Will only start by kicking

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Heartattack4551

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I have a 79 xs 650 I bought from a friend.. It sat in a storage container for 7 years and never touched.. I brought it back to life.. The problem was there when he rode the bike way before that... The problem = It wont start with the electric start,, It will only start by kick start only.. The starter cranks it over good,, but it acts like it cuts the power for the ignition...and wont start.. It starts easy when I kick it.... I am still working on the lights,, but I think I can get that problem.. Any help would be great..
 
Ahhh... ressurection, welcome to the party! How old is the battery (voltage reading with key on, and off)? These e-starters draw alot of power. Does the e-start succeed when jump started?
 
Heartattack4551 said:
- - - It will only start by kick start. The starter cranks it over good,, but it acts like it cuts the power for the ignition...and wont start.. It starts easy when I kick it.... I am still working on the lights,, but I think I can get that problem.. Any help would be great..
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Hi Heartattack and welcome,
perhaps a weak battery?
Before you get medieval on the electrics try boosting the bike from a car battery and see if it'll e-start like that.
I swear that when my Heritage was new it only fired after I let up on the starter button but while the motor was still spinning over.
The bike's first sidecar conversion included a big ol' car battery that also ballasted the sidecar, all those extra cranking Amps fixed the starting problem right up.
About the lights; if this is your first XS650 you may not know that it's headlight only comes on after the bike's safety relay sees a 12+V charge when the engine starts.
 
Thank you.. I will try jumping it and see what that does... Yes this is my first xs650 ... I did not know the headlight only works after it starts... Where is the turn signal flasher located ?.. The turn signals never worked for the last owner,, but I would like to bring the bike back to where everything works correctly....
 
On my 81 the flasher was located under the tank to the left of the coil I believe. I suspect for 79 it maybe the same, stuffed under the tank somewhere.
 
FWIW, '80 & newer XS650s have one coil with two plug leads to go with their electronic ignition while '79 & older XS650s have two single plug lead coils to go with their points ignition so while the flasher unit is still under there someplace it ain't in quite the same place.
About the flashers.
The stock flasher needs a 57Watt load (2 x 27W bulbs + 3W indicator) or it won't flash, it'll only turn 'em on steady. It's also the ONLY flasher that's compatible with the self canceller.
2-prong generic flasher (plugs in 2 ways, one way works, t'other don't) will work lower wattage bulbs but won't self cancel.
3-prong generic flasher is wired up different inside & don't work at all.
 
Thanks again all ... I did find the flasher.. It is a three prong Nippondenso ,, 27W X 2 +3.4W... The three wires are,,, Brown,,, Brown ans white,, and Yellow and Green... The brown wire is the only one hot... The bulbs don't come on at all... I also tested the wires coming out of the switch... They are hot,,, but when I plug them into the right plugs,,, they stop being hot.. I think I have a bigger problem somewhere... I guess that explains why the last owner never had them working... I am a retired auto mechanic,, so I'm not a dumbass... I guess I'm not very good with wiring though..lol
 
If it kick starts fine but won't electric start and spins over fast enough, it might need a new, better coil. On some of the earlier 650s, the coil only made an acceptable spark if it got the full voltage available from the system. The electric starter takes enough power that, if the battery isn't at 100% charge, it won't supply enough power to the coil to provide an acceptable spark. When you kick it, the starter doesn't run and there is enough power for the coil. I replaced my coil with an Accel coil and the problem went away. There are coils which are cheaper that also work. 650 Central sells one and I think Mike's does also.
 
COME ON CAR GUY?????
Rule one if battery is low on car and you want quick check TURN LIGHTS on go dime while trying to start???????
Just busting your balls LOL
Same thing as car...... Use a test light and put it on coil CRANK motor look at light before and after so you can see draw. I have had some coils that just barely worked but when lights or starter in use didn't create enough spark for cylinders to fire fast.
Also check your starter may sound like its turn fast but may not. XS650 has a weird starter setup with so many gears.
Good Luck
Rich
 
Thanks again,,, but I just brought the thing back to life.. I haven't figured out the lights yet,, so I can't test it that way... I noticed that someone spliced the red and yellow wire coming from the fuse for the headlight,,, so that is another problem I have to fix.... The turn signals ?... That is a nightmare... Its not that they wont blink ,, Its they wont come on at all.... I have power coming out of the switch,, but I don't have a meter yet to check and see if it is enough... I got my master mechanic buddy coming over this weekend to help me figure it all out.... I will get it out sooner or later,, I just wanted it to be sooner... ha ha ha.
 
Is the hand control for the blinkers grounded? Sometimes the soldered connections need to be repaired inside these switches.
 
Figure 8 ,,, I am so glad you posted that... I just remembered removing some of the electrical tape up by the controls,,, and noticed a wire under it that was hidden from the tape... that wasn't going anywhere.. You just gave me something else to check..
 
Turn signals...

I just took all the Yamacaca out of my 77D. Factory turn signal system with automatic turn-off, light that comes on when headlight burns out and all of the caca that goes along with that, "safety" switch, automatic brake liner checker.

I was changing to LED turn signals so I got a flasher module which would work LEDs and connected it up according to the instructions using the Yamaha turn signal switch and put the LEDs inside the turn signals I've used for 25 years. Just disconnect and remove the "distance checker" on the back of the speedo that turns off the turn signals.

Taking the 'headlight fail system" out was a little more complicated so I won't go into it. Someone else has put that one of the tech. archives. Basically, you look through the schematic, find where the checker stuff is and then take it all out and then reconnect the wires so you get power to the headlight. Easier to do than explain.

Electrostart problem:

The choices for coils are here at 650 Central:

http://www.650central.com/ignition.htm

and one type of coil is here at Mike's:

https://www.mikesxs.net/product/17-6805.html
as well as some others.

All of the electronics on the XS are 30-40 year old technology and is not very advanced compared to today. All that stuff is old and can cause problems.
 
Can someone tell me what the little black box is up by the flasher under the tank ?... Is it important ?... I took it out,,, and now my turn signals work.. Can I leave it off ?
 

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