[jpetschl]

Hey guys. I recently replaced a battery and a started solenoid on my 650CX. It starts great now but it is not holding a charge. When I replaced the solenoid I used a universal part. I plugged the new one in the same way the OEM one came out assuming it would be wired the same. Could it be pulling on the battery due to being installed wrong? Also I thought I might start looking at the regulator. I’m not too sure if there is a way to test that though and I do not want to blindly buy a $200 part. Could there be anything else I am missing? Thanks guys!

 

[Blue Fox]

I think I remember some similar issue on the old forum. I would remove one of the battery cables at the battery and see if there was any current flowing when the key was off. I doubt that it does, and it shouldn't until the button is depressed, but you never know.



What solenoid did you install? I'll try to do some searching on the old site and see if I can dig up the post.

 

[marshallf3]

Stick an amp meter in series with the battery lead then start unhooking things one at a time until you find the parasitic drain.



If it's a fairly decent drain a light bulb will work as well as an amp meter.

 

[wmw]

Hey guys. I recently replaced a battery and a started solenoid on my 650CX. It starts great now but it is not holding a charge. When I replaced the solenoid I used a universal part. I plugged the new one in the same way the OEM one came out assuming it would be wired the same. Could it be pulling on the battery due to being installed wrong? Also I thought I might start looking at the regulator. I’m not too sure if there is a way to test that though and I do not want to blindly buy a $200 part. Could there be anything else I am missing? Thanks guys!

Universal part on a cx650 custom, eh? The starter solenoid (among many other things) on the cx650 custom is unique, so depending on how you connected your wires you may have a problem there? (Or maybe it doesn't matter?) See photos below of how the starter solenoid on the 650 custom is actually completely opposite of the one used on the GL650 and the CX500/CX650 Turbo. Images courtesy of DSS. So if anything you may need to switch how you have solenoid wired up. Is yours marked with a "B" and an "M" on it?

 

[jayhanig]

Any possibility that it's not charging rather than not holding the charge? I'm thinking stator as opposed to some parasitic drain. Something to consider at least...

 

[wmw]

I don't know if wiring the starter solenoid incorrectly (backwards) would cause a drain or not?

 

[jpetschl]

Yea I am almost certain that I put it back together properly. I know that I replaced the battery and solenoid the same day and within 24 hours the battery wasn't firing it up anymore. So the first place I went to was the regulator. Forgive my (for lack of better words) stupidity but is the stator and regulator the same thing?

 

[wmw]

Ok - but did you see above how 650 custom solenoid wiring is opposite of most all other CX/GL solenoids? You stated that you used a universal solenoid. You may have needed to swap the wires depending on how this universal solenoid labeled, if its labeled.



Stator is inside the engine - charges the battery.

 

[jpetschl]

Thank you for the visual. I did see that. I think you might be on to something.



I know I meant to take it out and double check how it is in. I am pretty confident that the battery and starter cable are right but am not sure if the other 4 are right. I connected them in the same fashion the other ones came off but I was not sure with the universal solenoid, if they would have been the same or not. I assumed they would. I think they are just for the flashers and lights, right? Those all work fine after I hooked it all back together. Just just am not getting it to hold the charge.



Thanks again everyone!

 

[Shep]

There's nothing magical or mysterious about a solenoid which is just a high powered relay.So long as the HT(High Tension) thick wires from the battery are the correct way round and the wires from the ignition are correct so that when the starter button is depressed the HT circuit is made via the LT(Low Tension)side of the unit,the will operate.

The only thing to bear in mind is that many bikes take a positive feed from the solenoid to supply the rest of the bike's electrical devices usually running through the main fuse.



As for you charging problem have to tested the voltage across the battery at idle?



Click here,





http://globalcxglvtwins.hostingdelivered.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=30

 

[sararose]

It is probably the stator, I had to replace mine on my cx650 a month or so after getting the bike because it wasn't holding a charge, I guess it is a common problem for Hondas of this age. The problem is that you have to drop the engine to get to it, because you have to take the back cover off the engine. You can test the stator, it describes it in the clymer manual, the stator wires are yellow, there are 3 of them, you can connect each one to ground and they should have the same output readings. If one is significantly less than the others, you need a new stator.

 

[jpetschl]

Thank you sararose. Did you do it yourself or did you pay someone to do it for you? I hear that's a spendy job to have someone do. That is my biggest fear that its the stator.

 

[sararose]

The mechanic wanted 800 dollars and I didn't have the money so I had to do it myself. It wasn't that difficult, just time-consuming and frustrating running into unexpected problems. I had so much trouble getting the tailpipes off since they were rusted together that I almost gave up at the beginning. Afterwards I was glad I did it myself because I understand my bike a lot better than I did. You can take it into the mechanic to have them run an electrical diagnostic, but it is easy to check the stator yourself if you have a voltometer. If you have the space and time I would suggest doing it yourself. If you have an extra 800 dollars lying around, take it to a mechanic

 

[marshallf3]

If you consider the internals of a starter solenoid the battery and starter terminals should be interchangeable unless it has a need for a feedback voltage when the starter is cranking - highly unlikely.



I also seriously doubt that's your drain anyway.



Check to make sure it's charging, if not clean the connections going to the stator, ergulator etc. and check it again.



If it is charging you're going to have to use my method mentioned in an above post to find what's causing the drain.