Exhaust leak

[bonehead]

Does the GZ have a starter relay?

[bonehead]

Originally Posted by Rick

When I turn the key the headlight, turn signals and horn all work. But when I press the start button nothing happens, no click no nothing. I tested the battery and it's fine. When I get it started it'll run all day (I routinely make 50+ mile trips to Austin and back). This started as in intermittent problem, but now I'm pretty much push starting it all the time.

Really starting to sound like the start button to me.

[mrlmd1]

Is your battery fully charged? Do the lights go on when you turn on the ignition key? Are they bright?
Does the starter turn over when you hit the start button? Does the relay click or the starter motor click?
Did you try and jump it from a NON-RUNNING car battery?
Did you try and jump the starter switch and relay with 12V applied through heavy battery cables right to the starter to see if the starter motor is good?
You have the other switch in the RUN position I presume.
First things first before you go and replace all sorts of parts without first trying to find the problem. If it starts and runs by pushing it, it can't be any of those things you are looking at. You have to first see if the battery is charged, check that the switch works, check if there's voltage being applied to the starter, that the starter works, and go down the line. It's unlikely any of those things are bad and I bet you have a dead battery.

[Rick]

It does have a starter relay. I haven't tested that. It might well be the starter switch as well, or the kill switch (all part of the same assembly). That part is a little more complicated to put in (a couple of spots to solder and I don't have a soldering iron). I was hoping to test some of these things before just buying all the pieces one by one but I don't really know the ins and outs of testing this stuff, although I'm pretty good at following instructions (the ones in the manual aren't exactly crystal clear). I also have a multimeter.

[mrlmd1]

Did you read my post above the one you just posted as I posted mine?

[Rick]

Is your battery fully charged? Do the lights go on when you turn on the ignition key? Are they bright? Yes, battery works fine, lights are bright, horn is loud

Does the starter turn over when you hit the start button? Does the relay click or the starter motor click? No sound at all

Did you try and jump it from a NON-RUNNING car battery?
Haven't tried that

Did you try and jump the starter switch and relay with 12V applied through heavy battery cables right to the starter to see if the starter motor is good?
No, but when the starter motor kicks on it works fine, that's why I'm thinking it's electrical. I wouldn't know how to do that

You have the other switch in the RUN position I presume.
Yes, double and triple checked that every time

First things first before you go and replace all sorts of parts without first trying to find the problem. If it starts and runs by pushing it, it can't be any of those things you are looking at. You have to first see if the battery is charged, check that the switch works, check if there's voltage being applied to the starter, that the starter works, and go down the line. It's unlikely any of those things are bad and I bet you have a dead battery.
Tested the battery yesterday, it's about 2 years old and read 12.5 with no load. Before it completely stopped working I'd press the switch and nothing. An hour later I'd press the switch and it starts right up. That's why I think it's a switch or connection somewhere, but I've been known to be wrong.

[bonehead]

Rick, fully charged 12v batteries will have over 13v static. I think PART of your problem is not a fully charged battery.

[mrlmd1]

Spray some more contact cleaner into the starter switch and run/stop switch and turn them on and off a number of times back and forth to try and clean the contacts.
If it starts sometimes, you may have some moisture or dirty contacts in the switches. Also check your battery contacts + and - and make sure they're free of corrosion.
To bypass the starter switch and relay - Try to hook up some heavy duty battery cables to the + terminal on the starter and - to the frame or engine somewhere, Connect the - cable to the - battery post and then momentarily touch the + to the good battery and see if the starter turns over. If so, turn the key on, make sure the bike's in neutral, hold in the clutch, and with the help of someone else, do that again and see if the bike starts. If it does, then the problem is either your starter switch being dirty, or your battery is discharged enough not to start the bike, or the starter solenoid is shot (doubtful).

[jonathan180iq]

I was gonna suggest the same.
Shoot something conductive behind the starter switch and see what happens.

[Rick]

Awesome, thanks. First thing tomorrow I'll hook it up to the trickle charger just to make certain that the battery is fully charged. And go from there.