virago 250 continues to run when key is turned off

[hamjam]

Hi my wife's '08 250 vstar continues to run when the key is turned off. I dismantled the switch and cleaned it and cleaned the connection to the harness ...no joy :-( tomorrow i will check the solenoid , what else could this be. has any one experienced this , any suggestions?

TIA
Jim

[James England]

Have you tried removing, with gloved hands, the HT caps from the plugs? In some cases of badly inaccurate ignition timing (advanced) the plugs get red hot and it starts a kind of chain reaction of detonation.

Does the bike continue to run smoothly when turned 'off'? Or does it run abnormally? If the former, I'd say it's electrical and you are continuing to get sparks at the plugs. If the latter, then it may be hot plug syndrome

[hamjam]

Hi, it runs normallly turning the key off or on makes no difference . I have a biventricular resynchronizing pacemaker, the Doc wont even allow me to go into a welding shop electricity is no longer my friend i even had to have my guitars tested to make sure they wouldn't interfere, , the bike runs strong and well. tune up done 1500km. ago she rode it to work and back everything. was ok ther and back no issues till she tried to stop it @ home
thanks more stuff to look at
Jim,

[DGXSER]

Is it repeatable? Does it do it all the time?

If it is not "dieseling", to quote an old redneck term, then it has to be maintaining the connection without the switch in the correct position. So the I start to question if the internal switch components are loose.

Without the wiring diagram I am shooting in the dark, maybe just stating the obvious. But there is a connection not getting broken, almost has to be in the switch somewhere.

If it is repeatable, try removing the switch, and hotwiring the bike to run, then you or a helper due to your condition, pull the hot wire and see if it continues to run.

[Shacknasty]

Two common reasons are advanced timing (check advance weights, pins, and springs) and carbon buildup. If she doesn't rev the motor much, carbon could be the culprit.

If you've never heard this before ya might think I'm crazy or funnin' ya, but I assure you it works. Warm motor to operating temp and remove air cleaner. Hold the revs up a bit and, using an ordinary household sprayer, spray some h2o into the carb. Twist the wick a few times and repeat until no more black crap shoots outta the exhaust.

Don't do this in front of yer shiny pink Caddy!

[fredintoon]

- - - I have a biventricular resynchronizing pacemaker, the Doc wont even allow me to go into a welding shop electricity is no longer my friend - - -

Hi Jim,
that mean you need a diesel-engine bike to be safe?
Or wear a wire-mesh vest Faraday cage?
And I thought my being old, fat and out of shape was problem enough.

[hamjam]

ha ha No Fred but , for most stuff like phones guitars and shavers car and bike engines I am usually far enough away from them to be ok but the large amperages in the W shop are not good could stop my machine I cant even be wanded @the airport ,too close I get patted down ...they dont like it when I point at the cutest chick on duty and ask for her good news is its only there till I get a transplant

and I am thinking that the problem is electrical the headlight stays on

[fredintoon]

Hi Jim,
to be clear, you mean the bike runs good & everything on it still works & the bike can be ridden normally after you turn the key off?
How long has this been happening?
Do you have to use the old leave it idle in gear, hold the brake & drop the clutch trick to stop the engine?
After the engine is stopped does the ignition keep sucking power out of the battery?
Well, I dunno; I'd suppose it's some obscure electrical thing.
What you can do while chasing the electrical gremlins is to put a switch in the battery main feed wire to kill it that way.

[hamjam]

Fred wrote
to be clear, you mean the bike runs good & everything on it still works & the bike can be ridden normally after you turn the key off?
me
yes it is like the key is still in and on all lights work and it is completely normal in all ways
Fred How long has this been happening?
me started Fri afternoon as she got home from work worked fine till then

kickstand safety and kill switch still work after it stops the lights remain on and everything else still works so it is as if the key is permanently on
I will go and dig out the multi meter after my Dr appointment today
thank you
Jim

[IanDMacDonald]

Weird. The kill switch does not kill the engine? Considering that most bike ignition switches are normally open, I'd say the contacts are messed up inside of it, preventing the switch contacts from opening. Spray some contact cleaner in that ignition switch to see if something is dirty. If nothing, get yourself another switch and call it a day.

[hamjam]

kill switch and kickstand switch both stop the engine key on or off

[DGXSER]

It certainly has to be the key switch itself. Must be the connection inside the switch is not getting broken when you turn the key. Either the part fo the key core that turns the rest of the switch is loose, or something is shortedout inside there.

[rpgoerlich]

There is a 3 prong plug that plugs the key switch into the harness. Unplug it
and see if it stops. If it does you've found your problem. If not, I'd say you have a short in the harness somewhere.

[hamjam]

It certainly has to be the key switch itself. Must be the connection inside the switch is not getting broken when you turn the key. Either the part fo the key core that turns the rest of the switch is loose, or something is shortedout inside there.

I just pulled the switch it checks out as continuity when switch is on and no continuity when off as per the manual ... so now I follow wires

Thanks guys for all the help

[DGXSER]

When you stall the engine out, or whatever else you do to stop it, all the lights stay on as if the switch was turned to on, even when it is off, correct? Headlight, dash lights, neutral light...etc.

Have you tried having the key switch loose, but connected, start the bike, then disconnect the switch and see if it continues to run. Just thinking this through. If it is not in the switch then the wires the switch connects are shorted out in the harness somewhere.