Narcoleptic Electrical System

[Jim(tm)]

No, when it first started only the motor would die for a split second and the display would stay on. Later it started to die completely and the lights and display would shut down too.

 

[Jim(tm)]

So I got my bike back from the shop. They couldn't make it quit, but they figured the battery was the problem (it was 5 years old) and they replaced it. I rode it home last night no problem. Went out for a ride today and about 3 miles into it it died coming to a stop sign and wouldn't start again.
The positive is that now the problem is no longer intermittent.
Here's what I've got: no starter, no display or gauges, no headlight, but the turn signals, tail light and brake light are working as are the turn signal lights on the dash.
If this gives anyone any ideas, I'd appreciate hearing them. It's going to be a pain dragging this thing back to the shop.

 

[Jim(tm)]

I think I found the problem- dirty contacts on the ignition fuse. I pulled it out, put it back in and turned the key and presto! display, fuel pump, warning lights came on like normal. Pulled the ignition fuse out and it gave me the same problems I was having before.
Probably time to clean all the fuse sockets and add a bit of dielectric grease.

 

[Motogiro]

I'm looking at the schematic and what I see is you could have a problem at the fuse block of the plug that feeds the fuse block. When you turn the key on it supplies current to the fuse block that feeds varies parts of the bike. If the turn sigs come on with running light I suspect the ignition switch is working. Remember, your headlamps will not come on unless the engine is running so you don't know if that circuit has actually failed. Look very carefully at the fuse box. If there are plugs pull them apart and look for abnormalities on the pins. The wire color code that I believe is where current is being lost is Red with a White tracer If you probe this wire you should see +12 plus volts when the key is turned on. If the bike is in neutral, the neutral light should come on with the key on because it is fed from this circuit as well as feeding logic for the starter interrupt and other circuits that run that bike. I'm attaching a schematic. #47 is the fuse in question and the problem could actually be in side the fuse block itself, internally. Now to confirm this you could open the red with white tracer wire and make a jumper from the battery positive terminal the the wire and if the bike come alive this is the circuit that is being lost. It's actually a benefit that it has finally failed and stays failed so you can track it now. Remember it could be the fuse, the fuse socket, the fuse block assembly, the plug to/from the fuse block.

 

[Jim(tm)]

I appreciate it, but I just cleaned the fuse contacts with some steel wool, shot some contact cleaner into the fuse block contacts and hit them with some dielectric grease and it seems to have solved the problem. Time will tell.

 

[Motogiro]

I think I found the problem- dirty contacts on the ignition fuse. I pulled it out, put it back in and turned the key and presto! display, fuel pump, warning lights came on like normal. Pulled the ignition fuse out and it gave me the same problems I was having before.
Probably time to clean all the fuse sockets and add a bit of dielectric grease.

Funny! As i was writing and making a PDF package for you, you were in the right area. Did you check the fuse block plugs?

 

[Jim(tm)]

Not yet, but it would probably be a good idea to do those too when I'm feeling a little more energetic.

 

[Jim(tm)]

More headaches

Started it up to take it out for a test ride this morning. Right around the time the lo temp indicator went off it died. The display stayed on and it started right back up again, then it died a second time, same thing. Once the idle dropped to 1300 I rode it about 10 miles no problem and no more stalling. Brought it back, let it cool for a couple hours to give me a cold start and it died a couple more times right around the time it came up to temp and the idle started to kick down.
This story is becoming tiresome. Any suggestions?

 

[Jim(tm)]

The cleaning the fuse contacts didn't fix the problem after all. Just got back from another ride and it died on me several more times. But, if poked at the wires under the fuse block, the display came back on and it would start again. I'm thinking now that MotoGiro had it right when he said to check the wire connectors at the fuse block. Unfortunately, I can't get it to shut off by wiggling the wires under the fuse block to confirm a bad connection. How do those wires come out? do they just pull out or is there a trick?

 

[Motogiro]

This could be a problem internally in the fuse block itself depending on the fuse block design. It could be a single pin in a connector. The reason I suspect the fuse block and associated connection is because of the zoned current loss to specific areas. You could even have a fuse with a tiny fracture in it and it looks good but if defective. It may have been a defective fuse when it was made. Disconnect the battery negative lead and go find it. I feel strongly that this is the area you should be looking at. You'll find it! May the force be with you!

You have my mobile number.....

 

[Jim(tm)]

I can rule out the fuses. I just replaced all of them (went to the auto parts store on my last ride and changed them there. Still died on the way back.) But like I said if I poked at the wiring under the fuse block it came back to life, so the problem must be at or near the block.
After tugging and wiggling all the wire connections in the bottom of the block, trying to get them out to clean them, I took it for another ride and now it won't die again. I'm almost certain now that it's one of those connectors on the bottom of the fuse block. I think by wiggling them I may have rubbed off some oxidation or something so that it's got a good connection again.
I think the next step is to pull out the wires one by one, shoot them with some contact cleaner and put them back with some dielectric grease to make sure, but they don't want to pull straight out and I'm afraid to try to force them and break something the way I usually do.

At least at this point I'm dead certain it's either a connection to the fuse block or a short in a wire itself near the block, but I'm leaning toward a connection.

 

[Motogiro]

I can rule out the fuses. I just replaced all of them (went to the auto parts store on my last ride and changed them there. Still died on the way back.) But like I said if I poked at the wiring under the fuse block it came back to life, so the problem must be at or near the block.
After tugging and wiggling all the wire connections in the bottom of the block, trying to get them out to clean them, I took it for another ride and now it won't die again. I'm almost certain now that it's one of those connectors on the bottom of the fuse block. I think by wiggling them I may have rubbed off some oxidation or something so that it's got a good connection again.
I think the next step is to pull out the wires one by one, shoot them with some contact cleaner and put them back with some dielectric grease to make sure, but they don't want to pull straight out and I'm afraid to try to force them and break something the way I usually do.

At least at this point I'm dead certain it's either a connection to the fuse block or a short in a wire itself near the block, but I'm leaning toward a connection.

God deal on changing out the fuses. It's not a short it's an open. Can you see the color of the wires coming out of the fuse block or plug? Red with a white tracer is the circuit that is failing, either in a plug, the fuse block or the wire is damaged. Don't worry you'll find it! The reason I say to undo the negative lead on the battery is to also reset the volatile memory on the ECU so that when the engine warms up maybe it won't stall on you. That may be a separate issue of late because of erratic spiking on the buss. Once you find the bad connection you want to have the ECU already reset.

 

[Motogiro]

How did this turn out? Any progress?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

How did this turn out? Any progress?

Another one we'll never know....

 

[Motogiro]

Another one we'll never know....

Maybe the bike is in the shop?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Maybe the bike is in the shop?

Perhaps. The poster is usually kind enough to post its in the shop and later let the guys (who invested their time into trying to help) know what the problem was..