1985 250sx electric start problem!!! PLEASE HELP

[Kickstand 1]

1985 250sx
When you try to use the electric start the starter relay solenoid just clicks. So I replaced it. On the first attempt on a new replacement solenoid the starter kicked right over and tryed to start the motor for about 3 seconds. Then the solenoid went to clicking just like the original was doing. Fuse is good also. Please help.

[Jmoozy27]

Sounds like either a shorted wire, or bad starter. Try to jump the solenoid with a wire or flathead screwdriver.

[Flyingw]

A clicking solenoid is usually an indication the battery is low or dead.

[Kickstand 1]

Brand new battery out of one of my 87 250sx's. I bought new batteries for 3 of my machines last month. It worked fine in the 87 sx.
I jumped the old solenoid and the new one. Juice from both! This machine has less than 10 hours of run time on it from the owner that had it since 1988. He bought it from a honda mechanic that ran it around the honda dealership grounds. Its a very nice and well cared for machine. It does has its marks from age like most.

[Flyingw]

ok then what happened when you jumped the solenoid? Did the starter turn the motor?

[wonderboy]

So the solenoid is clicking... do you mean just a single solid click? If yes, then it sounds like the solenoid is doing what it should do and the issue is with the starter or a loose connection somewhere. Check all the heavy gauge wires and make sure all connections are clean and solid.

[Dave Little]

This has happened to me before...my guess is you have a path to ground inside the starter, very common. LOTS of sh1t accumulates in the starter...

[Kickstand 1]

I've checked all the conections of all the wires. I did that before I bought the new solenoid. What made me ask the question Is it worked right away with the new solenoid for them 3 seconds. Then went to doing what the old one did. That's what is troubling me. I have not taken the starter off. The owner before me used the kick starter to start it. I'm sure the electric start has not been used since the early 1990's when the battery went dead. This machine starts first kick Eveytime. I'll pull the starter and see what it looks like.

[MFW]

I went through this on my 1993 Honda 300 fourtrax. It ended up being a defected (dead) battery the local honda dealer sold me.

[atc007]

Almost certainly a short in your starter. Jump the solenoid,or jump it direct on the starter stud. If the starter doesn't turn. It's inside. You most likely simply need a new set of brushes and a cleaning. And the new ones on ebay work very well also,if you aren't comfy tearing into it. But there really isn't mush to them.