Starter relay removal; help!

NWSwede

NWSwede

Joined
Jul 12, 2023
Messages
9
Age
68
Location
Tacoma, WA
How is the starter relay attached to the bike? (92 st11)
I have everything loose but can't see how to get it free of the rubber housing.
I haven't bought a new one yet, so am not exactly sure of what I'm dealing with.
 
In the diagram above, it's Number 8, the starter relay switch (sometimes referred to as the starter relay solenoid).
It's directly above the left foot peg, and in front of the battery and reg/rec unit.
It sits in a rubber housing/boot that I don't want to damage (it's been stuck in there for 32 years).
The boot is attached to two plastic ears/arms on either side that it looks like can be slid off from.

I got some advice today from the local Honda shop; recommended to use a rubber-safe silicone lubricant.
Thanks!
 
NWSwede said:
In the diagram above, it's Number 8, the starter relay switch (sometimes referred to as the starter relay solenoid).
It's directly above the left foot peg, and in front of the battery and reg/rec unit.
It sits in a rubber housing/boot that I don't want to damage (it's been stuck in there for 32 years).
The boot is attached to two plastic ears/arms on either side that it looks like can be slid off from.

I got some advice today from the local Honda shop; recommended to use a rubber-safe silicone lubricant.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
One further thing; if you've heard about the 'Red Wire Bypass", this relay is what that plug plugs into.
 
NWSwede said:
One further thing; if you've heard about the 'Red Wire Bypass", this relay is what that plug plugs into.
Click to expand...
IIRC, you just gently squeeze the two 'ear' and wiggle it off.
I thought you were talking about down at the starter itself.
I've got two 97 models and never had any trouble removing it.
And I have had to do the red wire bypass on one of them. ;)
 
A relevant question.
In any case, the bank of relays on the 1300 is similarly affixed.
The relays all sit in snug rubber boots, and the boots have molded sleeves that fit over metal or plastic "ears" or tabs to hold them in neat little rows under the left side cover.
Which are sadly, not labeled as to which relay is which, best I can tell.
Diagrams or a service manual are required, if you're like me and inept at tracing the maze of wires coming off the wiring harness.
 
Sadlsor said:
Which are sadly, not labeled as to which relay is which, best I can tell.
Diagrams or a service manual are required, if you're like me and inept at tracing the maze of wires coming off the wiring harness.
Click to expand...
Me too.
Interestingly, the 1100 the parts fiche shows the neat little row of three relays (11) all labelled as 'starter' relays, with (12) being the rubber holder they call 'suspension'.

1723042535817.png
 
I'm replacing the starter relay because, according to the diagnostic sequence, it is likely bad.
Over the past year, the starter has been increasingly intermittent, and now has failed completely.
I get a click when I push the start button, but that's all.
I tested the battery under load (it's also new), and it is fine.
The next step, according to the manual, was to jump directly from the positive battery to the starter; it engaged and turned fine, so, according to the manual the relay is the next culprit.
All this while keeping my fingers crossed......
 
Larry Fine said:
The click may be the headlight relay dropping out. My first guess is the starter switch itself.
Click to expand...
before checking the starter switch, press the starter button while holding your finger on the starter relay. If you feel the relay click, then you know its actuating. Next step would be to figure out why its not conducting. Could be the relay itself is bad, or it could be corrosion in the wiring path to or from the relay. That's a high current path, so it doesn't take much resistance to cause enough voltage drop to prevent the starter from turning.
 
As I've said before, replacing parts is a terrible troubleshooting method, as well as expensive and slow.

I was on the phone last night with a guy in the Nighthawk forum with a dead 650 and a probe test light.

We determined there was no connection between the starter relay B terminal and the dog-bone fuse.

He was getting ready to buy and replace several expensive parts, and all he had was a corroded washer.
 
dwalby said:
before checking the starter switch, press the starter button while holding your finger on the starter relay. If you feel the relay click, then you know its actuating. Next step would be to figure out why its not conducting. Could be the relay itself is bad, or it could be corrosion in the wiring path to or from the relay. That's a high current path, so it doesn't take much resistance to cause enough voltage drop to prevent the starter from turning
Click to expand...

Yes, I'd do some troubleshooting first to determine what's wrong. Right now it sounds like it's in the "starter relay" area. If you have a multimeter you can go more in-depth.
 
looks simple to me , g/r on relay is ground, y/r is b+ when starter button is pushed. Those are the 2 wires for the relay coil.
 
DeanR said:
Like Phil said. Just carefully wiggle it off the tabs. The rubber "sleeves" on our relays tear easily.

IMG_20240806_190356.jpg
Click to expand...
I also had to replace this on my 94. It crapped out on me at Laconia Bike week. I was with 7 Harleys and my Honda will not start! Not a good look. Was able to push jump it to ride home.
 
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