Starter motor keeps running

[stuo]

I recently bought my third GV 250 and this one has an intermittent problem: the starter motor keeps running. There are two possibilities: the starting switch is not turning off...or the relay is staying on. By disconnecting the starter switch at the relay (the plastic connector with two  thin wires) you can determine if it's the switch: if it continues to crank, it's not the switch.  Then...it must be the relay, which it will be almost all the time. Why? Because the relay has to carry a large current and over thousands of starts the contacts become pitted from sparking, eventually generating enough heat to "spot weld" the contacts together. I had this happen on a 1946 car; I'd smack the relay and it would stop cranking. My buddy who sells BMW bike parts said this is a common problem on old Beemers; he sells a lot of relays. The good news is...you can buy a relay on ebay for $13:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Starter-Solenoid-Relay-for-KYMCO-Scooter-Moped-Grandvista-250-4-Stroke-250cc/162985559971?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

[stuo]

P.S. I was wrong: the starter switch cannot cause the problem. Why? Because when you let go of the brake handle the switch circuit is open, regardless of whether or not the starter switch is being pushed or stuck "on". Which leaves only the relay as the cause of the problem. Replace it.

[scooterfan]

P.S. I was wrong: the starter switch cannot cause the problem. Why? Because when you let go of the brake handle the switch circuit is open, regardless of whether or not the starter switch is being pushed or stuck "on". Which leaves only the relay as the cause of the problem. Replace it.

I guess the starter solenoid on this scooter comes with a relay attached to the starter solenoid. If so, I think you are 100% correct. The “switch part” on the relay (attached to your solenoid) obviously arced together, therefore the relay is supplying Voltage to the attached solenoid directly from the battery.
My scooter has a starter solenoid without a relay attached to the solenoid - therefore I am quite convinced that a similar problem would be possible on my scooter.

[stuo]

The relay/solenoid are the same unit on our scooters. I replaced the original unit today with an aftermarket product and the new one works fine...so far. I'm going to leave the battery cover off for a while in case it locks up again and I need to quickly disconnect the battery. A Kymco unit is $41, plus postage; the one I got on ebay was $13, postage included, and was perfectly interchangeable, a five minute job. 

[David]

I recently bought my third GV 250 and this one has an intermittent problem: the starter motor keeps running. There are two possibilities: the starting switch is not turning off...or the relay is staying on. By disconnecting the starter switch at the relay (the plastic connector with two  thin wires) you can determine if it's the switch: if it continues to crank, it's not the switch.  Then...it must be the relay, which it will be almost all the time. Why? Because the relay has to carry a large current and over thousands of starts the contacts become pitted from sparking, eventually generating enough heat to "spot weld" the contacts together. I had this happen on a 1946 car; I'd smack the relay and it would stop cranking. My buddy who sells BMW bike parts said this is a common problem on old Beemers; he sells a lot of relays. The good news is...you can buy a relay on ebay for $13:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Starter-Solenoid-Relay-for-KYMCO-Scooter-Moped-Grandvista-250-4-Stroke-250cc/162985559971?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

[David]

I had this problem and replacing the starter relay fixed the problem.  Very easy to replace. Seat needs to be removed

Part is on ebay and it located in LA

[CROSSBOLT]

The circuit for the Downtown has a 20 amp relay that triggers the heavier start relay/solenoid. I wil bet the GV is the same since the DT seemed to come later.

I would suspect that contact welding woulld be the culprit. Nice catch, Stuo!

[stuo]

There is only one starter relay(solenoid) on the GV and apparently the secondary contacts (to the motor) arc weld together often enough that we see other GV and Grand Dink owners with the same problem.

So far the generic $12 replacement from ebay is working as it should.

[stuo]

It's now 1/30/21 and many, many starts later: the generic $12 solenoid is still working perfectly.

[scooterfan]

It's now 1/30/21 and many, many starts later: the generic $12 solenoid is still working perfectly.

Nothing wrong with generic parts. The original CDI on my Agility only lasted 9300 km. It has been replaced with a cheap 2nd hand CDI which came from a wrecked Chinese scooter. I have no idea for how long this CDI has been used on the Chinese scooter - but it still does not miss a beat after another almost 19 000 km on my Agility.