has been gone for a long time. I've been to the dealer and can't get the warm fuzzies about what to order to replace and fix the heat problem. HELP!

and as always.. thanks ahead of time, i count on good info from y'all.
Carl

[Ratdog]

http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/starter.html



Go here and read up my article for Chet's pages.  

If you find a dealer's shop that is willing to do so, and/or has old harnesses in a bin... the connector from a GoldWing harness, as well as other bikes can be snipped from the harness and grafted onto your harness with some careful soldering/heat shrinking work.  I've had luck on two occasions to dismantle the fried relay, cleaning the contacts with a file on my pocket knife, taping connections to keep 'em from shorting against one another and getting back on the road.  Some "CorrosionX" is a good thing too for connectors.

The '97-'99 bikes are most prone to them cooking.  In '00, Honda did some preventative addition by adding an auxillary rubber/plastic hood over the relay/connector to keep it cleaner/drier.  Some descending wraps of electrical tape can achieve the same affect once things are "fixed".

The relay will cost ya plenty, in excess of $70, and the entire wire harness is over $300.  So... if you can find a shop that will allow you to salvage a connector off an old harness, you're way ahead.  In your research, cross reference which bikes use the same relay and that'll give you additional connector soures from salvaged harnesses.

[R J]

here is the part # to order from Honda.   It is for an older Gold Wing.  You have to move the big red wire to match the old receptacle.

[Toledo Mark]

So with this part it no longer covers the fuse?  But it appears the rubber boot is bigger.

[thelt]

Where is this located so I can check mine on my '99 I/S?

[Gryphon Rider]

Where is this located so I can check mine on my '99 I/S?

Behind the right side cover, to the left of the fuse block.

[hubcapsc]

I ordered this thing for $5.00. It took two months to get here, but it arrived
the other day, the four-blade connector fits great onto the Valkyrie relay 



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0094GK02E/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got the Amazon "valkyrie relay" for $10:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007473OWI/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They're in my saddlebags. I need to study how the four blades wire into the
real harness, hopefully this little four-blade pigtail can be crimped in on
the side of the road without much trouble...

-Mike

[Black Dog]

Charles and RJ have good info, and that is the method I used when this issue first left me stranded.  Doing some research, the second time this happened, I came across another fix, that uses a relay from a Ford F150.  To me a much beefier fix, and easy to do.

Here is the write up I did, after using Kruzin Daves method...

snip

For the second time, in her 16 years of providing miles of smiles, my lady let me down the other day  

Got up Monday morning, looked at the weather and saw a perfect chance to 'ride' to work.  Pushed the beast out of her cave, strapped on the helmet, snugged up the gloves, slid on my sun glasses, turned the key, pushed the starter, and ...  Nothing    No indicator lights, no headlights, no nothing...

I've experienced this once before, while in the driveway of a Harley riding friend of mine...  Bad timing, and kinda is the reason I no longer give him crap about his bike (in good fun   ).  

Last time, it was the starter relay 'meltdown' that got me (I had made a point of glooping up the connection portion of the relay with Di-Electric grease, every spring, since the last repair...)  Same symptoms, same everything.  Last time I 'fixed' the problem using the OEM parts, as outlined in many posts found if you search 'Starter Relay' on these boards.

To refresh my memory, I searched again, and found many helpful hints (RJ's is probably the best known, using the 'kit').  While reading, I came across the write up by Kruzin (Dave) that uses a much beefier, heavy duty starter relay made for an 80's vintage Ford F150  

See it here...

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,45371.0.html

Went to my local NAPA after work on Tuesday, picked up the relay, a heavy duty inline fuse holder, some beefier connectors and shrink tubing...  Out the door for less than $40 (and no waiting for parts to be delivered)  

Tore in to the Fat Gurl at about 5:30 last night, and was on my way to grab a burger and a shake, with my brother, at 8:00.  

The new install is clean, sturdy, and IMO, will last much longer than if I went with the OEM parts.

Big      to Dave for taking the time to take pictures and document the process for maybe fixing this issue for good!  I 'PM'd" him Monday, asking if I could contact him if I encountered any issues, and he gave up his cell number, no questions asked.

Just another reason to hate this club, and to ask where I can fill out a form to get my dues back  

end snip


Black Dog

[Thunderbolt]

Mike have you tested that relay?  24V is stamped on the cover.  Don't know if 12V will close the relay.

[Punisher]

Mike have you tested that relay?  24V is stamped on the cover.  Don't know if 12V will close the relay.

Didn't sound to me like he was using that 24V relay, just the pig-tail that plugs into it.   Said it fit nicely in the Valkyrie style relay that he had ordered too and he just needed to know how to wire it up.

Reckon we'll find out when he responds...

[Thunderbolt]

O.K. I probably scanned that too quickly.  Mike lets us know when you try it out.

[hubcapsc]

O.K. I probably scanned that too quickly.  Mike lets us know when you try it out.

What Punisher said... I got one of the Valkyrie relays from Amazon and the other
whacko thing just because it was $5 and had the four-blade pigtail with it. I keep
them in my saddlebags.

I hope to never try it out 

-Mike