Starter motor sticking failure- Root cause- Resolution? - Warning light?

[ontarioyamaha]

I have been thinking about installing the warning light for the starter. What is the actual failure? The symptom is the stuck starter but what causes it to stick? I assume the relay sticks on. If that was the case, and you had the warning light how would you shut it down? Turning off the key would not do it as the relay would still be energized. You would basically have to take the entire front off the sled to get at, and disconnect, the battery. By that time I would guess the starter would be toast.

Assuming it is a failed relay. Have they provided a new part to address the failure?

I am pulling it apart tonight to install a new battery and I am considering installing a warning light off the switched side of the relay.

One other thing I was considering is installing a quick battery disconnect to allow it to be shut down.

 

[STAIN]

I did this exact same thing on my RX1. I had a starter relay stick. Ruined the starter. I installed a light that came on with the relay. I believe if you shut the key off all power goes away, killing the starter?? I could be wrong

 

[Yamaha Vector LTX GT 2009]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but when the starter gets stuck on and your at high engine rpm that is what would cook the starter. So lets just say you start the snowmobile and then the starter gets stuck on (without you knowing it) and then when your driving at high engine RPM the starter would be spinning really fast causing it to get cooked. So then if you get the light it would let you know if it was stuck on before you would be going at high engine RPM.

 

[STAIN]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but when the starter gets stuck on and your at high engine rpm that is what would cook the starter. So lets just say you start the snowmobile and then the starter gets stuck on (without you knowing it) and then when your driving at high engine RPM the starter would be spinning really fast causing it to get cooked. So then if you get the light it would let you know if it was stuck on before you would be going at high engine RPM.

Correct. Exact scenario with RX1. I then installed a light across the relay.

 

[Yamaha Vector LTX GT 2009]

Correct. Exact scenario with RX1. I then installed a light across the relay.

If it is not to much bother could you please show me what you did to put your light on your sled? By the way my brother had his starter go on his 08 vector ltx gt so I do not want mine to go!

 

[maim]

rocmeister sells a starter saver kit. i have it on most of my sleds. works well too.

 

[ontarioyamaha]

If you have a warning light that is on the switched side of the starter power it will be tell you the relay is stuck on providing power to the starter motor.
I would assume the relay fails to return to the home position when the solenoid is de energized. (key released). Turning off the key would have no effect on the condition as the relay would still be stuck on.
The only way to stop the starter would be to unhook the battery. This just took me an hour in a heated garage. By the time you got to it the starter would be done.

I was considering installing an accessible quick connect somewhere near the oil tank.

This is all on the assumption that the failure mode is a stuck relay.
This is the reason I asked if anyone had identified the root cause.

It's sad how Yamaha never Seems to rectify these small issues.

 

[STAIN]

I installed a light like this

I just wired to either side of the relay. When the relay was energized, current flows through it, lighting the light. Key to run position, relay off, light out.

 

[Komo]

I️ think if you hit the kill switch on the left grip that shuts everything down, if that switch is down my key will not ingage the starter..

 

[grizztracks]

I️ think if you hit the kill switch on the left grip that shuts everything down, if that switch is down my key will not ingage the starter..

The starter relay is a mechanical contact that provides power to the starter directly from the battery. If the relay contacts stick together the only way to stop the power to starter is to disconnect the battery or the starter wire at the relay. Keeping all the connections on the relay covered with dielectric grease helps prevent corrosion and seals out water but the best preventive measure that can be taken is to periodically replace the relay before a failure occurs.

 

[ontarioyamaha]

I installed a light like this

I just wired to either side of the relay. When the relay was energized, current flows through it, lighting the light. Key to run position, relay off, light out.[

 

[OrangeYamaha]

Guys I have a 2009 Yamaha RS VENTURE GT which should be similar to the Vector. Based on what you have in this post I'm not sure if I have a starter issue. I haven't been able to load test my battery yet. As it's a pain to remove. But I have had it on a battery buddy charger for 6 months and when I start it just clicks 1 time. I tried to jump it with a battery jumper and my truck and same thing. I'm wondering if something is wrong with my starter. I put the sled in the garage at the end of last season and wondering if something happened to the starter just sitting there. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[grizztracks]

jump across the two larger terminals on the starter relay. With the key on it should roll over and start and if it does then most likely you have a bad starter relay. This procedure is actually part of the diagnostics in the Yamaha manual.

 

[OrangeYamaha]

We removed the headlight and air box. And got to the relay. I believe what you mean as the large terminals are what I have a line drawn on here as but I want to confirm as I don't want to do any damage.

PDF of the Page of the Service Manual with the Relay
https://1drv.ms/b/s!AhBsW7qxGLPsgZ94B0XNuaDiaFSL0g

Also here is a video of what happens before we took it apart.

 

[grizztracks]

Yes, those are the two terminals to jump across. If it still doesn't want to roll over when you jump the starter relay and you know the battery is good then there 's a problem with the starter.