DR650 Electric start help

[chrisktm]

Thanks guys, she's alive again. It was corroded and stuck inside the motor. Maybe Ive been a bit liberal with the water blaster. The manual is great!

[merv]

Thread dredge. Our DR650SE has just suffered the same problem. Wouldn't start on Friday to go on the Lower North Island Adventure ride so I had to take my trusty Honda instead.

Our DR has spent its whole life doing nothing more than sealed or gravel roads and I never use a waterblaster on any of our bikes.

Monday I took the starter off and sure enough it is all corroded inside and the brushes are stuck within the holders on the backing plate. NordieBoy mentioned a $40 fix those years back. The kit today is closer to $70 bought through the local dealer but it does the trick.

The real issue with these is the flat profile rubber rings that are fitted to the body of the starter just squeeze out of the groove over time and water can leak in.

Today putting the new rubbers on, one squeezed out in about 30 minutes, so I took them off and are going with just black silicone gasket maker and sealant - I used JB Weld brand bought from Mitre 10. I'm letting the goo set and will fit it back to the bike tomorrow - sealant says give it 24 hours to set.

This is a good link to follow to do the job. Funny though it doesn't mention how hard it is to keep the rubber seals in place on the body of the starter. http://justdr650.com/starter-motor.php

See the pics - 1: The blimmin mess full of corrosion. 2: The freshly assembled version ready to go back on tomorrow.

[NordieBoy]

I cut and shortened the o-rings. SuperGlue the ends back together.

[merv]

I cut and shortened the o-rings. SuperGlue the ends back together.

I got new ones with the kit, but they were useless, but I can see what you are saying about shortening them. I think my goo will work beautifully though too.

[Dave89]

To check if its the solenoid join the two main terminals with a screwdriver or similar metal bar, if the starter spins its the solenoid if not you are sending voltage directly to the starter and if its not turning its likely that. you can then put 12v direct to the stater using a car jump lead to test if its the starter.
sounds like the starter motor though , rebuild kits on Trade me for $35 and solenoids for $30.

[Mustek]

I have a 1995 DR650 and its blown through about 4 starter solenoids. (3 presumably aftermarket and 1 genuine suzuki part which was supposedly higher rated than needed.)

Its now blown out the 4th one. I sent it in to coleman suzuki who changed some of the wire attachments and installed the supposedly high rated suzuki brand but didn't seem to know what the issue was that was causing this

It starts just fine when I jump the solenoid poles

Any ideas what the issue could be??

[pete376403]

I'm guessing the solenoid activation circuit is something like ; battery side of starter motor -> solenoid coil ->start button -> ground. (ignition switch will be in there somewhere) so pressing the button completes the circuit, solenoid energizes and becomes a magnet, which operates the armature and bridges the starter motor terminals. That there have been four failed solenoids suggests that the fault lies elsewhere. The current required to operate the solenoid is quite low, could be as simple as really dirty contacts at the starter button.
Edit - looks like the clutch switch and NSU switch are also involved

[pete376403]

wiring diagram

[Mustek]

could be as simple as really dirty contacts at the starter button.
Edit - looks like the clutch switch and NSU switch are also involved

Could the dirty contacts actually blow the solenoid???

Clutch switch has been disabled.

Whats a NSU switch??? Is that the kick stand switch which kills the engine if the kickstand comes down?

Thanks for the reply

[pete-blen]

might be worth looking at the diode.... AC & DC current could be coming in contact with each other
the start button has AC current going though it but the starter uses DC current..


..

[pete376403]

Could the dirty contacts actually blow the solenoid???

Clutch switch has been disabled.

Whats a NSU switch??? Is that the kick stand switch which kills the engine if the kickstand comes down?

Thanks for the reply

Sorry I misread the wiring diagram. The starter switch provides 12v (not ground) to the solenoid coil, which then goes to ground via the black w/ white tracer wire
You should be able to prove the solenoid is ok by putting 12V on the yellow w/ green tracer wire that goes via the clutch lever switch to the solenoid.

The NSU (located behind the clutch and with a history of coming loose) has a diode which is involved: From wiring diagram: Neutral switch, AKA NSU -inside the engine case behind the clutch basket. When witch is closed (in N) it grounds the diode above which allows power to flow through both the N light and the side stand relay - closing the relay, allowing power to flow to kill switch , which powers the starter button and CDI unit) So problem could be NSU and could be side stand relay as well.

I dont think dirty contacts could blow the solenoid - it's just a relay by another name. A low current circuit that energises a coil, making it a magnet. the magnet armature moves and joins two contacts which can carry a high current. Crud inside the solenoid could prevent the armature from moving.

Disclaimer: its a DR650 - Suzuki has its own interpretation of how electricity works. Believe me; I have an early '80s GS);-)

[NordieBoy]

Edit - looks like the clutch switch and NSU switch are also involved

Maybe not, on a '95.

[FJRider]

I've heard that before, usually before I spend 2 days trying to figure out what the fuck I did to the smoking remains of my PC, It would be faster to print off the couple of pages he needs and drive the 10kms to where he lives to give it to him....

Chris, let me know if you really want those couple of pages!

Easier to copy entire thing to a disc. NO printing required and easy to carry/install.

[pete376403]

Maybe not, on a '95.

OK 95 doesnt get the side stand relay or NSU but does get a decomp controller. And I thought the KLR wiring was a bit random.