ok, let me explain. My stepdad has a 96 honda shadow 1100 ACE (only 3k miles). When we go to start it, all the conditions are met: in neutral, killswitch on "run", key turned on. we know the battery is good, because all lights shine bright. we hit the start button... nothing, acting as if the killswitch is in "off". we wait about 20-30 seconds without changing anything... push the start button, and it starts up perfectly. Whats up with that?

4/14/2009 8:59:44 AM

solenoid?

4/14/2009 9:14:42 AM

^ My guess

4/14/2009 10:10:36 AM

thanks, i'll look into that

4/14/2009 7:12:22 PM

what you need to do is get a voltmeter and start checking

hit the starter button and check to see that you are getting 12v on the small wire on the solenoid, to rule out any safety switches etc., if not, you need to back up through the system

if that is good, then check to see if you get 12v on the starter terminal with the switch pressed in, if not, you have a bad solenoid

if that is good then, check at your starter, if you have 12v there, then you have a bad starter

more often than not, with the problem you are describing, it will be a bad switch or loose wire on the kill switch, ignition, clutch switch, or nuetral switch, and not a solenoid or starter problem

4/14/2009 7:17:42 PM