Honda Spree -- No power to starter

[Sfinch]

Hello everyone, I have a 1987 Honda Spree that I am not getting any power to the starter. I put a test light on it and it's not getting any juice.I have replaced the starter Relay with a brand new one. Put test light on it and 2 of the prongs get Juice. I hold brake lever down and press electric start button and get nothing. When I turn on the key I have power to the Horn, Turn signals work on the left handle bar, I can kickstart and get it running and the headlight works and the RUN switch works. The starter does run when I bench tested it. It spins good. Not sure what else it could be. The Yellow push button seems to go in out out just fine. TYIA.

[mousewheels]

I have replaced the starter Relay with a brand new one. Put test light on it and 2 of the prongs get Juice

There should be +12v on 3 prongs of the relay with the ignition "ON", brake lever pulled and start button activated.

Take a look at the marked up diagram. The green is good from what you posted.
Relay pins marked as '1' and '2' on the diagram are what are lighting your test lamp.

Starter_Diagram_Spree_Good_Relay.jpg (70.17 KiB) Viewed 1173 times

• Is the replacement Relay pin out same as OEM?
• Can you hear the relay click with the start button &brake lever are a activated?
  No? Put in a temporary jumper to ground on the relay coil (yellow/red stripe wire identified as '3' on the diagram

[Sfinch]

From the relay harness when key is on I get 11.6 volts to 1 prong and when I squeeze brake I get 10.2 volts to prong directly next to it and when I press start button I get nothing on either of the 2 prongs that are on the opposite site of the 2 I'm getting voltage too. The new relay is not OEM bit aftermarket from Amazon which was the recommended one. I get no clicking from the relay.

[mousewheels]

From the relay harness when key is on I get 11.6 volts to 1 prong and when I squeeze brake I get 10.2 volts to prong directly next to it and when I press start button I get nothing ...

There is no listed spec on the minimum relay 'pull-in' voltage, but I tested one on the bench a long time ago and it would not activate below 10.8v.

IMHO battery may be low on charge, worn out or there is a poor connection somewhere. Just running the tail/brake light should not result in a drop to 10.2v. And even if the relay pulled in at 10.2v, the extra load of the starter would cause a further voltage drop. Probably would not start anyway...

--
I did see you have an aftermarket relay too.

Without having to charge or try a new battery, You could test the relay circuit:

1) Remove the brake/tail lamp bulb
2) Disconnect the starter motor from the harness. Then activate the relay.

That way the only battery load is the relay coil. The relay will probably click at this point.

[Sfinch]

What's a good replacement starter relay? Maybe the one I bought is not the correct one to use?

[Sfinch]

I ran this series of test that I saw you had in a previous post.. When I connected the test light to the Yellow/Red wire on the starter relay and pulled the brake the light came on and when I pressed the start button it still stayed on. So now I'm thinking my start switch button is bad.


Connect test lamp to G/Y at the starter relay. Turn on ign, Pull either brake handle. Test lamp should light.

2) Start Button/Relay coil 'low side'
Connect test lamp to Yellow/Red stripe wire at starter relay.
a) Pull the handbrake with ign on as in test 1. Test lamp should light.
No light? - bad relay coil, broken wire connection.
b) Keep the handbrake pulled, and press the 'Start' button, test light should go off. Light on --> fix starter switch or wiring in start button circuit.

3) If the above tests were ok, put test light on Red with White stripe wire on relay output, Activate brake and start button. No power -> Bad Relay

[Sfinch]

I got it fixed. Took the screw off the start button and took air can to it and blew dirt and dust out and now it works. Thanks for your help!