Newbie In Over My Head

[Someguy]

I've been lurking for some time, and forgot to write up an intro post. I'm in Georgia, and I bought my '81 Heritage Special about a month ago, not running. Recently acquired some parts from another person on the forum (air boxes, tail light, side covers).
She's missing some things, but barring my college budget, I'd like to have her roadable mid-late september. So far I've been going through wiring cleaning connections, ran a ground for my starter button, and soldered my starter wire to the button itself, since the PO yanked it put for some reason.
Currently chasing gremlins trying to get my starter working while I wait on payday to buy some goodies to try and get the engine running (ignition stuff and oil/filter). After solving most of what I thought to be wrong with the wiring, I've found my ignition fuse holder isn't making good contact, cleaned it up some, stil having issues, so I'm ordering a blade fuse block this week I suppose. Either way, went to try running the starter, and my neutral. Light kept dimming out randomly. Hooked the battery to a volt meter, and with ignition on, the voltage fluctuated for several minutes. When I pushed the starter button, it would drop, but the solenoid wouldn't cut over. Then, magically, the light stopped dimming, the solenoid clicked intermittently, then clicked and buzzed. Measured voltage across the battery at 9. Charged it on a smart charger, still only read at 10 volts. Now I need a new battery I suppose.

Now that the book is done, any recommendations on batteries or what to look for in the wiring?

 

[Someguy]

Picture Time!

Also, I measured voltage while trying to use the electric start.
Key off: 10.5V
Key on: 10V
Press starter: Solenoid clicks, voltage drops, ranges from 3V to 7V
Release starter button: 8V
Voltage across the solenoid while holding start button: 7V

Sometimes, the solenoid would buzz, sometimes it would click repeatedly, and sometimes it would only click once.

Any help would be appreciated, and feel free to laugh if I'm as big an idiot as I feel with this issue.

 

[HiPurpleTurtle]

I want to say 10v is too low for the bike to turn over, bud! I think it's usually at least 12.4~. At least that's how mine is.
Try throwing your battery on a trickle charger if you've got one!

But I would definitely throw in a well-charged battery. Good luck!

 

[Someguy]

Yes, I charged it all night, but it still reads around 10.5V.

 

[xschris]

Time for a new battery A fully charged battery should be around 12.8 or so.

 

[Someguy]

A wally world 12 amp hour one would be fine, right?

 

[Someguy]

Also, from my understanding, the starter solenoid is just a heavy relay, the red/white ignition wire being "hot", and the blue/white wire running the electricity back to ground. When the red/white wire is closed all the way to power, and the starter button closes, the power closes the solenoid's circuit.

So until the starter button is pressed, the red/white wire should not be grounding at all, right?

Playing with the continuity setting, my meter showed continuity between the red wire and ground when the starter button wasn't pressed and the kill switch was turned to "run. Is any other part of the circuit "coils, ignitor, etc." supposed to ground when the key is turned on?

 

[XS400NJ]

From your posts it sounds like you battery is almost dead, but otherwise things are ok.

The continuity of red wire to ground should show some (but low) resistance, it is "grounding" but through coil of the relay. The big black wire that goes into engine/starter should show even lower resistance "continuity" to ground through coil of the starter.

If you have a car (or a car battery) - you can use jumper cables and see if it all works.

Does your bike has kickstart?

 

[Lou Ranger]

A wally world 12 amp hour one would be fine, right?

It should be. When I bought a new battery, I checked out several outlets. As far as I could tell, each outlet sold a battery made in the same factory - just with different store brand packaging.
One said it was made by Motorcycle Products Co., Reading PA, but the paperwork inside the box said Taiwan. Taiwan makes great stuff - not like some of the stuff from the other China.

At WallyMart, the same battery (as far as I could see) was $10 cheaper than anywhere else. Looked like the same sized box and innards - except for the wording, it said made in Taiwan for Johnston Controls Inc.

 

[Someguy]

I'll go jump it with the car battery to check when I get home then. I'll go check the starter cable resistance too.
When I get to wally, look for Taiwan, got it.

 

[BrokenFang]

Good luck on build. Oh how i hated those handle bars.

 

[Someguy]

You and I both. Maybe if I was laid back in a harley, those handlebars would be warranted, but not here. I still don't know if I want to keep it and build it, or ride it awhile and sell for something bigger or different. Being that it's my first bike.

 

[levdir]

I can virtually guarantee you'll want something bigger by next season; these bikes can do highway and people do long-haul travel on them, but they're certainly not the best possible bike for such use. Great around town and super tractable, but not much for multirole use. I love my XS but I'm still hoping to get an XJ or FJ for next year's riding.

 

[Someguy]

I heard a straight piped 550 and loved it. I'll just try getting this one fixed up before I look at others.

 

[Bull85]

Oh how i hated those handle bars.

really? I have been in search of them. if you look at my avatar my bars are straight with a little rise. I hate them........ not sure what they are from. they are Japanese.

hard to find the stock swept back ones, where I live....... would I be a fool to get them? I just cant stand the feel of these I have.........

I don't mean to hijack thread. just curious.
if anyone reading has stock ones i'm interested!!!!!

 

[Someguy]

I have the stockers, and though I've not ridden with them yet, I have a feeling I'll hate them.

Also, jumped from car battery, starter turned! Tried repeating this with my safety relay plugged in, and sure enough, nothing.

Popped out relay, set it on a rubber mat for insulation (metal body), and ran wires from the battery to the relay where the sky blue and black/yellow wires attached, no click.

I'm about to just run my starter button straight to the solenoid, with no safety. I could also wire it to the clutch switch too though, so it would still serve a purpose as a safety for my starter gears.