KrZy8 Starter Relay Replacement and Dissection

[dcarver]

2016-12-10 Starter Relay Replacement

Over the last 6 or so months, sometimes could hear the starter relay klack in but no starter motor action. Then it was 1 every 50 times. Then 25. Then 10. When it got to 1 out of every 5 or so, I parked it, bought a new relay. Today it gets installed.

On a 2006 Gen 2, the relay is located back of the battery. I did NOT want to pull the nose plastic. Too much work. Removed lower left and all upper right panels. That gives the nose panel enough wiggle room to access the relay.

Here the new new relay is ready for install.


Oh yeah, removed right hand mirror too.


While in there, inspected front stay beefed-up weld job. All looks good.


It appears I'm missing a fastener. Do you see it?


While there, inspected ground wire at engine case. Looked good. Cleaned and re-installed.


Engine ground point. Lower right.


Hmm. Looks like a leaky CCT gasket above?


Dissected the relay to see if it REALLY was the problem.


Coil.


Spring loaded plunger that activates the contacts.


The round disc between the two plates is the contact. That's what I'm trying to get to.


Getting closer..


The contactor. Burnt. Remember that this relay was in service when the starter motor was failing and drawing 120 amps on the bench. In other words, it was passing allot of current.. got hot and the results are inevitable.

 

[Panman]

Good to know and makes sense, something I'll have to watch if I think my low mileage (95,???) 07 is having starter issues. Thanks Don.

 

[JamesK]

Nice write up Dcarver, I remember replacing my starter relay while doing the starter motor swap when mine was sucking huge current at around 160k miles. I didn't go to the lengths of dissecting the starter relay so glad to know it was the right thing to do...

 

[Fontanaman]

Thanks for posting this. With 77k on my 09 I am the same boat as Panman.

 

[Harald]

Thanks for the show and tell. My 07 had a bad starter relay with the same symptoms that you were having. I verified the relay was bad with my meter when it was acting up and had the local dealer take care of it with one month left on my extended YES warranty ( so that would put it back in 2012 with probably 75k on the bike). They, of course, didn't believe me and insisted on replacing the start button assembly which didn't fix the problem so I had to bring the bike back again.

 

[FJRBluesman]

Great write up Don!

 

[Brodie]

No, I don't see the fastener, it's missing.

It appears I'm missing a fastener. Do you see it?