Ahh so the solenoid is integral to this starter? hmm... in that case, depending on the design, you can either hardware the solenoid internally, or just bypass it externally if the wires are external. Whatever looks prettier. Then install the new solenoid upstream. Many larger motors use stand-alone solenoids, so they are easy to find. Now getting your cheapskate customer to pay for it, you're on your own with that one.

No solenoid is fail proof, that's why they sell replacements. But if you get one with much greater capacity than what is required, there's probably less chance of the failure mode being stuck contacts:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=starter+solenoid


But now I understand your point, that you customer might just want a panic switch of some sort so he can disconnect power quickly IF the problem happens. Maybe something like this would be a nice solution (if you can shake his wallet free):

http://www.amazon.com/Fastronix-Cur...7&sr=8-1&keywords=high+current+battery+switch

See post #27, #68, and #72.

 

Stage Note: @#12 raises he arms in disbelief, shrugs his shoulders, drops the mic and exists stage (left).

@MrSoftware enters from right - walking quickly: "what, what, I just want to help with the problem that doesn't exist, on a bike that #12 no longer has in his posession, that #12's customer doesn't want modified, because he wants things to be kept minimalistic, because he thinks a problem is unlikely to occur."

From off stage, we hear #12 yell: "I'm never starting another thread - ever"

 

Stage Note: @#12 raises he arms in disbelief, shrugs his shoulders, drops the mic and exists stage (left).

@MrSoftware enters from right - walking quickly: "what, what, I just want to help with the problem that doesn't exist, on a bike that #12 no longer has in his posession, that #12's customer doesn't want modified, because he wants things to be kept minimalistic, because he thinks a problem is unlikely to occur."

From off stage, we hear #12 yell: "I'm never starting another thread - ever"

Yeah. It's hard to kill a Thread when people keep answering the title without reading pages 2 and 3.

 

Cripes this is still going?

The guy could have worked minimum wage the whole time you been working on this thread and used the money to buy a good used Honda Goldwing that had everything working by now.

I hope that guy doesn't have a 'intermittent blinker' that needs a look at next.

 

Yeah. It's hard to kill a Thread when people keep answering the title without reading pages 2 and 3.

It's just so much fun to solve a problem, even one that doesn't exist anymore!

 

Deleted

 

When this happened to me, you can't tell that the starter is still engaged. Until the engine is shut down and you try to start it the next time. Since the starter drive is actuated by the solenoid and the drive is open to the primary drive system (a chain from the crankshaft to the transmission) and the primary is oil filled. Over time the seal on the starter drive wears out, faster if the engine has been "hopped up". In time oil gets into the drive and solenoid, and the heat starts to change the oil into a sludge. And the clutch discs in this time are also wearing and the particles are mixing with the oil and getting into the solenoid too. Then the solenoid plunger starts to stick in the solenoid coil. This is the biggest problem in the starter getting burnt up.

A Harley starter 'system' is not like any other bike or car.