Grumble grumble

[SeaCat]

Went out to start the bike this morning and all I got for my effort was a click. WTF? So I tried again and again etc. until finally the engine kicked over and started. It ran great after that but when I shut it down and tried to start it again I got the same results.

I started tearing into it with a Voltmeter. The battery is good. I get power through the key to the main fuse and starter Solenoid assembly, but not after that. (Hell I'm barely getting anything into the fuse. The problem is I can't tell if the fuse is before or after the solenoid.) Ah well, back to do some more testing either after dinner or tomorrow morning.

I'm getting a bit irritated about this, I want this bike running so I can rely on it. If this keeps up I'm liable to get truly irritated and completely re-do the wiring. (All of the problems I have had have been electrical in nature.)

Cat

 

[DesertPirate]

Get out the dikes and crimper.
Along with several spools of wire

 

[SeaCat]

OKay I just went back out to the bike and looked it over a bit more. I was checking the wires when one came free in my hand. Huh? That's not supposed to happen.

I started looking things over a bit more and found where the wire started and ended. It was suppoosed to be held down by a nut on the solenoid. The other end terminated at guess what? The starter. I replaced the wire and after digging through my odds and ends box found a nut the proper size. I snugged it down then decided to give it another try. The bike fired right up first try.

So now I feel kind of stupid about this, I should have noticed the missing nut. Ahh what the hell, at least I have the beast back.

Cat

 

[SeaCat]

Get out the dikes and crimper.
Along with several spools of wire

Oh hell no. If I finally go that route there will be no fast attachments. If I do this then I'm doing it right.

Then again at least I found the problem.

Cat

 

[R. Richard]

I would suggest a quick trip to the pubic library to see if you can find a wiring diagram for your bike.

 

[SeaCat]

I would suggest a quick trip to the pubic library to see if you can find a wiring diagram for your bike.

Got one of those. Wouldn't have helped in this case. I was actually on the right path for troubleshooting this problem but was thrown by a simple mechanical failure.

Oh how I wish for the simplicity of my old enduro.

Cat

 

[jomar]

Yeah. Start simple then move on. I had an independent female friend whose car wouldn't start. She called me as a last resort saying she had tried everything and thought she'd have to get it towed and have the transmission/engine replaced or something drastic. I told her to shake the shifter and make sure it was seated properly in park (auto trans). She did and it started right up.

The next time she called she'd overturned the steering wheel before taking out the key. It killed her to call me and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

 

[fifty5]

Electrical problems are a bummer. Right now, my car's system keeps telling me my brake pads need changing. A physical examination at a recent service revealed that it's an electrical problem, not one with the brake pads. The garage said to live with it (a new loom is expensive) but how will I know when the pads really need changing?

Modern technology is great when it's working!

 

[DesertPirate]

Oh hell no. If I finally go that route there will be no fast attachments. If I do this then I'm doing it right.

Then again at least I found the problem.

Cat

If need leave the crimper and get out the soldering iron

Glad it was something simple

 

[starrkers]

Oh, this reminds me so much of hubby and the old Ducati we had!

We eventually had to replace the entire wiring harness, but there were months of silly little frustrations, just like your missing nut, before it completely gave up (turned from a 900 to a 450 in the rain). Hubby had plans to redo the wiring himself but those tricky Italians like their pasta and the colours didn't match up either...

 

[Maeve_redux]

-snicker-

I want a local pubic library.

 

[The_Fool]

Electrical problems are a bummer. Right now, my car's system keeps telling me my brake pads need changing. A physical examination at a recent service revealed that it's an electrical problem, not one with the brake pads. The garage said to live with it (a new loom is expensive) but how will I know when the pads really need changing?

Modern technology is great when it's working!

Most pads have sounders that grind against the disk. Horrible racket. No damage though.

 

[SeaCat]

I spent much of today going over the bike. Seat and side panels were off, gas tank loosened.

I tracked the wires from one end of the bike to the other checking connections and tightening them.

Some of the wires are worn and many of the connectors look pretty bad. I got them fixed up pretty good but not up to my specs. I can see my next project looming in the future. Ahh well at least that won't be too difficult, just time consuming.

Cat