I have a 2005 Foreman 350 and have been through several solenoids in the last 2 years. This solenoid is about 5 months old and I am once again getting the click, click, click when I push the start button, but I can jump the two solenoid terminals and it fires right up.

What is going on? Why am I going through these solenoids like this?

 

Are you buying factory honda solenoids

 

Starter motors usually fail because the brushes have worn down. However there is often a period of time when sometimes the starter works, sometimes it doesn't. The "short across the terminals and if the starter works it is the solenoid at fault" method is fine if the fault isn't at the intermittent stage. If it is, this tells you nothing. We use a quick and easy method to test solenoids and starters, connect a 12v test lamp between starter positive and earth, switch on, press start button, if solenoid clicks and lamp lights but starter doesn't turn, faulty starter, if solenoid clicks but lamp doesn't light faulty solenoid. You have to be certain the battery is OK before doing the tests, and a dim light indicates bad connections on the battery, solenoid, or earth terminals. We fit non genuine solenoids, and don't usually have problems. Occasionally one either doesn't work at all or fails after a few starts, but I don't think I have had one work for a few weeks, except those that stick in, and make the starter turn all the time. This is usually due to battery voltage being down (dead cell), not an innate fault in the solenoid, but wrecks it anyway.

 

Starter is also new...

No, they have all been aftermarket solenoids. I do have a genuine Honda solenoid ordered this time.