My Yamaha XT600E dose not seem to like this cold weather as it wont start and when i have the battery connected evan when the ignition is off it will try to start untill it flattens the battery. Has any one eles had this problem.

Sounds like the relay has gone, to test this just remove the relay, reconnect the battery and see if it tries to start. There are two solutions:

Tap the relay 'lightly' with a spanner/screwdriver/stick/frozen gerbil etc, this might free it up
Replace the relay, they're not expensive

Oops, it might also be the switch on the bars (though I think this is less likely).

take the switch apart clean it with some contact cleaner or try it with the switch removed completely

Thanks buddy ill let you know how it comes along

Sounds like a classic example of a stucks tarter relay. Give it a wank with the shaft from a big screwdriver or hammer.

Starter solenoid!
Get a new one!

Hammer will only work for a while and always when you don't have one at hand! lol



Vando

I had the exact same problem yesterday on my TT600RE.

The battery was low (it’s winter) and the solenoid stuck. This is solenoid is 6 months old, the last one had a different problem, it did not connect.

IMHO this design is rubbish, the solenoids are simply not up for the task. I don’t like the cost of replacing them on a regular basis and I HATE the idea of them failing in the middle of nowhere, where I do most of my riding.

So before I install the third one this year I will look at alternatives. I went out and bought this small car-solenoid for next-to-nothing, maybe a little update of electrical system is the way to go.. I will let you guys know..

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Yamaha XT600E '01, Honda XR400 '03, Yamaha XT550 '83

I think you may have a problem with your keyboard too! (Joking).
Seriuosly though, I had this problem on my first TT600RE, I foolishly just kept pressing the start button when she didn't want to start. The battery was a bit low and by the time it was nigh-on flat, the solenoid contacts had welded together. Luckily I had the covers off of the battery area and quickly whipped off the cables whilst everything began smoking!
If she doesn't want to start, give it five minutes before you try again, the contacts have to carry a lot of current during starting and thus get very hot. I have never had this problem since on mine or my wifes' TTREs (5+ years and 4 bikes). Good luck.

Same story and advice as Leigh

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Remember that Assumption is the mother of all f**k-ups.

I had the same problem on my 2004 TT600RE first sign was the starter stuck on once then it was random only happened about 3 or 4 times whether the starter would turn over or not when you came to it for the next 4 weeks or so. I diagnosed it myself (wrongly) the starter relay/selonoid, I bought and fitted one and the bike was OK for 3 months then back to random turning over and then packed up altogether so instead of buying another relay for £40 I did the sensible thing and got my mate an excellent auto electrician to check it out and straight away he diagnosed a block connector behind the headlight that had that green corrosion on it so he cleaned that and the bike has been perfect ever since and now I have the original relay has a spare.

After having various niggling electrical faults on this not so Japanese bike I took all the connectors apart quite a few had green corrosion on them so cleaned them all then filled them full of petroleum jelly and not had a single electrical fault since and Ive got much more confidence in the electrics.

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Yamaha TT600RE 2004
Yamaha YZ250 2 stroke 99

Panzer, good point. I was wondering if that was the problem on my bike, but the solenoids contacts were indeed “welded” closed and only released after some gentle hitting with a hammer. So I’m sure the switch itself is OK.
I really like your idea of some Vaseline on all contacts, very good idea.



Monster Rob, I hooked up the new solenoid and the bike did the same thing. The battery is obviously junk and after one day without charging it was flat again. So a flat battery will do this as leigh and bobmech said. I don’t know why though, maybe someone can tell us??

So after a battery recharge I tried again and this time no problems. The bike started normally with the aftermarket solenoid. So I put the original solenoid in (after freeing it up) and again, no problems.

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Yamaha XT600E '01, Honda XR400 '03, Yamaha XT550 '83

"Monster Rob, I hooked up the new solenoid and the bike did the same thing. The battery is obviously junk and after one day without charging it was flat again. So a flat battery will do this as leigh and bobmech said. I don’t know why though, maybe someone can tell us??

I'll have a go at explaining this.
The starter solenoid is a heavy duty electro-magnetic switch which enables the heavy battery current to be switched on and off as required. It is controlled by the starter button via a separate relay which itself is controlled by the ignition, prop stand and clutch lever switches.
Because the starter solenoid uses an electro magnet to engage and hold it in, a certain amount of battery power is required - perhaps one amp.
As soon as the solenoid engages, power flows from the battery to the starter. If the battery is too flat to turn the starter properly the available amperage will drop to such a low level that there isn't enough to keep the solenoid engaged, so it drops out thereby disconnecting the starter. Now that the starter is disconnected the battery has enough power to re-engage the solenoid and supply power to the starter once more, with the same consequences. This cycle contiues until you get fed up and take your finger off the starter button.
Every time the solenoid engages and disengages there is a very small amount of current that jumps across the gap between the contacts and burns them. Over many years of normal use this effect is unlikely to cause a problem but when you have the circumstances of a flat battery the effect is worsened and accelerated. Mostly it still won't have any adverse effect but sometimes it will. It can depend on how old the solenoid is and also on the quality of the components inside. But eventually the heat created will weld the contacts together and you now have a starter permanently connected to the battery, regardless of what position the ignition switch or starter button is in.
Personally I'd always try to take the solenoid apart and see if I could clean the contacts before I rushed out and bought a new one. But either way, the clear message seems to be not to keep cranking the engine if the battery is too flat to keep the starter engaged properly.

Geoff

Thanks Geoff. Makes perfect sense.

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Yamaha XT600E '01, Honda XR400 '03, Yamaha XT550 '83

I had a bad regulator/rectifier which by itself wasted the battery by making it go flat and the fact that the battery was wasted the starter solenoid went wrong to!


Vando

I find that sorts out most problems; mechanical or otherwise....

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Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)