STUPID STARTER BUTTON!!!!!

[Bob E.]

   I hate this stupid starter button.  It left me stranded today...luckily at home when I went for lunch.  I thought it was going to strand me at work when I left for lunch, but after a couple pushes, it finally went off.  But when I went to come back to work, nothing.  No matter how many times I pressed that stupid button would it start.  Usually, I can get it to spin off by pushing the button in, then backing off just a hair.  But not this time.  I can't believe what a piece of crap that button is.  I service it every year and it still does this to me.  Meanwhile, my dad's goldwing, which is pretty much neglected most of the time, has never had a button problem, my old 1977 KZ1000, which sat outside for the 5 years I owned it never had a problem and to this day, 14 years later, still has never had a problem (my buddy owns it now), my ATV which gets swamped in water and mud has never had a problem...and on and on.

Is there some more reliable, aftermarket switch or some other modification to eliminate this problem once and for all??

[John Schmidt]

Scroll down to the "safeguard" section and follow the directions. I mounted the relay in the headlight bucket, used one of the three bolts that hold the bucket in place. I forget just now what the amperage difference is, but it sticks in my addled brain that it drops it from around 5 amps running through that start switch to less than a half amp. Someone can verify it for you I'm sure, I don't happen to have a relay handy to see what it actually is, just know it's a huge difference. The amperage that causes the problems for you is the headlight circuit, the relay takes that load off the start switch and puts it on a 30 or 40 amp rated relay.

By the way, I found a guy that made me a trailer box out of diamond plate aluminum. I was getting some resistance from the kitchen manager regarding smell, fiberglass dust, etc., remembering it from the last time I experimented with that stuff on a much smaller project. 

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

[DeathWishBikerDude]

Buy a spare off ebay.
About $30.
Tell how us how you really feel!
 

[RUDE DOG - Steelers]

My problem with the starter button wasnt with it needing to be cleaned.  It was bending the small contacts up just a little bit.  Cleaning mine did nothing.  Once I took it apart the second time and bent the little contacts up, it works like new.

[Robert]

There really is no reason to be stuck because of a bad starter switch because the starter relay is under the side cover and easily jumped. Honda in there wisdom decided to run the headlight through the starter switch instead of putting in a relay to do the job right so the switch either corrodes and heats up or just looses contact and heats up and distorts the plastic and helps to loose contact. I have wired my headlight and light bar lights through a relay and taken the load off the starter switch plus with a bit of silicon lube have had no problem.

[fudgie]

You can do what my HD bud does, use a screw driver and jump the starter. Still don't think he has his fixed yet.  ???

How hard is the relay thing to do?

[DeathWishBikerDude]

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

[John Schmidt]

You can do what my HD bud does, use a screw driver and jump the starter. Still don't think he has his fixed yet.  ???

How hard is the relay thing to do?

It really is quite easy, just follow the instructions in the link. Hardest part was finding a relay. Finally found a surplus shop with a bunch of n/o and n/c relays  with 30 & 40 amp rating for 12vdc. I grabbed a handful just in case I needed them in future.

[Bob E.]

I got it fixed last night...at least temporarily.  When I took it apart, it was all corroded and had this green, waxy stuff all over I guess from the dielectric grease I used the last time I "serviced" it.  The real problem was when I went to remove the contact piece.  It had apparently gotten hot and was a little stuck down into the plastic.  I was able to get it out easy enough, but the spring underneath it was toally melted into the plastic.  I bent it all to hell getting it out of there.  So I drove all over to different hardware stores looking for a replacement spring, but couldn't find one that small.  So I ended up coming home and straightening the spring as best as I could, then swapped it with the other spring under the little ball.  It went back together ok, but is a little tight.  So it sticks sometimes.  It seems to be getting better as I use it more, but I may be taking it back apart again.  Also, I didn't use any dielectric grease this time...I just sprayed it all down real good with silicone spray.

I read the info on the rattlebars site.  I'll probably just add the relay and put in a hidden push button switch somewhere so I don't have to worry about that cheap POS OEM switch.

[John Schmidt]

I read the info on the rattlebars site.  I'll probably just add the relay and put in a hidden push button switch somewhere so I don't have to worry about that cheap POS OEM switch.

Bob, I wouldn't use a separate push button, just do the relay thing. As for replacing the spring, go dig out some old ball point pens that have the return spring in them. Find one in good shape and has some strength to it.

[Bob E.]

I read the info on the rattlebars site.  I'll probably just add the relay and put in a hidden push button switch somewhere so I don't have to worry about that cheap POS OEM switch.

Bob, I wouldn't use a separate push button, just do the relay thing. As for replacing the spring, go dig out some old ball point pens that have the return spring in them. Find one in good shape and has some strength to it.

Nice thought, except that I just went through every pen and mechanical pencil on my desk and not one of them has the correct diameter spring...they are all too big.  Do you have any idea of a pen that would have the spring I need??

[John Schmidt]

I went through about a half dozen at work one day and found one of similar diameter, close enough anyway. Cut it off slightly longer than the OEM spring and it worked fine until I went to different controls altogether. The pen I got it from was a fat one, that much I remember.

[Bob E.]

The pen I got it from was a fat one, that much I remember.

Thanks...that really helps...LOL!!!

[Ricky-D]

Maybe Scripto will start making Honda parts   

I'd just suck it up and get a new switch.  Might be worth it to have some spare parts on hand.

[JetDriver]

Chet suggests using the spring from a long BIC BBQ lighter.  The spring is the right diameter, but too long, so you'll have to cut part of it off.                                 http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/starter.html

[Bob E.]

Chet suggests using the spring from a long BIC BBQ lighter.  The spring is the right diameter, but too long, so you'll have to cut part of it off.                                 http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/starter.html

Thanks!!

[Bob E.]

Maybe Scripto will start making Honda parts   

I'd just suck it up and get a new switch.  Might be worth it to have some spare parts on hand.

yeah...you're probably right.  I should get a new switch, then do the relay mod to protect it.

[Warlock]

I got it fixed last night...at least temporarily.  When I took it apart, it was all corroded and had this green, waxy stuff all over I guess from the dielectric grease I used the last time I "serviced" it.  The real problem was when I went to remove the contact piece.  It had apparently gotten hot and was a little stuck down into the plastic.  I was able to get it out easy enough, but the spring underneath it was toally melted into the plastic.  I bent it all to hell getting it out of there.  So I drove all over to different hardware stores looking for a replacement spring, but couldn't find one that small.  So I ended up coming home and straightening the spring as best as I could, then swapped it with the other spring under the little ball.  It went back together ok, but is a little tight.  So it sticks sometimes.  It seems to be getting better as I use it more, but I may be taking it back apart again.  Also, I didn't use any dielectric grease this time...I just sprayed it all down real good with silicone spray.

I read the info on the rattlebars site.  I'll probably just add the relay and put in a hidden push button switch somewhere so I don't have to worry about that cheap POS OEM switch.

Hey Bob, I would clean all the dielectric grease off. The reason I say this is the main job of dielectic is to insulate so voltage can not make contact. Once you apply dieelectric grease there you are putting a barrier between your contacts. Several people has burnt up starter switch by putting dielectric grease on the plug. Dielectric is great for coating the outside of the contacts, but not between. JMO
David

[Bob E.]

Hey Bob, I would clean all the dielectric grease off. The reason I say this is the main job of dielectic is to insulate so voltage can not make contact. Once you apply dieelectric grease there you are putting a barrier between your contacts. Several people has burnt up starter switch by putting dielectric grease on the plug. Dielectric is great for coating the outside of the contacts, but not between. JMO
David
[/quote]

Hmmm...I always though dielectric grease was to protect contacts from corrosion so as to improve electrical conduction??  I guess I learned something new.  I won't be using dielectric grease any more.

[Larry]

I got it fixed last night...at least temporarily.  When I took it apart, it was all corroded and had this green, waxy stuff all over I guess from the dielectric grease I used the last time I "serviced" it.  The real problem was when I went to remove the contact piece.  It had apparently gotten hot and was a little stuck down into the plastic.  I was able to get it out easy enough, but the spring underneath it was toally melted into the plastic.  I bent it all to hell getting it out of there.  So I drove all over to different hardware stores looking for a replacement spring, but couldn't find one that small.  So I ended up coming home and straightening the spring as best as I could, then swapped it with the other spring under the little ball.  It went back together ok, but is a little tight.  So it sticks sometimes.  It seems to be getting better as I use it more, but I may be taking it back apart again.  Also, I didn't use any dielectric grease this time...I just sprayed it all down real good with silicone spray.

I read the info on the rattlebars site.  I'll probably just add the relay and put in a hidden push button switch somewhere so I don't have to worry about that cheap POS OEM switch.

Hey Bob, I would clean all the dielectric grease off. The reason I say this is the main job of dielectic is to insulate so voltage can not make contact. Once you apply dieelectric grease there you are putting a barrier between your contacts. Several people has burnt up starter switch by putting dielectric grease on the plug. Dielectric is great for coating the outside of the contacts, but not between. JMO
David

Where you use the stuff then? The manual does mention it from time to time. 

[Redline +]

I got it fixed last night...at least temporarily.  When I took it apart, it was all corroded and had this green, waxy stuff all over I guess from the dielectric grease I used the last time I "serviced" it.  The real problem was when I went to remove the contact piece.  It had apparently gotten hot and was a little stuck down into the plastic.  I was able to get it out easy enough, but the spring underneath it was toally melted into the plastic.  I bent it all to hell getting it out of there.  So I drove all over to different hardware stores looking for a replacement spring, but couldn't find one that small.  So I ended up coming home and straightening the spring as best as I could, then swapped it with the other spring under the little ball.  It went back together ok, but is a little tight.  So it sticks sometimes.  It seems to be getting better as I use it more, but I may be taking it back apart again.  Also, I didn't use any dielectric grease this time...I just sprayed it all down real good with silicone spray.

I read the info on the rattlebars site.  I'll probably just add the relay and put in a hidden push button switch somewhere so I don't have to worry about that cheap POS OEM switch.

Hey Bob, I would clean all the dielectric grease off. The reason I say this is the main job of dielectic is to insulate so voltage can not make contact. Once you apply dieelectric grease there you are putting a barrier between your contacts. Several people has burnt up starter switch by putting dielectric grease on the plug. Dielectric is great for coating the outside of the contacts, but not between. JMO
David

I think you maybe confused about the use of dielectric grease. Reading the tube I just bought sounds like the stuff is perfect for this application. JMO

Cal

[Warlock]

Not confused. Just trying to keep some from frying some contacts.
David

[Tundra]

HI Robert, I was stranded my first ride on my first Valk, years ago with this problem. Along comes the Lone Ranger, an older fellow on a bobbed Valk with a car tire and checkered flags on the tank. I thought this looked pretty cool. He had me hot wired in no time! He had a length of wire under his seat, pulled it out, pulled my side cover and had me running. I still don't know what he jumped, anyone got pictures of how to do this? It would be smart thing to carry, since this is a known Valk problem?
  Bypass the relay and jump the starter to the battery?

[Warlock]

You can do it with a wide blade screwdriver. Follow the hot wire from you starter and it connects to the starter switch. Just jump right next to it with the key on and it will crank.
David