Starter Switch Troubleshooting

[curtis517]

My 1998 Valkyrie ran fine all day Saturday then the last leg home I hit the start switch and nothing happen. Checked the 10 AMP & 30 AMP Fuses all was good. Pushed started to get her home.

Found a lot of good help on the TECH TALK that got me headed toward the right direction.

FIRST....... I turned the key on and jumpered with a screwdriver between the two big terminals attached to the STARTER RELAY, She Started so this told me the starter was good. One of these terminals goes to the starter and the other to the battery.

NEXT....... I Jumpered the RED/YELLOW wire coming from the STARTER RELAYS COIL to the POSITIVE side of the battery. Again with the Ignition key on and bike in neutral. She started again and this told me the STARTER RELAY and wiring and grounds were all good. If it would not of pulled the STARTER RELAY then it would of been a bad relay or bad ground "Green/Red" wire for the relay pull coil.
http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/schematics/rpage05.html

LAST...... I took apart the STARTER SWITCH Ref. Starter Button repair
http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/VSGPages/starterbutton.htm  

Again I Jumpered from the hot side of battery to the contact with a RED/YELLOW wire soldered to it, on the Start Switch. With ignition switch on and in neutral, the bike started again. This told me the wiring, Starter Relay and starter were all good.

I cleaned the Starter switch  http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/VSGPages/starterbutton.htm and it did not help at first. Then I bent the two contacts out just a small amount, being careful to not break them. This completed the fix. Good contact was now being made with the other six contacts the switch slides across.

SHE STARTS NORMAL NOW

Thanks for all the post that helped tremendously.  

[Jess from VA]

Well thank YOU for the nice report on your diagnostic procedures.

What you found is one of the most common Valk issues. 

[Bighead]

Have had to take mine apart to clean it a couple times

[Hoser]

I rode 500 miles one day without shutting the bike off because of a fried starter button.  Hoser   

[Chrisj CMA]

A point of clarification on the cleaning of them contacts in the starter button.  Yes by bending them around you can make them work right now.  The correct fix is to notice there is a spring under the little tits and they need to be free to move.  It that contact you bent up to get it to make contact doesnt bounce up and down as you press on it then its stuck in its slot and its only a matter of time until it gets pushed down again and contact is lost.  Normally a slim razor knife is all thats needed to clean that slot so the contacts can freely move then it wont get jammed up on you

[Probie (Scooter57)]

 I had to fix mine today, the plastic that holds the tits that ride on the spring has started melting so I need a permanent fix really soon. Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do? Is there a way to perhaps bypass it and customize a new switch?

[BobB]

Is there a way to perhaps bypass it and customize a new switch?

When you do a search on "starter switch" you get 14 pages of threads so this has been discussed to death.  Within those 14 pages there are many threads that discuss the solution which basically involves reducing the amperage flowing through the switch.  Here is my solution from a few years back:

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,55747.new.html#new

[mike72903]

Just fixed mine last week.  When I took the back of the switch off there is a copper metal bar with two bumps that has legs that fit down into slots.  A small spring pushes this into contact with the fixed switch contacts.  I noticed one side of the metal bar with the two bumps was lower than the other.  Pried it out of the slots and sprayed a little carb cleaner into the slots then reassembled.  I guess a little dry lubricant wouldn't hurt but mine then worked fine without. Both legs could move freely in their slots. Be careful if you take out the metal bar, you don't want to loose it or the small spring underneath.  

[Daniel Meyer]

Shoptalk is your friend....

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

http://valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/

[Probie (Scooter57)]

Hey Plunker, ya wanna translate that for someone that didn't finish the electronics program I had started? I was concentrating on being in RADIO anyway... 

Daniel, I've done that, it's to the point where I need to replace the button part of the switch as it is starting to melt at the springy tits 

I was hoping to put in a different switch in a different location to start it with...any suggestions?

[BobB]

Hey Plunker, ya wanna translate that for someone that didn't finish the electronics program I had started? I was concentrating on being in RADIO anyway...  

Scooter, no offence but if you did not understand my write up, it's good that you dropped out of radio school.  I don't understand radio stuff at all.  

Here is a link to "Chets Circuits" a long standing source for Valkyrie electrical modifications:
http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/circuits.html

My article focused on the fact that it was my hi/low beam switch that failed and the use of Micro ISO relays to resolve it.  The starter switch issue is common to ALL Valkyries (Standard, Tourer and Interstate) and that is why there are 14 pages of threads on the subject.  My problem with the hi/low beam switch only applies to the Standard and Tourer, as the Interstate already has two relays in place for that.  It is a lot less common and that is why I published the solution.  

The solution is not "plug and play" although it could be, because all the hardware and wiring modifications are contained within the headlight housing of a Standard or Tourer.  I have done technical writing but I do not believe I could make my description any more clear.  Scooter, perhaps you can find someone locally that can help.  I hope you have the Clymer Manual on the Valkyrie, I could not be without mine.