starter

[cac]

Hi Every one.I need some help on a start issue on a 1962 CB77.I am in the process of tearing the bike down I did get it running wasn't running great but did idle and some what accelerate with engine rpm. I couldn't find a gear though so decided to take the engine out, The starter problem began after I took the head light out now the starter button doesn't work there is power to it and I can jump the terminals down buy the solenoid to turn the starter and I do have power on the yellow and red striped wire.Where else can I look ? Thanks Chris

[Gunner_CAF]

The yellow and red wire runs through the headlight bucket into the handle bars to the button. This wire is grounded to the frame when the button is pressed. Trace this wire down to see if a connector came loose or broke.

Gunner

[Dgormley]

Try moving the wire in question around while testing. I chased a ground wire around on my CL for some time untill I found out it was broken(but not completely) inside the insulation. It showed continuity on my meter but wouldn't pass enough current to power the headlight.

[e3steve]

Hi Every one.I need some help on a start issue on a 1962 CB77.I am in the process of tearing the bike down I did get it running wasn't running great but did idle and some what accelerate with engine rpm. I couldn't find a gear though so decided to take the engine out, The starter problem began after I took the head light out now the starter button doesn't work there is power to it and I can jump the terminals down buy the solenoid to turn the starter and I do have power on the yellow and red striped wire.Where else can I look ? Thanks Chris

Chris, the starter button housing has to be grounded to function at all. You will get voltage at the yellow/red wire, with 'key-on', via hysteresis through the solenoid coil. Grounding the wire, as Gunner said, should result in the solenoid pulling, thus spinning the starter. If you hold the bare connector / wire you'll probably receive a kick from it when you lift it away from where you grounded it -- this is back-EMF (electromagnetic force) being released from the solenoid coil; and it makes you jump a bit!

If there's no reaction from the solenoid, attach a spare length of wire at the small terminal where the y/r connects on the solenoid and ground that -- same 'kick' applies, as shown in blue. If this results in success, then there's discontinuity somewhere in the y/r wire in the harness, as Deeg suggested.