Part III - Spark (Yay!) But No Electric Start, No Horn

[swagsherman]

Success! OEM wiring harness fixed the no spark issue. Conclusion: Mike's XS harness x 2 were not right. Email being sent to them shortly.

New/old problem - no electric start and no horn. While we were diagnosing the original no charging problem, the started button stopped working. We were starting the bike to test the charging by jumping the solenoid. Today, have a magnetic field, have signal lights, brake light but no horn and no electric starter. The solenoid clicks like it's supposed to when bench testing - no clicking when mounted on the bike. But, it seems the solenoid is good - turns the bike over when hooked to an external battery. We were looking for a loose or missing ground at the handlebars but didn't find anything. Have continuity from the button to the solenoid on L/W wire. Where do we look next? My husband wants to sign this "Frustrated in Maryland."

 

[5twins]

Are your handlebars painted? I ask because the starter button grounds out through them when pushed. If painted, the switch housing won't ground to the bars when clamped in place. There should be a black ground wire running from the headlight into the left switch housing to ground it. Then it transfers that ground into the bars and over to the right switch housing. The wire loom retaining clip in each switch housing also provides a path for the ground to pass into and out of the bars.

If your bars are painted, you'll need to clean the paint off on both sides where the wire loom retaining clips contact the bars.

 

[Jim]

From your avatar it looks like chrome handlebars. The ground 5twins is talking about is in the headlight bucket.... a black bullet connector that goes to the harness ground. Could be the left switch as 5t sez or the bullet connector in the bucket.

 

[swagsherman]

The bars are chrome - no paint. I'll check on the ground(s). More to follow....

 

[Jim]

That wire is hard to identify in poor lighting. It looks like the dark brown and dark green.

 

[swagsherman]

The ground wire on the horn side looks good, clean and intact. Followed into headlight bucket where all bullet connectors seem tight fitting and clean and where they meet the main harness ground looks good as well. Signal light grounds look good and ground clips on both sides appear to be making good contact. Feels like we're just missing something simple - again?

 

[Jim]

The ground wire on the horn side looks good, clean and intact. Followed into headlight bucket where all bullet connectors seem tight fitting and clean and where they meet the main harness ground looks good as well. Signal light grounds look good and ground clips on both sides appear to be making good contact. Feels like we're just missing something simple - again?

Touch a wire between the handlebars and bare metal on the frame/engine (ground the handlebars). See if the horn and/or starter work.

 

[swagsherman]

Did that earlier, still no horn and no electric starter.

 

[Jim]

Well lets backtrack a little. We'll work the starter first. Disconnect the blue/white wire coming out of the solenoid. stick a wire in the connector (the side going into the solenoid) and touch that wire to ground. That should energize the starter. Does it?

 

[swagsherman]

Starter did not energize when grounding the blue white wire.

 

[swagsherman]

Appears we aren't getting power to solenoid?

 

[Jim]

Appears we aren't getting power to solenoid?

Kill switch to run?

 

[swagsherman]

Yes and kill switch works as it should

 

[swagsherman]

Found it - starter circuit cutoff relay appears to be bad.... Jumped across it and had electric start. Still no horn but that could be a separate problem I suppose.

 

[swagsherman]

NOS relay on its way.... standing by to stand by. But - apparently made some progress today. It will run again, just in time for the first snow. Tim - you've already had your first snow (all ok?) but I have a couple more weeks (I think). Thank you all, once again.

 

[Jim]

If I remember correctly, your bikes an 81? If so, you have a neutral swith and a clutch switch that also could be stopping power to the solenoid. Can't remember for sure but I believe one of the two (either one) must go to ground before the starter circuit cutoff relay will pass power to the solenoid.

 

[swagsherman]

If the new relay doesn't solve things, I'll have a beer and move on toward either/both the neutral switch and/or clutch switch.

 

[Jim]

Is your neutral light on? The neutral light switch goes to both the light and the relay. If the lights on it should ground the relay and work normally.

 

[timbeck]

Swagsherman---Glad your new [used] harness is working out for you and progress has been made. We are under control up here but if you need some snow I can arrange a delivery.......
tim

 

[swagsherman]

Is your neutral light on? The neutral light switch goes to both the light and the relay. If the lights on it should ground the relay and work normally.

Awesome advice and, no, the stupid neutral light was not on. So cleaned that thing up and YEE-HAW - it's charging, starts with button, runs! I'll throw the new relay into the spare parts bucket. 29 Sep we broke down with electrical problems - it's 4 Dec. Seems so simple and obvious, looking back. 2 1/2 weeks were wasted messing around with Mike's XS harness. Maybe she'll make it out to the Holiday Parade this Saturday (weather-dependent).

Thank you, all! Not only helped repair but kept me moving forward and reduced the frustration level.