Honda-SOHC

SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB500/550 => Topic started by: Man Of Kent on June 09, 2019, 11:24:55 AM

Title: Electric Start
Post by: Man Of Kent on June 09, 2019, 11:24:55 AM
Morning all,
CB550F
Tried starting the bike the other night, electric start started turning the bike over then suddenly stopped working, I thought it was a flat battery as I had not started the bike for sometime. Took the battery off today to charge it up, charged okay, put back on bike but still no life in the start button. When I do press the button there is just a flicker of the neutral light.

Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers
Dave
Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: Laverda Dave on June 09, 2019, 11:39:37 AM
First and easiest thing to do is check the earth's on the starter circuit including the main earth lead from the battery to where the lead connects to the frame. Check also the main feed to the starter motor itself and those going to the starter solenoid. If you are getting the neutral light dimming it sounds like a poor earth connection.
Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: Man Of Kent on June 09, 2019, 01:45:30 PM
Checked all the earths and they seem okay.
Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: Nurse Julie on June 09, 2019, 01:46:43 PM
Does she kick start?
Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: Man Of Kent on June 09, 2019, 02:24:45 PM
Yes Julie, she starts on the kick start.

Electric start was working then suddenly stopped like it was a flat battery.





Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: hairygit on June 09, 2019, 03:21:11 PM
Try connecting to a car battery with good jump leads. If it starts then, your battery is suspect, if not, suspect starter brushes (replaceable)

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Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: Rob62 on June 09, 2019, 03:24:37 PM
Starter solenoid ? A classic weak point on old Honda’s...
Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: Man Of Kent on June 09, 2019, 04:03:03 PM
Cheers hairy and rob.
Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: mike the bike on June 09, 2019, 05:43:12 PM
Short out the large terminals on the solenoid using a spanner.  Be prepared for a big spark as you do it..  This will eliminate the solenoid from your investigation.  If the starter spinsthe motor, then that works OK.  Now you can suspect the solenoid.
Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: matthewmosse on June 10, 2019, 11:00:43 PM
Those phosphor bronze bushes do sometimes elongate or wear, stopping the motor functioning, had that on a couple of 12v winches and a dynamo on the s2 landrover - where that managed to short out the charging system, letting lots of Lucas spare part no 00001 - smoke out of the loom. As long as you catch the wear before it goes right through the bushing its repairable by replacing the bronze insert, providing you cam source  a new bushing or make one. On motors it's far lower risk as it just stops turning, on a dynamo the engine keeps it spinning and once the short happens its totaling your loom. I have never seen something go up like a dead electrical short in a loom, takes seconds for the whole lot to melt and start a fire.
Try the shorting out the solenoid trick first, using a spanner or screwdriver you dont mind getting a bit pitted.
Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: Man Of Kent on June 11, 2019, 05:47:22 PM
What does shorting out the solenoid do?
Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: hairygit on June 11, 2019, 06:37:43 PM
By shorting out the 2 large terminals you are bypassing the solenoid, if the starter spins while you do it, the solenoid or the wiring to it is suspect.

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Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: K2-K6 on June 11, 2019, 07:19:13 PM
What does shorting out the solenoid do?

Inside the solenoid it is just connecting the two posts you can see that the cable is bolted to under command of the starter button.

When you bridge the terminals externally you are doing the same thing manually with a piece of metal,  so replicating the connection of battery to the starter motor. It just allows you to see if that component is at fault.

You can also,  separately, connect to the small wire feed to solenoid to bypass the loom through the starter button to assess that part too.
Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: Man Of Kent on June 12, 2019, 06:35:43 PM
Is the starter motor on the 550K3 same as a 400/4?
Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: Trigger on June 12, 2019, 06:41:31 PM
Is the starter motor on the 550K3 same as a 400/4?


Nope. But all 550 SOHC's are the same  ;)
Title: Re: Electric Start
Post by: Man Of Kent on September 29, 2019, 09:27:45 AM
Just a quick update, it was the solenoid. Replaced it with a cheap one off fleabay, so probably won't last long.  :)
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