02 Bayou 300 solenoid connections

[cavry]

Wiring shows White and Brown to solenoid blades. Then a black wire from starter circuit relay to solenoid. I am confused,  where is that black wire supposed to connect?

Thanks for any help

Cavry

[Mech]

The diagrams I looked at described both the starter relay and the starter solenoid as "relay". I think we should describe the one with the starter cables attached as the starter solenoid.. to avoid confusion.

In the diagrams I looked at the colours were different but the solenoid had two small wires operating it, one of which was black, and that one went to the starter relay and bought the 12v to the start solenoid to close it's contacts. The other one was supplying an earth to the solenoids windings. Then there was a white wire which in my diagram was shown as being connected to the battery's positive post, but which could be attached to the solenoid's battery cable post/terminal and it would serve the same purpose of supplying 12v power to the main fuse and then the bike.

[cavry]

I'll try that in a few minutes.  That still leaves the heavy brown wire.  Thank You.

[Mech]

Do you have a wiring diagram ?

[Mech]

This is what I'm looking at.

output.pdf

Edited May 2 by Mech

[cavry]

This is much clearer and understandable than the diagram I found.  Again, Thank You. 

Cavry

[cavry]

I finally got to the wiring today.  The Bayou will start easily. I now have to find a dirty or bad connection or check the start button. The solenoid works fine. It fires 3 or 4 times and then will not start unless I jump it straight to the starter post.  The critical thing is that it starts and runs well when it does.  

Again Mech, thank you for your help.

[Mech]

Definitely check the start button. Most start and kill buttons are poorly weatherproofed.. if at all !

[Gwbarm]

Starter button is definately a strong possibility but i have also had soloenids stick, may work a couple of times as you describe and then stick, and you have to giggle the start button or lightly tap on the soloenoid to get it to unstick. 

[Mech]

Yeah it could be the solenoid, and a good test to verify that, is to give it a hard tap with a screwdriver handle, while holding the start button down. There is a danger though that if the solenoid earth is bad, or the start button does have a bad contact, or the isolation relay has a bad contact, or, in some bikes, the kill switch has a bad contact, causing low current to the solenoid windings, then the hard tap might just be enough to get the solenoid to move and operate with the low volts to the windings.. 

The best check for bad contacts or connections is to look for voltage drop through that windings circuit. If the voltage drop checks all pan out ok, then try tapping the solenoid.

[cavry]

Solenoid is fine.  Start, kill, and headlight switch is badly rough inside. Copper contacts are black, metal retainer plates are rusted.  A new switch has already been ordered.

[Gwbarm]

That sounds like a good choice, hope it gets you going.

[cavry]

I'll be using gasket seal or silicone when I put it on the handlebar.

[Gwbarm]

👍

[Mech]

I doubt silicon will keep the water out for long. I'd use vaseline or some soft seal, but you need to be careful where it goes if the starter is a press contact, rather than a sliding contact. Press contacts get dirty easy and even vaseline can stop them working. Sliding contacts cut through vaseline or soft seal so those contacts can be covered in the stuff.

[Gwbarm]

Good point, but i think you will be OK just keep it covered out of the weather, its taken 22 years to get this bad, and probably sat directly out in the weaather for many of those years.

[Mech]

Yup. A squirt of CRC or WD40 once every now and again will keep the new switch working.. if it's a genuine Kawa switch anyway. Non-genuine, perhaps not. Silicon though can give off fumes that corrode, and it's likely to keep the water that does inevitably seep in trapped in.

Silicon is awful stuff !!

[cavry]

Yep, it sat outside for years. It's been "down" for at least 5 years.

[cavry]

New OEM switch in place and starter is working well. Headlights are dead.  I'll get to that tomorrow.  Brakes and master cylinder are next.

[Gwbarm]

Thats good you got the new switch working the starter, the brown wire you were talking about earlier generally goes to the lights you might check that to make sure its in good shape.