Starter button whining

[lacon]

Me doing the whining that is.....     Honda dropped a notch in my perspective with this one.
What a cheesy design.  A cheap button would be O.K. if you could buy just it, but it is included in the wiring/throttle cable housing.  A $70 mail order part - $90 or so MSRP.   
A simple fix would be to buy the assembly, swap out the button contact slider, & put the new wiring/throttle housing on the shelf.

I did read the Shop Talk article, got it patched up, & seems to be O.K, but just a matter of time until it overheats again I think.  I'll be gentle with it.
I'll study up on the solenoid addition fix & plan on doing that this winter. 

[Earl in Pensacola]

Do you have ANYTHING else wired up, like extra hywy lights?  If so, that is likely the problem, if they were not properly wired with a rely, not thru the same headlight wire.  My OEM switch was replaced at about 100K by the dealership.  It lasted about 75K.   I "serviced" the second switch, which again went about 75K and started to fail.  The second "servicing" was at about 250K and is still working fine and I'm up to 269K.  The servicing cost nothing but a little time and patience.

[John Schmidt]

You should have done this a long time ago(see link). It drops the high amp load on the start switch down to a fraction of one amp. Puts the load on a 30-40 amp relay made to handle that kind of load. And like was mentioned, if you have driving lights wired into the headlight circuit, you're causing even more trouble...and amps. Always wire those extra lights with a separate circuit for two reasons; first...as stated, it keeps the extra load off the start switch, and second...if your headlight circuit goes south on you, you still have the driving lights to get you home.

In the link, scroll down the Start Switch Safeguard. Don't put it off, takes less than an hour to do once you get your stuff together.
http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/starter.html

[lacon]

No extra lights, but I do have a Kriss headlight modulator.  I did not think it would increase the load, but I'm not sure now.  Maybe should just use low beam for a while.
Thanks for the link.  I need to find a 4 pin relay.  Any recommendations as to what & where to buy?
Also, it's good to know how to wire in an aftermarket button if it comes down to that.

[Madmike]

No extra lights, but I do have a Kriss headlight modulator.  I did not think it would increase the load, but I'm not sure now.  Maybe should just use low beam for a while.
Thanks for the link.  I need to find a 4 pin relay.  Any recommendations as to what & where to buy?
Also, it's good to know how to wire in an aftermarket button if it comes down to that.

you should be able to buy a relay and holder at any NAPA or equivalent, here in Canada they usually have them in the electrical section of thh store around where driving lights etc are and will likely know what you want if you ask for a driving light relay and pigtail.  They are usually available in 40 and 50 AMP variations.   If you get the prewired relay holder & pigtail it makes the wiring permanent and if the relay fails you can just unplug it from the holder to change.   

The only difference between a 4 pin and a 5 pin relay is that the five pin gives you a set of contacts that are closed and a second set that is open when the relays control circuit is deenergised  and they both change state when the control circuit is energised, the four pin only has the open set in the deenergised position.  These terminals are usuall marked as #'s 87 and 87A I think off the top of my head often there is a schematic right on the side of the relay that shows you which terminal is which and then the terminals are numbered beside them on the relay.