Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Electrical ?????

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
  • #1

    Electrical ?????

    I was riding really easy down a dirt road tonight... (Looking for kid's dog that made the major break!) I hit a bump, and the bike kind of "Hickupped" like it was about to die for a second, then came right back to life... but I lost my dash warnings (Battery and oil always on) and my tach... mostly. If I rev it up good, the tach will go to maybe 1500 rpms. I will check my fuses tomorrow and do the regular check I had been doing before to check my Reg/rectifier to see if charging.... besides that, any suggestions where to start besides the "Clean every electrical connection on the bike and use dielectric grease"?

    Tod
    Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

    You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

    Current bikes:
    '06 Suzuki DR650
    *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
    '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
    '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
    '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
    '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
    '81 XS1100 Special
    '81 YZ250
    '80 XS850 Special
    '80 XR100
    *Crashed/Totalled, still own
    Tags: None
  • #2
    same thing

    XSact same thing on my XJ just week ago. Turned out being a bad wire to fuse block. Glass type (ya ya i know) cleaned it up resoder and good to go.
    1982 XJ 1100
    going strong after 60,000 miles

    The new and not yet improved TRIXY
    now in the stable. 1982 xj11, 18,000miles

    Comment

    • #3
      I'm not an XS expert by any means, but I've been an electronics engineer for 25 years.
      It sounds like the classic case of a loose connection. I know that doesn't help much but given the loss of function you suffered I would say it was probably fairly central and on the earth side of the circuit.
      Start with the main earth from the battery to the chassis - take it right off clean it and put it back on, if it's good nick, if not replace it. Any decent thicker guage wire or earth braid will do. After that chase the loom around the frame - with the tank, seat and headlight cover off it's not too difficult.
      Good luck
      Si Parker
      '81 XS1100H

      Tkat brace, new coils/wires/plugs, refurbed carbs (thanks 81 xsproject), recon'd top end, windshield (thanks dpotter58), resprayed tank and panels, 4-1 exhaust, sweet xs pod filters, in line fuel filters, progressive springs, thick hand grips, jumped headlight relay.

      Comment

      • #4
        My "Headlight cover" is a fairing... lol. I will check a couple things out tomorrow then start there at the battery. I don't have the glass fuses any more, but will checkaround the fuse box. Thanks.

        Tod
        Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

        You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

        Current bikes:
        '06 Suzuki DR650
        *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
        '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
        '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
        '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
        '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
        '81 XS1100 Special
        '81 YZ250
        '80 XS850 Special
        '80 XR100
        *Crashed/Totalled, still own

        Comment

        • #5
          Originally posted by trbig
          My "Headlight cover" is a fairing... lol. I will check a couple things out tomorrow then start there at the battery. I don't have the glass fuses any more, but will checkaround the fuse box. Thanks.

          Tod

          If you have all the wiring in one of those plastic bags, loose the bag and let the wires just hang out behind the faring.

          Those wiring bags collect water like crazy and are only good for corroding the electrical conections.

          Geezer
          Hi my name is Tony and I'm a bikeoholic.

          The old gray biker ain't what he used to be.

          Comment

          • #6
            No plastic bags.... wires are just sittting there in the old headlight bucket.

            Tod
            Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

            You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

            Current bikes:
            '06 Suzuki DR650
            *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
            '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
            '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
            '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
            '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
            '81 XS1100 Special
            '81 YZ250
            '80 XS850 Special
            '80 XR100
            *Crashed/Totalled, still own

            Comment

            • #7
              Check to make sure the ignition switch is still screwed tightly to it's base. I had mine loosen up once, and a good bump would knock out all electrical for a moment. Try wiggling the switch while its running. If it is loose, it should act up.

              Comment

              • #8
                Well, I have been busy tonight. I fixed the electrical problem. It had blown a fuse for some reason. I couldn't make it do it again... so a little leary about it. I will be taking extra fuses with me to Talehina Rally just in case. On a good note though... even the way it was, it was still charging. I cleaned up a few of the grounds, so maybe that will help. There are just so many wires jiggling around on this bike and in the headlight bucket, that I'm honestly surprised it doesn't blow fuses more often. Oh well... if all else fails and it goes dead on the trip, it looks like Cody's 'Zilla is making enough horsepower now to tow me in! I'm just kidding... Man, that would be some dangerous crap to do on those twisties wouldn't it?

                I changed out the oil in the middle drive and filled it with synthetic mix... even took some time and made a couple dipsticks for the middle and final drives. I ruined one allen wrench trying to get that thing off! I had to use the box end of a wrench on the back side of the allen wrench to finally break it free. I then topped off the final drive... it looked/ smelled new still. Then I changed out the engine oil and filter, and installed a small filter for my crank case breather. Everything was going really well until I overfilled the heck out of it with oil. I had 2 different partial jugs of oil, and was watching the sight glass while I filled, but I never saw the new oil climb up the glass. I guess I'm going to try the turkey baster technique first before trying to drain off some. I didn't start it so it will be fine.
                Anyway... problem sorta fixed. Looks like I will be Rally bound in a little over a week!

                Tod
                Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

                You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

                Current bikes:
                '06 Suzuki DR650
                *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
                '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
                '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
                '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
                '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
                '81 XS1100 Special
                '81 YZ250
                '80 XS850 Special
                '80 XR100
                *Crashed/Totalled, still own

                Comment

                • #9
                  Tod wrote:
                  Well, I have been busy tonight. I fixed the electrical problem. It had blown a fuse for some reason. I couldn't make it do it again...

                  I know how you feel. A few years ago I had a Ford crap out as I exited the freeway. Nothing wrong to the naked eye, but no spark or valve action, so I looked at the timing belt. It looked okay, but I took it off, and the only teeth missing were the ones that engaged the crank. my neighbor is a retired IBM repairman. I mentioned that it was weird that it would strip out those teeth only. He looked it over, puffed his pipe, and just said, "Well, it's got to fail someway or other." Words to live by...
                  "Time is the greatest teacher; unfortunately, it kills all of its students."

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    He was an optimist.

                    Originally posted by LoHo
                    He looked it over, puffed his pipe, and just said, "Well, it's got to fail someway or other." Words to live by...
                    Skids (Sid Hansen)

                    Down to one 1978 E. Stock air box with K&N filter, 81H pipes and carbs, 8500 feet elevation.

                    Comment

                    Previous template Next
                    Working...
                    X