Starter relay question

I probably won't get to the kz until friday or saturday. But I'm sure i'll run into questions. I found a good wiring diagram on this site under "bare bones" I'm using.

And here's the honda with a future rider on it. My nephew. He loves the bike. Says he doesn't really like the new bikes out there. Smart kid.

Pulled of the throttle/starter combo today. there was a small cylindrical chunk of metal floating around in there. I'm assuming this is the piece that when you press the start button this metal piece(inside the nunit) completes the connection of the 2 internal wires. Is this right and is it fixable through fenagling it (metal piece) back in there. i see there's a small screw that holds the wires in place. take it off and pop it back in? or is it easier to make a seperate starter button on the handle bars?

Nice Honda
If you have pieces floating around and you can not figure out where it goes you may need a new switch pod. You could mount a button somewhere just make sure you tape it up real good so it does not ground out and start poping fuses

Finally bought a continuity light tester. There was a fuse hidden under some electrical tape. didn't know it was there. Found The brass connectors holding the fuse pretty corroded and holding back alot of current. So next step is to clean up all connections on the wires.

I changed out my starter relay for a bosch type 40 amp relay, and while at it, put in a 30a relay for the coils like wired george suggests, and a 30a relay for my hella spotlight I use for a headlight, all inside a project box w/ a 30a circuit breaker just in case of the apocalypse.

Just curious, where do you tuck that box away? Under the fender?
I might go that route eventually. But for now I'm eliminating all the excess wires on the bike. Just the wires necessary to run and have a head and tail light. But I'll still have a couple fuses in place still.

Well I found the free time tonight to go through the wiring. I stripped all the old, burnt, cracked, and crapped out wires out. And gutted all "non-essential to run" wires. I used A "Bare Bones" wiring diagram That Loudhvx posted a couple years ago (nice job by the way)to wire a basic harness. Plus I got the starter button to work.
So after hours of sitting on a milk crate doing the wiring, I hit the start button and I get the whirring sound of the solenoid only. So I'm assuming the solenoid is crapped out which I suspected anyway. I tried to hook up a solenoid a guy sold me at napa(made for a ford, and a big old thing) and got nothing at all.
So I was looking at wompy5000's post and he used a 40 amp relay in place of the solenoid. So how does the wiring work? I've never used one. I have a 30amp just like it and was reading the numbers on the bottom but haven't a clue which leads where.
Any help? PLus should I get a 40 amp relay?

My understanding of starter relay's is that the small wires go to the energizing coil. The heavier contacts carry the current when the relay is energized. Think of a solenoid as a remote controlled heavy duty switch.

www.boardrelays.com/?gclid=CNzst_PAkZgCFRo-awodC2zVng

www.2carpros.com/how_to/how_do_i_check_a_relay.htm

I caution trying to use these smaller "Cubed" relays as a replacement for a solenoid as the contacts even though rated for 30/40 amps may not be sufficient to turn over the engine. Consider cold, thick oil,and high compression may pull 80 amps or more.

If it were me, I'd get a suitable riding lawnmower solenoid(much cheaper at around $15, than Kawasaki's $200 +).

I may try the cubed relay just to test run the bike today. But will heed the warning about insufficiency and find a lawnmower solenoid asap. Any suggestions of places. Do you think sears or lowes would have one?

According to this(from the above link):
Terminals 86 and 85 are the primary half of the relay that utilizes an electromagnet to close (connect) the secondary electrical circuit inside the relay. This electromagnet is activated by a simple power (+) and ground (-) much like a light bulb circuit.

Terminals 87 and 30 are the secondary half of the relay that is the "switch" that transfer's electrical current from one terminal to the other.

On the cube relay, would the 86 and 85 be ground through the frame wires and the 87 and 30 wired to the starter then the battery?

I think I'll look for a lawnmower solenoid like you suggest. Quick question though. With the old solenoid on, when I hit the starter button, the solenoid made a whirring sound. What exactly does that indicate? I guess what I'm asking is what's happening inside the solenoid that's not working properly?

My experiance with solenoids is that they either work or don't. It should pull in with a click, and continuity can be measured across the two heavy duty contacts(with one of the positive leads disconnected).

If the solenoid is making noise, I'd say replace it as the coil may be loose leading to future failure.

if somebody explains how to post a 12 meg file I can send you a pdf of the manual for your 550. will I need to mail it as a cd?