Starter short circuit?

I'm not a talented electrician, but I know more than nothing. I told myself that I wouldn't post here until I had a relatively definitive description of what was going on, and I was sure I couldn't figure it out myself. Well, after a great deal of poking around with a multimeter and uninstalling and reinstalling my starter, I've hit the wall.

I just rebuilt my KZ750L3 from freshly painted frame up. Everything is in place, and I have everything as plugged in as I can figure out. I even have the brown wire connected to the brown wire inside the headlight case.

I turn the key, and the dash lights come on. I pull in the clutch, because that switch matters, and hit the start button. The solenoid clicks, and the starter doesn't even think about turning.

I pulled the starter and wired it straight to the battery. In doing so I fried a few spare wires. Some of the time the starter turned, but most of the time I got an arc and a really hot wire. I pulled apart the starter and everything passed the tests in my Clymer manual. The only one close was the brush-to-positive terminal bolt, where my resistance reading was a very low, non-zero number.

But anyway, the thing turned some of the times I had it wired directly to the battery. Maybe the times it didn't spin was because I did something wrong?

The last time I installed the starter, I checked the voltage from ground to the starter lead on the solenoid. With the key in "on" I showed about .4 volts. With the key "on" and the start switch depressed, I showed 6 volts, and heard a new squeal. This sounds like a short, right?

But where would that short be? What could possibly be shorting out in that small series of wires? I do get the feeling that the whole bike is wired through the solenoid, but I.. don't really understand what's going on.

Could sure use some KZR wisdom!

Cheers in advance!

The 2 battery cables are what runs the starter circuit, the solenoid is just a switch, which is electrically controlled. So you need the Negative battery cable to be connected to a clean ground on the Engine Block, then at the battery. The Positive cable is actually 2 pieces, one from the battery to the solenoid, then the second from the solenoid to the starter motor. So make sure of all of these connections. If you get the solenoid to Click, but the starter doesn't turn, and all of the cables are OK. Try jumping the 2 post terminals on the solenoid with a metal bar, like a 3" socket extension. Small wires will quickly over heat from the amount of current/ amperage the starter needs to operate.
battery needs to be good, voltage 12.6 volts after charging.

Thanks for the reply. The battery's at 12.3v. I tried manually connecting the starter and got it to spin that way. Even though the solenoid does click, and I read a voltage change through it when I hit the start button, I'll try bridging the connection. I'll post an update after that!

Starter Solenoid/Motor Checkout Procedure

Some simple steps to determine what is working and what's not:

1.Fully charge and test the battery(most bike shops can load test the battery, and then use a floating ball hydrometer to check specific gravity in the charged cells).

2.Clean all battery terminals of corrosion.

3.Tighten all starting related connections(Positive RED(+) battery terminal, Negative BLACK(-)terminal) and from the terminal to the engine case. All connections must be clean and tight. If the cables feel “Crunchy” when flexed, they may have corrosion inside the insulation, requiring replacement.

4.Clean the cable from the starter solenoid to the starter motor.

5.Clean and check the "bullet connectors" going to the coil side of the starter solenoid.

6.Try again to start the bike, keep in mind some Kawasaki’s have a clutch interlock to prevent cranking the engine while it’s in gear, so the clutch lever must be squeezed.

7.If no luck, go to step #8

8.Wearing eye protection, bridge with pliers or a screwdriver the two heavy duty(large)terminals on the solenoid. If the bike cranks, your solenoid may be bad.

9. If the starter won’t turn over, one of several things has happened; The starter motor has seized due to brushes binding up, lack of lubrication in the bushings of the motor, the battery is weak , the engine has seized or it could be a combination of any of the above. A website for starter motors is:

A. www.psep.biz/store/mitsuba_starter_motors_page_2.htm

B. www.nationsautoelectric.com/Kawasaki.html

C. www.whitedogbikes.com/cat--Kawasaki-Star...-Starter-Motors.html

D. www.ricksmotorsportelectrics.com/starters.php

E. www.dbelectrical.com/

F. www.stockers.com/

G http://.www.nationsautoelectric.com/Kawasaki.html

H http:// www.dbelectrical.com/


10.The dealer may want $$$ for a new solenoid, but take your old one along and visit the nearest riding lawn mower shop. They have solenoids for about $15 that with a little work will fit. Be aware that the new solenoid from the lawn mower shop may require a ground wire for it to work.

11. I’d recommend upgrading from the existing battery cables to at least 6 gauge welding cables.
They are available in two colors(RED and BLACK) have more flexibility due to being constructed with finer conductors, and will fit in tighter areas.

12. The welding cable is sold by the foot, so take careful measurements or bring your old cables along. Most battery shops might be able to supply the cable too, so call to find out. The battery shop should be able to crimp/swage on the end of the welding cable the terminal ends or lugs using either a dedicated crimping machine or a tool that looks like a bolt cutter that has special dies to terminate the cable.

I'm gonna pull my last spare starter off my parts bike and pull it apart, inspect it, and reassemble the best parts from all three. Then I'll bridge it manually and see if it spins more easily than the one I'm using now.

As for your extremely helpful list, I made it to 9. I pulled it apart, and the brushes seemed okay, with plenty of material left. The thing has spun, a few of the times I wired it manually. I know the engine spins because I spun it in the process of adjusting the Krieger cam chain tensioner.

The solenoid is fine, as the voltage is 12 whenever the starter isn't connected and I hit the start.

Per your advice, I may swap the cables from my parts bike. Things are generally cleaner on it.

Can a starter motor be kind-of shorted? I mean, can it leak power some of the time and fail to work, and other times spin? If so, where are the likely shorts? In the starter body?

Make sure the mounting area for the starter is free of paint or corrosion, as this is the return to the battery Negative(-)post through the engine. Look at the engine mounting bolt too, that has a cable from the battery, for corrosion & tightness.

Starters can draw several hundred amps, depending on oil thickness, and engine compression when called upon to turn the engine over during the start sequence.

Interesting solution to this problem.

I replaced the starter with a different one, and I noticed that the new one rattled a bit when I shook it, like the bit spinny part was moving back and forth. So I stole some washer/spacers from the other one and tossed 'em in there.

One was a 2-brush, one was a 4-brush. I got it so it didn't rattle anymore, and tried to fire it up. Same: nothing happened.

Then I had an epiphany. The spacers might be jamming it. So I took 'em out. The thing rattles again, but starts up the bike just fine.. or at least gets it running, since the air pods are so dirty.

Thanks for the help, all. The problem was mechanical! My specialty!