Some one gave me a 1981 yamaha xs 400 that had been sitting for a while- I never owned a motorcycle before, do dont know to much about them. The bike just keeps clickn when i hit the start button. The battery is brand new, the carbs have been cleaned out, It has spark, and I did a thumb test for compression, a fair amount of air comes out of the cylinders. At one point it sounded like it was about to start but didn't, now all I get is clicking again- any ideas
Motorcycles - Yamaha - XS 400 Special - 1981 Yamaha XS 400 Special
Answers & Comments
If you here a clicking sound the button is good. Follow the positive battery cable to the starter solenoid it attaches to a terminal. The other terminal goes to the starter. With a piece of wire, jumper cable clamp,or a screw driver connect (short) across the terminals. If this makes the starter work then you have a bad solenoid. If that does not work, try holding the starter button and tapping on the starter with a plastic hammer. If the starter works now you either need new starter brushes or if the armature is bad a whole new starter.