???? Starter ????

[JoBoy68]

I have an 83 interstate and also have an 84 1200. The 84 has been sitting for 20 years. I have done this before with a spare battery and jumped the starter solenoid on the 84 to show the engine turned over. This time I jumped it directly from my battery in the 83 all I got were sparks , when I went to start up the 83 there was a clicking noise and all the lights dimmed down to nothing let go of the start button, and the lights come back. I put power directly to the starter and nothing. Removed the starter and on the bench hit it with power and it spun. No fuses are blown nothing looked fried so just for the hell of it with the starter out I hit the start button lights stayed on selenoid clicked and got power to the starter cable. I put my test light on the cable that hooks to the starter and when the solenoid clicked the test light came on . Electrical is not my strong suit not sure where to go from here

[Rambozo]

Try to turn the engine with a wrench or via turning the rear wheel in gear. Sounds like the engine might be locked up.

[JoBoy68]

Explained how you think an electrical short can seize an engine ?

[Rambozo]

Not caused by electrical problem.
Starter spins on the bench so it's at least partially working. Won't spin on the bike but you say it has power.
The lights go off when starting by design so you can't gauge how much current the starter is using by their brightness, like on some bikes.
So one possibility is that the starter is working but unable to turn the engine. This can be from rust, hydro-locked with fuel or oil, etc. Easy to confirm or rule out by turning the engine over another way.

[JoBoy68]

Thanks for the input, the bike was running perfectly before I tried to jump the junk bike so do not think the engine is seized and I am reluctant to turn the engine with the starter chain just hanging and on the lights, the headlight goes out when you hit the start button what I was getting all lights even the instruments drew down to almost nothing and it was draining my battery so something electrical is going on today I am taking the starter apart to see if there is any visible damage

[Rambozo]

Ok now I'm confused over which bike you were talking about. So this isn't the bike that has been sitting for 20 years?
I take it you never put the starter back in after your bench test?
Since the bike has power to the starter wire, and the starter spins on the bench, it should spin in the bike. Perhaps there was something hung up in the starter, but it got freed up when you took it out. I don't suppose you have a DC current meter?
Or a way to put some load on the starter on the bench?

[JoBoy68]

Correct not the bike that was sitting for 20 years , My everyday bike the starter turned on the bench but it seemed to be turning rather slowly, I have an armature shop nearby I am going to have them check it out my suspicions are Starter , battery or solenoid I changed the solenoid and it seems to be working my battery is lithium and about 4 years old and I have noticed lately the battery has been charging more often

[JoBoy68]

UPDate , got my battery tested and it is junk , now have to decide on a regular battery or get another lithium then put everything back together