problem with starter button.

[Whipitnow]

  Hi I am Scott nice site, my 99 valkyrie starter button will not start the bike alot of times. You hit the button and the headlight goes out but half the time the starter will not turn over . It like clicks a little or does nothing at all but the headlight always goes out when you hit the button. Please help.

[Ricky-D]

The headlight is always supposed to go out when you push the starter button. It's a disconnect in the switch itself.

I'd first start at the battery and be sure it is good.  Age is not an indicator of condition!  Should be at 12.8 volts or higher.

That ought to be your problem.

A bad battery!

***

[Craig N. AZ]

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

[R J]

The headlight is always supposed to go out when you push the starter button. It's a disconnect in the switch itself.

I'd first start at the battery and be sure it is good.  Age is not an indicator of condition!  Should be at 12.8 volts or higher.

That ought to be your problem.

A bad battery!

***

I'll agree with Ricky-D here, but I'd check the starter button first.

Use the instructions in the post above this one.

I should say the link.

[Ricky-D]

Well I keyed up on this phrase you posted when I said it's the battery.

It like clicks a little or does nothing at all

However this statement confuses the issue somewhat.

my 99 valkyrie starter button will not start the bike alot of times.

So, if the clicking is always present when not starting and it's been happening a long time now it might be the starter relay or a connection on the starter relay.

There have been many posts on corroded relay connections right there in the connector. All there under the right side cover.

The reason I would think it's not the switch on the handlebars is: the clicking being present. That's a low current switch and the clicking indicates it is working. The clicking being the relay in this instance.

Since it's been an ever present problem You need to look at a poorly conducting connection starting at the starter relay.

That's of course after assuring the battery is good.

***

[R J]

Well I keyed up on this phrase you posted when I said it's the battery.

It like clicks a little or does nothing at all

However this statement confuses the issue somewhat.

my 99 valkyrie starter button will not start the bike alot of times.

So, if the clicking is always present when not starting and it's been happening a long time now it might be the starter relay or a connection on the starter relay.

There have been many posts on corroded relay connections right there in the connector. All there under the right side cover.

The reason I would think it's not the switch on the handlebars is: the clicking being present. That's a low current switch and the clicking indicates it is working. The clicking being the relay in this instance.

Since it's been an ever present problem You need to look at a poorly conducting connection starting at the starter relay.

That's of course after assuring the battery is good.

***

Ricky-D, only reason I said button 1st, is, it more than likely needs serviced and then he has a good (relay) button to work with to find and fix da problem......

[Steve K (IA)]

Well I keyed up on this phrase you posted when I said it's the battery.

It like clicks a little or does nothing at all

However this statement confuses the issue somewhat.

my 99 valkyrie starter button will not start the bike alot of times.

So, if the clicking is always present when not starting and it's been happening a long time now it might be the starter relay or a connection on the starter relay.

There have been many posts on corroded relay connections right there in the connector. All there under the right side cover.

The reason I would think it's not the switch on the handlebars is: the clicking being present. That's a low current switch and the clicking indicates it is working. The clicking being the relay in this instance.

Since it's been an ever present problem You need to look at a poorly conducting connection starting at the starter relay.

That's of course after assuring the battery is good.

***

Ya, what Ricky-D say's

[Ricky-D]

I am not in disagreement with any diagnosis here. Simply stating that I feel the handlebar switch is very low on the possible cause of the problem.  Insuring the switch is operating properly is a good thing.

Probably the best diagnosis tool you can have in your toolbox is a continuity tester.

I have a continuity tester I made up that has a Radio Shack Piezo-electric buzzer (12v).  Very simple, very helpful. Better than a light bulb I assure you, since you do not have to take your eyes off the testing you are doing. An audible signal says it all!

I have alligator clips on both ends and some time use a large size sewing needle (as a probe) to be able to pierce the wire covering.

I also have it rigged to use a battery other than the bike's battery so I can isolate a wire and test it singularly.

With a continuity tester it is a simple matter to get to the heart of the problem, especially so in this instance.

Without a continuity tester it is a really burdensome thing to check what's happening and you always then run a chance of screwing something up, disturbing something else and multiplying the problem unknowingly.

***

[R J]

No arguments there kind Sir:

Agree, 100 %.

Only problem is, some people are not savvy to our tools we use...

67 years ago, I didn't know how to trace electrical problems.  I was always trying to wire up something, I'd get stumped & hollow for help from my dad.

Finally he set me down & showed me how,,,,

Then we had an old tractor that wouldn't move, but it ran.   He would sabotage the electrical circuit somewhere & I had to find it, fix it and make it run.

One time he put a piece of scotch tape on the points, that took some head scratching, but I found it by due process of chasing the circuit back wards.

Learned a lot from him in a very short time, then I lost him on Iwo Jima, so I kind of fended for myself in learning stuff.    Too this day, I still miss his instructions.