Please help, electrical problem...

[Shodan]

Hi guys, new FZ6 rider here Opened the season today - but after a total of about 4-5 hours of riding today (with a few stops) my bike started glitching out. First the dashboard went out and rebooted. Then again. I turned around and set course home, but It got worse as I was riding. By the time I got home that dash wouldn't stay on for 2 seconds if the engine is above idle, keeps rebooting, the RPM arrow constantly going right-left as it does on startup, and I think the engine was becoming unstable too, as if it skips a beat now and then. The dash does complete it's boot sequence and stays on if the engine is idling though. The turn lights' brightness is deeply pulsing on idle though.

Made it home very stressed, shut down the bike. After a couple hours sitting started it up again - problem seemingly gone, dash board stable even when revving it up a bit (to 5000 or so). When I was going home it would glitch out at 2500 RPM already, which is effectively unavoidable to get moving at all.

Any ideas what the heck can this be?

 

[Motogiro]

I would first lift the tank and check your connections at the battery. It seems like you have a total power loss for a split second. Are there any error codes?

And :welcome: to our great forum! :rockon:

 

[Shodan]

Fixed. Was a loose wire on the "+" contact of the battery - wire was bouncing all over the socket. Had to tighten one screw. It's hilarious how upset I got from such a minor issue.
But it's a recently bought used bike so it's still a black box and I expected the worst. I hope the electronics survived the ride home with such heavily glitching electric contact.

 

[Solarservant]

Must be some synchronicity happening here. I just logged on to see if I could get some help diagnosing an electrical gremlin that sounds close to what you have experienced. Although I am not seeing the dash reboot like you did. Just the loss of power, occasional engine shutoff while riding (scary as hell), and lots of little "stutters." I'm sure it's a loose connection also. I hope.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Fixed. Was a loose wire on the "+" contact of the battery - wire was bouncing all over the socket. Had to tighten one screw. It's hilarious how upset I got from such a minor issue.
But it's a recently bought used bike so it's still a black box and I expected the worst. I hope the electronics survived the ride home with such heavily glitching electric contact.

Just a suggestion. Although I've never had a problem with the cables coming loose from the battery, I did just replace my battery last week.

Besdies putting a thin layer of dilectric grease over the cable ends/battery terminals, I also put just a drop of RED loctite into both square nuts (kinda tricky avoiding the gease with the loctite).

One less potential issue to arise. :thumbup:

Being its "new to you bike", I would strongly suggest you give the bike a good going over. There's much information here on the forum as well as reading your owners manual, etc... Safe riding!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Must be some synchronicity happening here. I just logged on to see if I could get some help diagnosing an electrical gremlin that sounds close to what you have experienced. Although I am not seeing the dash reboot like you did. Just the loss of power, occasional engine shutoff while riding (scary as hell), and lots of little "stutters." I'm sure it's a loose connection also. I hope.

Sounds like your issue is the "RED KILL" switch on the handle bar failing. Its a known issue, especially of you use it often. Sometime its can be cleaned, sometimes not..

Often, you can jiggle it (while stopped) and have it act up.


Here ya go. Some interesting reading, especially post #22;

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-...itch-faulty-3.html?highlight=kill+switch+pass

 

[Solarservant]

Yep. Kill switch. Opened it to find some evidence of arcing and pitting on the contacts.

You may see that I posted on one of the older posts thanking you all for the help. I just came in from a test ride-all clear.

We'll see if a good cleaning fixed it. If not, I'll do the bypass and call it good.

Had to cancel out on a group ride I was leading today due to this issue. Didn't want to experience a shutoff mid-corner and lose it. What a poorly built switch. It doesn't feel as solid now that I have opened it. Went together the same way, but I did have to use a bit of force to get it out. And of course the spring did pop out and hit me in the face, per the usual.

Thanks again for the troubleshooting tips.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Yep. Kill switch. Opened it to find some evidence of arcing and pitting on the contacts.

You may see that I posted on one of the older posts thanking you all for the help. I just came in from a test ride-all clear.

We'll see if a good cleaning fixed it. If not, I'll do the bypass and call it good.

Had to cancel out on a group ride I was leading today due to this issue. Didn't want to experience a shutoff mid-corner and lose it. What a poorly built switch. It doesn't feel as solid now that I have opened it. Went together the same way, but I did have to use a bit of force to get it out. And of course the spring did pop out and hit me in the face, per the usual.

Thanks again for the troubleshooting tips.

Your welcome, glad it was an easy fix.

If you keep looking, you can usually find one (entire right assembly) to get another switch on a parted out bike... If you've been riding awhile and feel comfy with it, I'd probably just permanently by pass it.

One less thing to fail...:thumbup: