please help me

[rileybryan9]

so I'm venturing into my dream of owning a bike and riding. I recently bought a nice goldwing but it won't start!?! everything gets power but it won't even attempt to turn over... please someone tell me what I could do
gold wing gl1100

[DaveO430]

Do you have any mechanical & electrical skills and any tools? Was it running when you bought it?

[rileybryan9]

It wasn't the gentleman said it was a switch. I don't have much for mechanical skills or tools but I can acquire both easily. I just don't know what direction to go

[ekvh]

You have posted on the gl1000 forum but your signature says it’s an 1100. First advice I will give is to pull the spark plugs, place a rag over the holes, flip the kill switch to off, and then see if it will crank over.

Sometimes these old gals get a leaking fuel issue which fills one cylinder with fuel. The motor will crank until it traps all the liquid in that cylinder and cannot go further. They call it hydrolocked and it is a serious concern which can bend a connecting rod. Do not forgot to turn the kill switch to the kill position. You could create a flame thrower if it expels fuel and gets a spark.

With the plugs out, if it doesn’t turn, use a set of car jumper cables and connect the hot (positive cable directly to the starter hot terminal. (Beside the gear shift lever)Just carefully roll and slide the rubber boot back. Be careful to just touch the post and cable parts, not the starter case.

[dingdong]

Do you have a volt/ohm meter? You will have to have one, for checking voltages, and the knowledge to use it before proceeding.

[eklimek]

Welcome to goldwing county.

If everything lights up but it wont turn over this will be easy.

Find the starter solenoid. Does it click?

If not why not. Is it the handle bar starter switch?

If yes, either the solenoid is rusty or the starter is kaput.

Jump the solenoid and, in neutral, ignite the starter. If it turns over, the solenoid is guilty. Shoot it or rebuild it.

If it is the starter, dont quit. The starter is rebuildable. It is snug but the starter does come out without removing the engine.

The threads for all this are on the site.

[eklimek]

How is it going?

Ipsem lorem

[Jim Garrett]

Sorry if this is late. Do your lights go off when you mash the starter switch? If not chances are it's in the switch and you need to start there. There are threads Here that will help you take it apart and clean it.

[Jim Garrett]

It could also be the kill switch so make sure you clean it while you're in there.

[DaveO430]

Sorry if this is late. Do your lights go off when you mash the starter switch? If not chances are it's in the switch and you need to start there. There are threads Here that will help you take it apart and clean it.

The lights going off have nothing to do with starting.

[Jim Garrett]

If the lights don't go off when the starter button is pushed, it is not functioning properly or there is no power getting to the switch.

[DaveO430]

If the lights don't go off when the starter button is pushed, it is not functioning properly or there is no power getting to the switch.

There are 2 switches in there operated by the same button, the headlight part has nothing to do with the starting part, 2 separate circuits.

[Earl43P]

There are 4 wires to the solenoid, 2 small for control, 2 large for power to the starter.

Start with the two large.
One should have 12v applied by its direct connection to the battery. Verify that.
The other large, will send power to the starter when the solenoid is activated by one of the 2 small wires. Chances are good that is not happening.

In neutral, with the key on, pressing the starter button on the right handlebar control, will/should send 12v from the ignition switch (through/from the neutral switch or the "pulled in" clutch handle switch) directly to the small solenoid wire. The other small solenoid wire goes to ground.

Note that there is a FUSE atop the solenoid connector that must be good. Test that.

If you never get 12v on the small wire, it is very likely a bad switch on the handlebar control.
Be careful with its disassembly, a small spring may disappear! Note that this switch has two functions: pressed, it engages the starter solenoid, as described. Released, it sends power to the headlamp Bright/Dim switch (I think) turning on the headlamp. I say "I think" because you can position the Bright/Dim switch in the center of those two positions and light both Hi and Low beams at once. This draws a lot more current and can quickly cause a problem with the starter switch headlamp function.

I like using the starter switch headlamp function to signal other drivers. Pressing it while riding blinks the headlamp off with each press. (DON'T do that with the clutch pulled in, the starter will engage with the engine running!) It's a good idea to wire in a relay such that the starter switch's relaxed contact's headlamp function is engaging a relay coil to send power to the headlamp. Keeps the current low through that switch, preserving its life. You'll probably find that yours is melted/black.

[DaveO430]

In neutral, with the key on, pressing the starter button on the right handlebar control, will/should send 12v from the ignition switch (through/from the neutral switch or the "pulled in" clutch handle switch) directly to the small solenoid wire. The other small solenoid wire goes to ground.

Power from the start switch goes directly to the solenoid through the yellow/red wire. Ground is provided through the neutral switch or the clutch switch, through the green/red wire. There is a diode in the neutral switch circuit that if blown will only allow starting with the clutch pulled in.

[Earl43P]

Power from the start switch goes directly to the solenoid through the yellow/red wire. Ground is provided through the neutral switch or the clutch switch, through the green/red wire. There is a diode in the neutral switch circuit that if blown will only allow starting with the clutch pulled in.

Very nice, thank you for the Alley Oop, Dave.

I had also sent him a PM offering to email him the schematic for his 83. (and upon reviewing that schematic, YOU'RE RIGHT!!)

[eklimek]

“I like using the starter switch headlamp function to signal other drivers. Pressing it while riding blinks the headlamp off with each press. “

Now that’s clever. Why did I not think of that?

Thanks for the tip.