1999 Suzuki Marauder vz800 Starter issue

[alantf]

Just realized- He's talking about an 800cc Marauder - not the 250 that most of us ride - so we've been looking at the wrong drawings. Seems that this might well be the relay that's fitted to this bike, not the one that's fitted to ours. :??:

[mithuth]

I'm 99.9% sure it's factory.
Mine's a 99 Marauder and it's the same exact setup as my friend's 2000 Intruder. The relay and the solenoid are separate pieces, with the starter relay (top pic) mounted right behind the solenoid (bottom pic).

I did some work on the bike today and the issue is resolved. The previous owner hadn't done an oil change (I'm guessing, in a LONG time) and the oil in it was thick. I'm not sure he even had the right oil in it. I put in 2.5qts of Valvoline 10-40 4-stroke MC oil and a new Napa gold filter. The bike started right up and continues to start without issue now. All I can figure is the thick sludge-like oil was gummin' up the works and not allowing the starter to do it's job.

Problem solved.

Originally Posted by alantf

Just realized- He's talking about an 800cc Marauder - not the 250 that most of us ride - so we've been looking at the wrong drawings. Seems that this might well be the relay that's fitted to this bike, not the one that's fitted to ours. :??:

I had a feeling we had a miscommunication somewhere.

[alantf]

Still slightly confused - it's marked as a starter relay control. Seems that it's not a relay, but a relay controller. Can't understand what this may be - still, we said not to order parts until you definitely knew what was faulty, didn't we? :2tup: Glad you've got it fixed.

[mithuth]

Ehh, I'm a Jeep owner. If you saw my pile of "just in case" spare parts, you could probably build a jeep or two. lol

Having a few relays and "what-nots" around never hurts.

[dentheman]

Well, I learned something!

[Water Warrior 2]

Got a feeling the bike should take more than 2.5 qts of oil. Carefully check the oil level.

[mithuth]

It says 1700ml on the side of the case next to the oil fill plug, add a little for filter change, and 2.25-2.5ish put the oil between the hashes in the window while running and sitting level.

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by mithuth

It says 1700ml on the side of the case next to the oil fill plug, add a little for filter change, and 2.25-2.5ish put the oil between the hashes in the window while running and sitting level.

While running !! I doubt that is correct. The engine should be off and the bike held vertically to check the oil level. The easiest and safest is to sit on the bike and use a little mirror on a telescopic stick( auto parts stores have them)after it has been shut off for 3 minutes. You can do major damage internally with too much oil. With luck you haven't blown oil up into the air filter and soaked it.
The later 800cc engines must have a greater capacity, that is why I questioned the amount you put in. Lynda's 800cc V-twin Suzuki holds 3600 milliliters of oil with a filter.

[dentheman]

I think it would be to your benefit to pay some $ and order an owner's manual for your bike. A service manual would be even better, but will probably cost more.

Or do as I did before I got my service manual. Do google searches for oil change for your bike, and other maintenance as needed. Also, YouTube will show a lot of how-to's, such as oil and filter changes.

[Water Warrior 2]

Just Googled your bike. Learned something new too. I never realized Suzuki used a belt drive on anything other than the 650 LS/S-40. I guess you won't be needing chain lube.