She left me stranded.

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Shawnyd123

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I could use some help from you guys that know electrical. Here's the story. I was riding home and the main fuse blew. I went to an auto shop and found the closest one I could find that would just get me home until I could get the right one. Well, as I was about a block away from the house, the bike died again. But this time the electrical still worked, as far as the lights go. But the starter is dead and no kick start either. Does anybody have any idea what blew on me? Or where to look? It's a 72 xs2 with a pamco ignition and dual output coil from mikesxs. Part number 17-6822. Please help if you can. I'm stumped.
 
if you still have lights etc but no ignition id be checking the kill switch on the right switch block ie still plugged in (inside headlight) & or the switch is still working good luck
 
Exact same thing happened to me a few months back. I had lights with key on but no starter and no spark at the plugs. After a few minutes it all came back only to shut off again down the road. After getting it home and playing with it I noticed the two copper tracks on the alternator rotor were gummed up and the spring loaded contacts were in bad shape. I replaced the contacts and fired the bike up.....as it ran I took a small piece of fine grit sandpaper and ran it along the copper tracks to clean them up. I have not had the problem since.

Not sure if this helps but it did for me and my bike had the exact same symptoms.
 
And Shawn, make sure you're brushes (the spring loaded contacts) are long enough too. If they wear beyond a minimum recommended length, they can cause foul language emanations and general unpleasantness.

TC
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems like it could be a few different causes. One, the safety relay? Two, the kill switch, Three, the coil or ignition got fried using the wrong type of main fuse to get home. What do you guys think? The pamco ignition I put in like three days ago. The bike was running great, that's why I'm so bummed. Thanks for all the support from you guys in helping me. I really appreciate it. I've used this site quite a bit and I've alwYs wanted to say that.
 
You will have to find the short circuit by the process of elimination.

Remove one component at a time until you find the culprit. Remove the tailight bulb or try a new bulb. Try unplugging the regulator; its possible that the rotor is shorting out. Was the headlight on at the time................try unplugging it
 
It doesn't sound like the coil shorted because you have no starter.

Kill switch or rotor/alternator is the problem. One of the two. Again, I had the exact same problem and everything that pulls straight from the battery (lights) had power but when it came to starter and ignition I had nothing. When i cleaned up the rotor everything fired up and I haven't had a problem since.

I am also running the Pamco High Output ignition.
 
Okay, I just spent two and a half hours going through everything. Kill switch, stator, coils, etc. What it comes down to is there is no power to the red/white wire or the brown wire. The rest has power. Does the red/white wire make its start at the Main switch? If so, could it be a bad ignition switch? Thank you very much for all your help!!!
 
On your 72 the wiring is pretty simple. Voltage from the battery goes to the fuse, from the fuse up to the switch. The red wire from the rectifier comes in along there to charge the battery.
At the key switch voltage goes out on the red/white wire to the engine stop switch. From the engine stop switch it goes to the coils and safety relay. At the safety relay when the bike is not running voltage goes through the closed contacts to the blue/white wire that goes to the starter switch, from the starter switch to the starter relay to crank the engine. If the bike is running the safety relay contacts are open and no power gets to the starter relay.
At the switch voltage goes out on the brown wire to power the neutral light the brake switches, regulator, horn.
The red/yellow wire feeds powr to the headlight dimmer switch.
With power to the lights and not to the brown and red/white wires I would suspect the main switch. You can remove the switch and maybe take it apart and clean the contacts. Some have screws to hold the switch together, some use crimps in the metal. The crimps are hard to open and reclose. You may need a new switch.
Look in te tech section under electrical diagrams and you will find a diagram for you bike.
The second one is for the 72/73.
Leo
 
Thank you Leo for that explaination. I was hitting on the same with the main switch because there was power through the red wire heading into it, but then nothing on the red/white coming out of it. So I am suspecting a main switch problem. After going extensively through the electrical system on this bike, it has come to my attention that if I want this to be reliable, I will have to change out a lot of electrical parts on it. Thank you all for your help!
 
As I weeded my way through the cobwebs inside the main switch, I was able to pull it apart. Then, HOLY CRAP!!! A wire was disconnected! Problem solved! Thank you ALL very much!!! You guys make owning a classic bike fun!
Shawn
 
I would check the other fuses on the bike to if you haven't already. The lights are on a different circuit then your starter.
 
I could only find one fuse on the bike. The main coming out of the battery. That brings up a question I was wondering about. Is there any more fuses on the xs2? And if so, where are they located. Needless to say, I will be slowly changing out all the electrical parts over time to make the bike more reliable. Everything on it is pretty much original and it must have been a barn find at some point because there are spider nests in all the nooks and crannies.
 
Shawn, my '73 has only one 20 amp coming off the battery. So that's all that yours is likely to have.

I'm clad you solved the problem... that was some impressive work, even with help! I still hate electrical stuff. Need help with everything electrical!

TC
 
They used just one 20 amp fuse till mid 78. Thats when the started using the four fuse block.
Leo
 
I rode a 79 XS for 8 years and it never failed me once.

My current project with have all the old wiring removed, and a bare bones harness made.
Those harnesses weren't that great when they were new 30 odd years ago.
 

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